Distance: 7.1 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 634m to 1410m. Gain: 994m. Loss: 255m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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

Secondary, mapped (3/5)
Formal route, on maps, an alternative recognised 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

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

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

From the hut head down to Kiwi Creek & cross to the track on the true right. The track climbs in a NE direction up a spur, firstly through bush, then low scrub, before the track swings to the east & climbs further to the open tussock tops of pt. 1258. Once beyond the high point the ground trail swings to the north, then the east & then the north again, all the while traversing the open tops of Back Ridge. The ground trail skirts the east side of pt. 1375 & drops into a bush covered saddle, 500m before the Back Ridge - Rocks Ahead junction. After climbing to the junction a well worn ground trail descends to the SW to Back Ridge Biv.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Climb back up the well worn open ground trail onto Back Ridge to the point you descended to Back Ridge Biv. At the Back Ridge - Rocks Ahead junction head south along the spine of Back Ridge into a bush covered saddle before climbing back to the open tops & skirting the top of an old slip & then to the east of pt. 1375. The route swings to the west for a brief time before swinging back to the south. Just east of pt 1258 the route swings to the west & climbs over the actual highpoint & continues heading in a westerly direction. A few hundred metres west of pt. 1258 the ground trail leaves behind the open tussock tops & enters low scrub before lower down entering low bush as it nears Kiwi Creek, which has to be crossed as Kiwi Mouth Hut sits in an open grassy clearing on the true left bank.