Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Day 2: Luxmore Hut to Iris Burn Hut
5-6 HOURS, 14.6KM, 588M DESCENT
Wait for the weather report in the morning to be sure of good conditions for the alpine cross-
ing. Carry plenty of water as there are no streams along the way.
The track climbs the ridge towards the unnamed peak east of Mt Luxmore, but ends up
sidling along its northern slopes with Mt Luxmore looming overhead. Within 3km of the hut
the track swings north.
For those interested in climbing to the peak of Mt Luxmore, easily distinguished by its
large trig, it's best to follow the track to
Luxmore Saddle
(1400m) and drop your back-
packs. From here it's an easy 15- to 20-minute climb along a rocky ridge to the top. If the
weather is clear, the view is perhaps the finest of the tramp - a 360-degree panorama that in-
cludes the Darran Mountains, 70km to the north.
After crossing the ridge to the north of Mt Luxmore, the track skirts a bluff on steep-sided
slopes for 3km, until it reaches a highpoint on the ridge beyond Luxmore Saddle. Here, the
track swings away from the ridge and sidles along the slopes before descending to Forest
Burn Shelter. This is close to
Forest Burn Saddle
, which is reached two hours from Lux-
more Hut. Beware of strong wind gusts when crossing the saddle.
From the shelter the track skirts the bluffed end of a ridge, with great views of Lake Te
Anau's South Fiord. About 3.5km from the shelter, the track rounds the bluffs onto a ridge
crest and the tramp becomes considerably easier. Follow the ridge, skirt two knobs and then
climb another one. Once on this high point you can see Hanging Valley Shelter.
The shelter sits on a ridge at 1390m and is usually reached two hours from Forest Burn
Shelter. The views are great, so spend some extra time here if your timing allows. It takes
most trampers less than two hours to reach Iris Burn Hut from here, and because most of the
tramp is through bush, this view is much more inspiring than anything else you'll see along
the way.
The track leaves the shelter and follows a ridge to the south for 2km. The ridge crest is
sharp, and at times you feel as though you're on a tightrope. Eventually the track drops off
the ridge with a sharp turn to the west, and descends into the bush. The descent is a quick
one, down a seemingly endless series of switchbacks, and the track drops 390m before
crossing a branch of
Iris Burn
.
