Distance: 6.9 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 522m to 772m. Gain: 71m. Loss: 311m . Gradient: 3 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Aparima/Spence track junction the track drops steeply down to the river and fords it just down from the confluence (ankle deep under normal conditions). After a scramble up the opposite bank, a good quality if slightly overgrown track heads away up the hillside and up the Spence Valley Some flats are passed through about 2 hours up from the Aparima with good camp sites. The Spence Burn is crossed to the true left soon after these and the track continues up until the large open clearing at the forks with the western tributary. Cross over to the true right. Spence Hut is visible on a grassy terrace above the western tributary.