Distance: 11.1 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 733m to 1603m. Gain: 886m. Loss: 906m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)

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

minor (5/5)
A viable route, not widely used

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A signpost north of Birch Stream marks the legal access up the creek. A sparsely poled, uncut route runs up the north bank of Birch Stream, alternating between the river flats and low terraces. It can be scrubby in places. The easement swings north west up the first sidecreek and ends at the bushedge / conservation area boundary.

Follow the creek NW through open but steep bush, sidling as-required by terrain - generally low near the creek. Once the bush ends good open terraces on the true right (west) provide easy travel upstream to the head basin. A simple climb on tussock / stable scree leads to the saddle between pt1818 and pt1847.

Descend west to the head of the valley draining west towards Ben Avon Hut. The valley floor can be followed for 1km down river before the valley gorges out. It may be possible to follow the riverbed (scrubby banks) but I sidled the south face at around 1100m - working my way below bluffs about half way down the valley to exit onto the spur W of Ben Avon Hut 100m above the bushline. A simple walk follows down the spur/bushedge to the Dingle Valley and walking track. Ben Avon Hut is north across the creek then 100m back east - tucked into the bush behind flats.

3-6 hrs