Top Toaroha Hut to Toaroha Saddle Bivouac
Hokitika · West Coast · Point to Point
This walk was suggested by the community and checked against the authority quoted above before it was published. The route line comes from official track data. DOC’s own wording: “Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules. (DOC, Toaroha, Hokitika, Lower Whitcombe Track page; the Kokatahi-Toaroha hunting area page carries the same rule and the permits come from the Hokitika DOC office.)”. Evidence: the rule-setter’s own published wording. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. DOC codes this land for the hunting-dog permit, so it is not a casual dog walk. Ask the DOC office before planning to bring a dog.
About Top Toaroha Hut to Toaroha Saddle Bivouac
This moderate-length track follows 2.0 km as a point-to-point, near Hokitika in West Coast.
The third leg of the Lower Whitcombe round Dre is mapping for us with Hazel, and the shortest so far: about 2 km of climbing that DOC gives 2 to 3 hours, exactly Dre's figure. From Top Toaroha Hut poles mark the route across the boggy flats to Bannatyne Creek, following the track on its true left, then crossing to a major side creek coming in from the true right. DOC's own caution here: the side creek is steep in places. The poles lead across a tussock face, drop back into Bannatyne Creek, and finish up a steep tussock and scrub gut to Toaroha Saddle Bivouac, a basic two bunk shelter just under the saddle at about 1,300 m. This is poled alpine route rather than benched track, so treat the drawn line as indicative, and expect snow and ice on it through winter and into late spring. The dog rule is DOC's for this country: dogs with a DOC permit only, the hunting-dog kind, arranged through the Hokitika DOC office before you go. From the bivouac the round drops to Poet Hut and the lower Whitcombe, and we are building those legs one by one. Like the rest of the round this is advanced tramping: unbridged creek travel most of the way, steep ground, and weather that closes in fast on the tops, so pick your window and be ready to sit it out.
Graded hard, it climbs about 350 m overall, and takes about 59 min to walk.
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Arrange it with the managing DOC office ahead of your trip. This walk is on the map because Dre & Hazel suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.