Distance: 5.8 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 682m to 955m. Gain: 312m. Loss: 39m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

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

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

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

Maintained regularly by local hunters the track is in great condition, and make for an easy walk out of the hut.

From Upper Matakuhia Hut, a good, platformed track heads off up open river flats, before entering mature bush and starting to sidle the eastern face. It later crosses the creek on a modified tree-trunk, and starts to climb the western valleyside on a gentle sidle. It emerges fromt he bush into post-logging wasteland at the side of the former Matakuhia Saddle Hut, of which only the firplace remains. There is parking here, but the last 200m is probably 4WD only, so you may need to leave vehicles on the main forestry road 200m beyond.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the former Matakuhia Saddle Hut site, a good, platformed track disappears like a canyon into the bush. Maintained regularly by local hunters it is in great condition, and make for an easy walk into the hut. We zigzag down to the river, passing a few side creeks, then cross to sidle on the true left. After sidling easily through good bush, several kilometers before I expect it, the track emerges onto an open river flat, and there in front of us is Upper Matakuhia Hut.