Distance: 11.8 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 191m to 450m. Gain: 91m. Loss: 349m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

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

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The section of the Dusky from West Arm to Upper Spey is the easiest and fastest section of the track - though with a few sections prone to be boggy at times.

Follow the Wilmot Pass Road 3km west from the Wharf, passing West Arm hut after 1km, to where the Dusky Track start is marked by a signpost.

A fairly standard backcountry tramping track runs up the north side of the Spey, generally on river flats with occasional low brief sidles. Maybe 8-10 brief sections are boggy - knee deep when I visited - and others prone to flooding after rain. All major sidecreeks are bridged. The track was well marked and vegetation cut back to a broad width of 1.5-2m when I visited (Dec 2020).

The last 500m to Upper Spey Hut is boardwalked - the fastest 500m on the entire Dusky!

4-6 hours

See also: Moir's Ed 7 Pg 139, West Arm to Upper Spey