Distance: 3.6 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 692m to 1403m. Gain: 138m. Loss: 711m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate-hard)
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-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

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

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

Ice axe probably a good idea if ice is present - face is steep.

From Tarn Hut pass the tarn and follow the poled, untracked route as it climbs to Lilburne Hill. Going is easy at first but tussock becomes increasingly tall and rolling. Swinging east at the summit the poles lead to the end of the fat tops where a cairn marks the start of the descent to Youngman Stream & Hut. The poled route continues down the steep tussock face to the scrubline where a good cut, marked track commences. The steady steep descent continues all the way to the river, where a signpost marks the junction with the Youngman Stream Track.

Youngman Hut is 100m upriver along the marked track. There is no bridge but the river was knee deep in low flows when I visited. There are reports of it being impassable after rain.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The climb from Youngman is, as the map suggests, relentless, but manageable- the gradient is such that I’m able to maintain a steady, slow pace. Beech forest provides shade for the first 200m, becomes scrub until 150m before the summit. The cut track ends at the scrubline and a poled route follows climbing steeply through tall rolling tussocks - there is no ground trail. The summit is marked by a cairn.

The poled route follows flat tops over Lilburne Hill before descending SW to the saddle where Tarn Hut can be found on the NW side of the tops.
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