Distance: 3.4 km (1.3 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1217m to 1415m. Gain: 205m. Loss: 88m . Gradient: 5 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

An easy stroll on open tussock tops in good weather. A navigational challenge in poor visibility.

From Leaning Lodge, climb directly to the flat tops above. Head SW along featureless tussock tops to Summit Rock, keeping the escarpment visible to your left (east). The 4WD road shown on maps further west is in private land.

From Summit rock, head south across the basin at the head of a small stream dropping east, until you intersect the 4WD track leading east to Big Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

An untracked route over barren tops. Hard navigation in fog.

Follow the 4WD track up hill from Big Hut and swing NNE along the tussock tops to Summit Rock. Maps show a 4WD track along the tops, but that is in private land. Continue along featureless tussock tops keeping the escarpment visible to your right and pass round the head of the major valley to your east. In good visibility it is possible to drop directly to Leaning Lodge, but you can also continue NE along the tops and intersect the 4WD track which drops down the spur north of the hut.