Distance: 6.8 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Road - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 225m to 426m. Gain: 348m. Loss: 443m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, etc

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

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

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

A private farm track runs up the northern side of Christmas Creek from Silverpeaks Station . Permission is required from the station to use this track. The track is up to 4WD standard as far as the forks 1km below the hut. Motorbikes / mountain bikes can get to the DOC boundary 200m from the hut. Christmas Creek has a queen's chain, but is scrubby and it is not realistic to follow it and remain within the public marginal strip - so you are best just asking for permission which was readily granted (2008).

Having gained permission in advance, drop from Jubilee Hut to the valley, and follow rough ground trail down the western bank. This hits a fenceline at a wooden gate 20m above the creek, where a grassy farm track commences. Follow this down to Christmas Creek, crossing a few times and ford Christmas Creek to the north-western side. The crossing is shallow but wide, and can easily flood after rain.

The track zigzags up the north-western side of Christmas Creek to join a main farm track 80m above. This track can be followed down the valley all the way to Silverpeaks Station at the end of the public road.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A private farm track runs up the northern side of Christmas Creek from Silverpeaks Station . Permission is required from the station to use this track. The track is up to 4WD standard as far as the forks 1km below the hut. Motorbikes / mountain bikes can get to the DOC boundary 200m from the hut. Christmas Creek has a queen's chain, but is scrubby and it is not realistic to follow it and remain within the public marginal strip - so you are best just asking for permission which was readily granted (2008).

Having gained permission in advance, follow the farm track up the northern side of Christmas Creek - with much climbing and descending. After 4.5km the second main fork of the river from the south becomes visible. Look for a grassy farm track cutting back and zigzagging down to the forks - this was marked with an empty white plastic drum when I was last there. Drop to the forks and cross Christmas Creek. The crossing is wide and shallow, but can easily flood. Follow the track up Jubilee Creek, crossing a few times and ignoring the track climbing north towards ABC cave The track ends at a wooden gate on the DOC boundary, 200m downriver of the hut. A good foot-worn route continues up the valley to intersect the DOC track climbing to the hut, 60m above the valley floor.