Distance: 6.0 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 537m to 1232m. Gain: 750m. Loss: 664m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons (4/7)

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

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Tall, walkable scrub / large rocks, occasional waterfalls or gorges in rivers

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Iceaxe/crampons (difficulty: 4/7)
Ice axe and crampons required in winter

Ice axe was required in July. Crampons may also be needed

This is the normal route between Glen Rae and Cold Stream - and probably the easiest.

From the obvious forks of Glen Rae and Red Stream, head up the Red Stream flats, passing one creek entering from the north (TL) until you reach the next creek entering from the SW (true right). Head into the bush at the base of the spur climbing between the forks to pt1253.

The spur climbs steeply at first, but becomes gentler. Some track trimming has been happening, and there are occasional improvised markers. A section of bluffs on the spur can be bypassed on the northern side. Above the bluffs, a gentle climb takes you through low scrub and later tussock to the summit at pt1253.

Swing WNW along the easy ridgeline, passing a saddle and climbing to pt1244. Follow the obvious spur south from pt1244 to the forks in the upper Cold Stream. The descent is steep in places, but reasonable - with lower sections of scrub bypassed on the west side of the spur.

The 1st 150m of riverbed is tight, gorged and slow going with a couple of small falls to slither down/round. Once you reach the next forks the valley broadens and there is good travel on flat river banks - following deer trails downriver. The track to the hut is not marked, but is well travelled - or if you miss it you will pick up markers climbing back to the hut from the downstream side.

3-6 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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