Mt Williams (1718 m) is an impressive-looking mountain perched on the southern lip of a range that boasts stunning peaks like Mt Oates (2041 m) and Mt Franklin (2145 m). Its eastern and southern ridges are inaccessible to regular trampers, but Williams Saddle and the northwest ridges of Mt Williams provide a reasonably straightforward route to this picturesque summit, adorned with red rocks and green grass.

We set off from Greyneys Shelter at 8:30 AM, following the Edwards River and eventually picking up the Edwards Hut Track. By 11:15 AM, we had reached Edwards Hut, where we enjoyed our first lunch of the day – a bit too early for a regular lunch and too late for a second breakfast.

From there, we scoped out the eastern slopes of Williams Saddle and headed towards a creek that drains Pt1497. Initially, the creek bed was too narrow to follow, so we made our way along the sides, pushing through tall tussocks and scrub. In my opinion, sticking to the true left (TL) of the creek is the best strategy until the grass gives way, at which point you can enter the creek. Once we reached the approximate height of the saddle (1327 m), we exited the creek and headed south directly towards the saddle. Some of our group followed the ridge on the true right (TR) of the creek to the main ridge and reported it as good travel. Sidling towards the saddle is also manageable, though slow due to large boulders with hidden holes in the ground.

The saddle itself offers a few great campsites. However, many tarns were already dry, despite it being only the beginning of December. The tarns west of the saddle seemed the most reliable, with good campsites on a flat ridge close to the forest. From the saddle, it’s a straightforward walk to Mt Williams along tussocky and then rocky ridges. Staying on the right (Western) side of the ridge helps avoid a rocky outcrop and impressive bluffs on the left. We reached the summit of Mt Williams 6 hours after setting off from Greyneys Shelter.

From the summit, we chose to descend via a forested ridge near a prominent scree slope northwest of Mt Williams. We followed the ridge back towards Williams Saddle for about 250 metres before carefully descending down about 250 vertical meters. The descent was steep but relatively obstacle-free. At the top of the scree slope, we found the trickiest part was dropping down to the forested ridge on the TR of the scree. The upper scree was bony and difficult to go along until further down. After negotiating a steep and exposed section, we finally reached the forest. There may be an easier entry point about 200-300 metres north, but our route was manageable, and I’d use it again.

Bushbashing through the forest was relatively straightforward. The key is to keep your bearings and aim in the direction of the prominent shingle creek on the opposite side of the valley. While there are some hidden bluffs, they are small and easy to avoid. After descending about 100 vertical metres, we entered the scree slope. Though unsuitable for a proper scree run and tough on boots, it may be easier for descending than staying in the forest. However, the scree looked like it was out for revenge on our shoes, so we wisely retreated back to the forest.

Initially, the forest was open, but it became progressively denser as we descended. For the final 50 vertical metres, we dropped into a creek on our TR that flows directly into the Mingha River opposite the creek draining Mt Aicken.

After a refreshing swim in Mingha River, it was an easy Sunday stroll along the Mingha River back to the cars. The entire adventure took 9 hours and 30 minutes at a relaxed pace, though a motivated party could complete it in 7-8 hours or less.

Stats: 20.5 km, 9h 30min, 1376 m ascent. The route on NZ Topo Map (download below)

Trip Times:

• Greyneys Shelter to Edwards Hut: 2h 45min
• Edwards Hut to Williams Saddle: 1h 30min
• Williams Saddle to Mt Williams: 1h 30min
• Mt Williams to Mingha River: 2h 30min
• Mingha River to Greyneys Shelter: 1h 30min

Participants: Michal Klajban (leader, scribe, GPX), Fiona Harney, Carmela Terrobias, James Killick, Mark Nicholls, Mohammad Arar, Timothy Lawrence, Garry Sotheran, Phillip Wallis

Tramped on 1st December 2024.

Photos

Map

Download file: GPX-hikingisgood-com-nz-2024-Mt_Williams_with_the_CTC.gpx