Distance: 4.9 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 673m to 1358m. Gain: 720m. Loss: 179m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

Tops were flat and ice-axe / crampons were not required when crossing in deep, soft snow.

Cross the Hope river at the confluence - waist-deep crossing in slow-moderate flowing water with moderate snow-melt occurring. This crossing could easily become impassable after heavy rain but sidling the true left from the swingbridge at the Kiwi confluence looked easy enough.

Head up the true left (east) of Pussy Stream from the confluence and continue 2km up the Pussy valley to the first major forks: a river walk up Pussy Stream - a mix of in-river wet feet and beech-forest-bashing on the banks - there are no gravel flats to walk on. Take the western (true right) fork and continue 100m to the next forks where a marked track starts between the two creeks.

A steep climb on a good cut marked track leads to the bushedge, from where a poled route crosses the exposed flat pass and drops back into bush above Lake Man Bivvy.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Lake Man Biv a track climbs south to the bushedge. A good poled route crosses the exposed saddle and drops down the spur into Pussy Stream. River walk down Pussy Stream - a mix of in-river wet feet and beech-forest-bashing on the banks - there are no gravel flats to walk on. Once out on grassy flats, follow the Pussy Stream to the confluence with the Hope where a waist-deep crossing was required in slow-moderate flowing water to cross with moderate snow-melt occurring. This crossing could easily become impassable after heavy rain but sidling the true left down to the swingbridge at the Kiwi confluence looked easy enough. (2-4hrs)