The Otago Alps have an exquisite blend of grass flats, mature beech forest, gorges cut deep into stable schist bedrock and mountains that rear up from valley walls into castles and turrets decked in active glaciers and icefalls. It is carved artwork on a grand and visually appealing scale full of fascination and gorgeous places.

I rate it very highly, and this Gillespie Pass hike has a bit of it all.

The route

Begin this four to five day trip at the Blue Pools in the Makarora Valley beside SH6. Bridges cross the Makarora, Blue, Ore and Leven on a track that leads to the Young Valley after about 2.5 hrs.

An alternative more direct access exists, but it involves fording the Makarora River, which is really deceptive even when running clear, and has claimed many lives. It is much better to enjoy the spectacular Blue Pools along the way and remove the risk. Alternatively, a jet boat service from Makarora can help with both Young and Wilkin access.

From the Young Makarora confluence, follow the established Gillespie Pass circuit track up the Young Valley to the North South Forks, where another suspension bridge crosses the North Young. In a clearing here, surrounded by silver beech trees, there is an established campsite, and further up there is a 20 bunk hut. Both this hut and Siberia Hut need to be booked through the Department of Conservation website in the summer months.

Above here, the track continues to a gorgeous tussock basin surrounded by high rock walls, overseen by Mt Awful at 2,192 metres. It is wonderful country. In spring and summer alpine flowers fill the valley. In winter, major avalanches roar off the valley walls. Now a steep climb begins, easier to go up than down for most, leading onto the range a kilometre south of Gillespie Pass. Poles mark the route in the tussock. This is a steep spur in places, best done when it is dry and the winter snow has gone. The track now follows the tops for a while, with great mountain views including Mt Alba across the Siberia Valley. Alpine Crucible Lake nestles right under the east face of this peak and has a good track leading to it, an excellent day out.

Down in the Siberia valley, the trip follows grass flats to Siberia Hut, then later a benched track in silver beech forest down a gorge to forks with the Siberia and Wilkin Valleys. Here, you need an exit strategy. Meeting a prearranged jet boat, or negotiating from a weak position for a ride back out if the Wilkin Jetboat has room, or walking out down the track on the north bank are the options. But walking still carries the problem of fording the Makarora or the Young River to get back to the highway.

The upper Wilkin Valley is also a paradise of its own with some great day trips from Top Forks Hut, and is also well worth a trip. Major volunteer trapping programmes for predator control are underway throughout the whole area to help support our native birdlife.