Distance: 0.8 km (0.2 DOC hours) - Raft, kayak or float - Easy terrain
Altitude: 408m to 420m. Gain: 10m. Loss: 14m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Raft, kayak or swim/float (6/6)

Raft, kayak or float (9/9)
Watercourse navigated by craft: raft, kayak or swim/float

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

Flat (difficulty: 1/5)
Flat

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

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

Raft, kayak or swim/float (difficulty: 6/6)
Watercourse not crossable on foot. Water craft (raft, kayak or float) required

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

Travel upriver is not possible without motor craft

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Hamilton Hut is a brief 1km paddle down the Waimakiriri from the start of the gorge via a couple of class 1-2 rapids. The gorge is not navigable on foot (though it is possible to drop to the hut on foot from terraces to the east).

Landing points directly below the hut are at the base of high rocks in the full current and can be tricky, but a boulder beach 50m downriver just below the sidecreek is easier to access. From there head up the spur south of the creek until above the level of the hut then cut across an open section of the creek to reach the track dropping back to the hut.