Scottys Biv
(Scottys Biv: Photo Simon Lewis 2005)
Maintenance Status
Scottys Biv is a maintain-by-community project. It was
designated for removal in DOC's 2003/4 High-Country Review. A group
of Permolat members submitted the maintain-by-community proposal in response. This
was accepted by DOC and a 10-year maintenance contract was signed in 2006.
Those using the Biv are encouraged
to support the project by carrying out
minor repairs
on site, or contacting us regarding repairs or route work needed.
Location
Taipo
catchment. Map BV20. Grid Ref: E1470148/ N5259407.
Altitude 1050m. Scottys Biv is located on a
tussock bench in the headwaters of Scottys Creek in the
Taipo valley. Prior to adoption and profiling on the website, Scottys was
receiving visits once every
3-5 years. In 2005, 10 visits were recorded in the hutbook, although
levels of use have dropped off somewhat since then.
Scottys is in a lovely spot 20 minutes below the crest of the Tara Tama Range
with good tops travel in most directions. A couple of reasonable-sized tarns next
to the Biv provide water and there are views of the Taipo valley and
the impressive northern butresses of Tara Tama. Scottys is a moderate-to-hard overnighter,
or a stopover on longer tops
trips.
Access
The most direct route to Scottys Biv is via a tops track that starts on the TL of the
Taipo River, 400m downstream from Seven Mile Creek. The track is not officially
maintained, but was retrimmed and marked by members of the Permolat group in 2005.
The Taipo is generally fordable at normal flows roughly adjacent to the track start,
but is changeable, and unsafe if running high.
A cableway a good hour upvalley could be used to cross, but would require
a significant boulderhop back downriver, plus a crossing of Scottys Creek.
The track entrance 70m downstream from a small creek just below the
shingle bluffs opposite the old Seven Mile Hut site and is cairned and marked with
cruise tape. The track leads through the bush and across the creek,
then climbs steeply up onto the River terrace. It continues up the terrace
at a fairly gentle
gradient a distance before ascending the steep faces of the Scottys Range.
The trail connects with a leading
ridge at 850m and follows this to
the tussock. A disintegrating water drum at 950m provides
the last reliable water supply
until the tops directly above Scottys Biv.
From
the tussock line the route continues through scattered scrub to the crest of Scottys
Range. Follow along the crest traversing three distinct peaks. The Biv comes into view
from spot height 1399m and there appears to be a good line directly to it from here.
Unfortunately there are bluffs and
scrub gullies out of sight that slow progress considerably and it is
better to continue along the Range to the flat area just before Scottys Saddle. Drop
directly down to the Biv from here. A fit, experienced party should be able
to reach the Biv in 5-6 hours
from the Seven Mile. Good visibility or GPS is essential for the journey.
The other main route to Scottys Biv is from the Griffin
Creek catchment via the second side creek downriver from
Griffin Creek Hut. The creek is reasonable travel intially
but gets steeper and more challenging in its upper reaches. There is a waterfall just
before the Creek opens out with a short section of track through the alpine scrub on
its TR. It is quite exposed at the top end where you sidle back into the creek.
From here a straighforward
creek and scree scramble leads up to an unnamed saddle 200m South of
Scottys Saddle. The saddle is cairned, but
not directly visible if approaching along the Range from the North. It
is an easier access point than Scottys Saddle itself, which is very steep on the
Griffin side
and takes
you into a separate branch of the access creek.
From a bench just North of Scottys Saddle it is an easy drop in an
easterly direction
down a series of
tussock and rock benches to Scottys Biv. Allow 3-3.5 hours to get from Griffin Creek Hut
to Scottys Biv.
Type
Scottys is a standard
NZFS two-person design built in the early 60's by Allan Farmer from Rotorua. Allan has written
a book on his NZFS exploits called, "The Best Job Ever," and Scottys gets
a mention in it. The Biv has two
sleeping platforms, but no mattresses. Wire tiedowns have helped keep it in place over
the years. Water supply is from the tarns and a 44 gallon drum next to the Biv.
Condition
Scottys is in good condition currently. In 2004 DOC repainted and resealed it, repaired a
hole in the floor, put a new metal flashing on the doorstep, repaired the window,
and replaced some rotting studs, joists and bearers. The weather may have been wet
when they
painted the Biv, because the paint didn't stick well in a few places.
Routes
There is a route to Scottys from Rocky Creek in the Taipo.
Follow the Creek up from Rocky Creek Hut, continuing
past the turnoff to the saddle over into Griffin Creek.
Rocky Creek veers SE a short distance upstream and climbs steeply
up the faces of Scottys Range.
There are a number of small cataracts
to negotiate, all fairly easy, and the creek eventually peters out on a
steep scree. Push on through a narrow band of alpine scrub above the the scree
(mainly hebe and spaniard and not too difficult) to the tussock.
There is a steep pitch above this with bluffy bits that needs to be negotiated
to reach the crest of the Range. From here it is an easy 20 minute drop in
a SE direction down to the Biv. Allow 2-3 hours
to get from Rocky Creek Hut to Scottys Biv.
There is a tops route to
Newton
Creek Hut from Scottys Biv. This involves dropping into Newton
Creek from the unnamed saddle between spot heights 1516m and 1751m on the Tara Tama Range.
Travel is easy in the top basin of the Creek, but further down it steepens and gets rough
and bouldery. It is necessary in a number of places to sidle
through the sub alpine/ montane forest on the TR. The bush is
relatively easy to travel through once you get down into the montane zone.
Dunns Hut can be accessed via the Tara Tama
Range via Dunns Saddle, or directly over the Top of Tara Tama.
A gnarly section of ridge between Tara
Tama and Dunns Saddle can be detoured by dropping down a steep scree,
from the NW shoulder of the low peak of Tara Tama. When roughly
level with Dunns Saddle sidle back onto the main ridge. Access down
Dunns Creek from the Saddle is relatively straightforward, although there is some
avalanche risk from the Tara Tama side after heavy snowfalls. If
traversing Tara Tama itself, drop directly down the large open creek that enters Dunns Creek
upstream of the Hut at E1471068/ N5256467. This gut is
is also an active avalanche chute after heavy snowfalls.
A high-level traverse
is possible to Top Olderog
Biv from Scottys via spot height 1572m
and the upper Wainihinihi River basin. It looks quicker
to go straight up and over Mt. Olson, but the section of ridge from it down to
the Biv is vertical and exposed in places, and difficult, unpleasant travel.
Drop into the upper Wainihinihi instead and climb back up onto the Range
adjacent to the Biv. The Biv is sited
around a 100 vertical metres below the crest of the Range on the Olderog side
and is visible from the top in
fine weather. A rock cairn around E1464410/ N5257820 marks the drop-off point (bearing 168 degrees) down to
the bench where the Biv is located.
There is a potential route over to the main Taipo valley from Scottys Biv over
the summit of Tara Tama
and down the long spur running NE towards the Taipo River. A bush-bash at
some point to get you down into the main riverbed.
Scottys Creek looks reasonably benign from the Biv, however John Coll who has
visited Scottys regularly over the decades has some discouraging words.
He says his brother tried dropping down the Creek 30 years ago and
ended up having an "horrendous" 14-hour scrub bash getting to the Taipo.
Repairs needed
Some touching up of the paint work will be necessary in the short-medium term.
The u-bolts on the tie-downs need to be denzo taped. Some longer flathead nails
(maybe 1.5cm) are needed in
a couple of spots on the roof where the nails are not holding the flat iron in place.
Provisions on site
A hammer, a tenon saw, a small tube
of sealant, an aluminium bucket and wash basin, two teatowels, a hand
brush and scrubbing brush. Underneath the Biv there is a stack of timber
comprising lengths of 4x2, 6x1, 2x2, bits of the old 4x4 bearer, a couple of
3m lengths of tongue and groove, the old door, and three warratahs.