Brodrick PASS
A 4.5 Day Alpine Hiking Adventure
Difficulty
Duration
4.5 Days
Season
October to April
Gearlist
PRICE FROM $1,550 NZD
Reaching the Main Divide of New Zealand is an achievement on its own. With your guide's experience and some fitness, you can reach this legendary goal of old-time pioneering adventurers, geologists, and land surveyors.
Brodrick Pass sits on the Main Divide of the Southern Alps at the junction of the remote Landsborough and North Huxley Valleys in the Ruataniwha Conservation Park.
Long valley walks deep in the beech forest, climbing up tussock slopes, scrambling up to alpine passes and rocky peaks, before “surfing” down scree slopes are a recipe for a classic New Zealand hiking mission (or as we call it here - “tramping”).
On this adventure, you will walk through the ancient beech forests and braided riverbeds of the North Huxley Valley to spend the night in a true New Zealand backcountry hut.
Next morning you will hike up to Brodrick Pass (1,630 metres), named after Thomas Brodrick, a hero of early New Zealand surveying and glaciology.
This remote place offers breathtaking views of Landsborough Valley in the West and Hopkins Valley in the East. After another night at Brodrick Hut, you will head down and return to Mt Cook to finish your trip.
Small parties of 1 to 2 people have the option to continue with their guide to summit one of the Main Divide peaks - Mount Mackenzie (2,156 metres).
Brodrick Pass Guiding Package
Booking a Trip
The Brodrick Pass trip is booked “on request”. The first step is to contact us with your dates. All bookings are subject to guide availability.
Your guiding package includes:
Guiding fees for 4.5 days
Alpine Guides Technical Manual
Meals and snacks - lunch from day 2 to lunch on day 5
Department of Conservation fees
Local transport
Free use of a range of technical equipment
Hut accommodation for any nights necessary during the trip
Not Included
Accommodation and food on Day 1 ( first night).
Breakfast on the first morning (Day 2).
Dinner on the final day.
Check-in at Alpine Guides office in Mount Cook Village.
Please read our booking Terms and Conditions.
Ratios and Group Sizes
The maximum group size is 4 people plus guide.
To attempt a climb of Mount Mackenzie the maximum ratio is groups of 2 participants, plus guide.
Prices, From May 2024
| Group size | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $4,375 |
| 2 people | $2,500 per person |
| 3 people | $1,850 per person |
| 4 people | $1,550 per person |
Prices are in NZ$ and include GST.
Experience and Fitness
Brodrick Pass
This is an adventurous hike. Previous trekking/hiking experience is essential. Our walks involve leaving marked and formed trails, uphill and downhill travel on natural surfaces.
This kind of tramping experience is perfect for people who have been on some of NZ’s Great Walks and want to do something slightly more challenging.
You need good aerobic fitness, and to be able to walk for at least 5 hours over the day on uneven terrain, carrying a moderate backpack (8 to 10 kg).
Mount Mackenzie
Mount Mackenzie is a relatively straightforward ascent, although previous ice axe and crampon experience is recommended, it is not required. Fitness and good footwork are the main requirements.
Itinerary
Every trip is unique, due to weather, mountain conditions, and the people involved, their fitness, and motivations. When dealing with a dynamic mountain environment, flexibility is required. We have set up this program to offer the best chance of success for various levels of fitness, track and weather conditions.
Day One - 3:00 pm start - Meet your guide at Alpine Guides’ base in Aoraki Mount Cook Village, Sort your gear and prepare for an early start the following morning.
Day Two - Drive up the Hopkins Valley to Monument Hut, then walk up Huxley Forks Hut. Fitter parties can go on to Brodrick Hut.
Day Three - Either complete the hike to Brodrick Hut or ascend the Main Divide up Brodrick Pass. Fit parties of 2 can go on and climb Mount Mackenzie.
Day Four - Complete the ascent to Brodrick Pass. A “weather” flexibility day for fitter groups.
Day Five - Walk out, then either drive to Mt Cook, to finish the trip or leave your guide in in Twizel.
Journey description
The first section is a 2-hour road trip From Mount Cook Village to Memorial Hut. The first hour is on sealed roads along the shore of Lake Ohau, then an unsealed road, and finally a 4WD route into the Huxley Valley to Memorial Hut.
Dont forget!
There are numerous stream and river crossings. Expect to get wet feet. Make sure you have plenty of spare socks.
Bring bug repellant. There are sandflies here, and they are particularly hungry for new blood!
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From Memorial Hut, you’ll be walking north in the river valley of the Hopkins, skirting into the edges of ancient beech forest. You’ll cross a wire bridge into Huxley Valley, and head west.
There are high and low water routes. If river levels are high, the high-water routes add extra time. Views across the Hopkins Valley to Dasler Pinnacles (2,312 metres) Mount Glenmary (2,590 metres) and the other peaks of the Naumann Range are spectacular.
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Cross the next wire bridge and hike for between 4 to 6 hours along the North Huxley River. The old high route has suffered some erosion in recent years, so expect to stick close to the river bed. Broderick Hut sits at the edge of the bush with amazing views across the valley towards Brodrick Pass, Mount Strauchon, and Mount Mackenzie.
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Out of the beech forest, you are now into tussock and sub-alpine vegetation. The climb to the pass zigzags up over 600 vertical metres. Here you reach the Main Divide, the watershed of the Southern Alps, with incredible views into the wilderness of the Landsborough Valley, and the remote forested mountains of Tai Poutini/Westland National Park.
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From Brodrick Pass, you still have a 500 vertical metre ascent to the summit.
You can expect long snow slopes and rock bands, with a short arète section to the peak.
The views of the area and to Aoraki Mount Cook to the north are well worth the long ascent.
The Huts
There are not many places in the world that have a network of fantastic shelters like the backcountry huts of New Zealand. The huts we will stay in were built by the original NZ Forestry Service, established in 1919.
The Forestry Service managed the state-owned forests and built many huts and bivies in remote areas. Eventually, its conservation and environmental duties were taken over by the Department of Conservation (DOC), which manages these huts today.
Huxley Forks Hut
Originally built in 1970, the hut was given a complete facelift in the 2010s. Like other old Forestry Service huts, it has a small wood burner to keep you cozy in cooler weather.
Brodrick Hut
A basic 6-bunk hut with a wood burner and outside loo. The hut was built by the New Zealand Forest Service in 1966. It was positioned to easily be seen by trampers crossing from the Landsborough Valley over Brodrick Pass. The fire is great for drying out damp socks!
A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking
