Gertrude Saddle

Activity Date:
Updated:
People: Finn, Jen

Mon Jan 2, 2023 [Show, Download GPX]
Gertrude Saddle		9.34km
2:57:47		3.15km/hr
692m ⬆️, 710m ⬇️

Yesterday Jen and I finished the Hollyford-Pyke packraft and camped on Milford Rd. We had one day left before having to drive home, so we hit up Gertrude Saddle and Lake Marian.

DOC gives a 4-6hrs trip time, so we got there relatively early and did our best to boost along the flat valley. The sun was out and it was very hot again. Perfect.

After about 2.2km you get into the steep section of the hike. It turns to pretty loose rock among tussocks until about 3.4km where you transition onto the slabs. The slabs can be slippery (as warned many times by DOC) in wet weather/snow. Thankfully we had perfect weather and conditions, so continued to power up. We reached Black Lake at 60min and the saddle at 1:19hrs.

The view from the top is immense. It’s truly amazing. We headed up a little further to the northwest to get a wider view of the valley. Worth the scramble! We meandered around for a while before heading down. We made pretty quick time over the rather grippy rocks.

Overall: totally worth the trip; not that scary; not that dangerous in good conditions.

Looking up the valley. Track goes to the left in the sun.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Looking up the valley. Track goes to the left in the sun.
Jen heading up the last of the broken rocks before getting to the slabs.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Jen heading up the last of the broken rocks before getting to the slabs.
Heading onto the slabs past the slightly excessive DOC sign.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Heading onto the slabs past the slightly excessive DOC sign.
Slabing it up. There's a short wire rigged to the rock at the false saddle.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Slabing it up. There’s a short wire rigged to the rock at the false saddle.
Cute photo at the top taken by a kind stranger.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Cute photo at the top taken by a kind stranger.
Jen looking down on the Gulliver River.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Jen looking down on the Gulliver River.
Looking back at Black Lake and Mt Crosscut.
(📷: Finn Le Sueur) Looking back at Black Lake and Mt Crosscut.