Routeburn North Branch
Routeburn North Branch is a 2,442 ha RHA in Mount Aspiring National Park east of the divide. Elevations climb from 698 m on the valley floor to 2,268 m on the tops, with a median of 1,344 m. Sixty-three per cent of the country sits above the 1,200 m bushline and 35% in true alpine ground.
This is mostly above the bushline tops country — open faces, hanging basins and rocky slopes rising out of beech-fringed valley heads. The block leans east, so morning sun catches the country cleanly for first-light glassing.
Game on the permit is red deer and chamois. The alpine character makes this primarily chamois country with reds working the bush edges and lower faces.
Open Routeburn North Branch on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 8,236 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 698–2,268 m
- Median elevation
- 1,344 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,059–1,618 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 63%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 35%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
698–2,268 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Helicopter access is permitted on Routeburn North Branch, and Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) are also permitted, so commercial operators may be working the open alpine ground.
There are no DOC huts or campsites recorded inside the block — parties will be fly-camping or working off a base outside the boundary.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a RHA block in the Mount Aspiring National Park east of divide permit area, with a hunting status of Permitted.
Commercial wild-animal recovery (WARO) operates over this area — expect helicopter activity and pressured game.
This block sits within a DOC air-access zone — fly-in hunting and helicopter drop-offs may be permitted.
A DOC hunting permit is required, and Routeburn North Branch is an RHA with a Permitted hunt status in Mount Aspiring National Park east of divide. RHA conditions apply — confirm current access rules and any party-size limits with DOC before a trip.
1080 & pesticide status
No current, planned or proposed pesticide operations intersect this block in our data. Always confirm with DOC before taking a dog in.
Get roar & 1080 alerts for the areas you hunt
We'll email you when pesticide operations, ballot dates or access conditions change for Otago.
Sign up →