Distance: 3.1 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 766m to 1031m. Gain: 179m. Loss: 274m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Prolonged rivers (4/6)

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

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Tall, walkable scrub / large rocks, occasional waterfalls or gorges in rivers

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

Prolonged rivers (difficulty: 4/6)
Frequent river travel - impassible after rain, risk of getting trapped

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

It is important to locate the northern most stream coming down from Bull Basin into the Telford, as there is another one only 100m south of it which will take you up the wrong spur, and they gorge out as the gradient increases.

Climb steeply straight up the true right side above the stream through open bush. A small bluff is encountered at about the 900m contour which once you climb through it becomes a distinct ridge line. At the bush line, look for a dry stream bed which provides easy access through the brief dense scrub belt.

Bull Basin is open tall tussock. Cross the basin to the stream and follow this down into the Wairaki. The clumpy tussock is slow going but soon you'll want to stay high in it as the stream banks become scrubbier and scrubbier. Sidle high on the true left (north) staying above scrub and below steep faces until the last spur leading down to the forks at Upper Wairaki Hut. Good deer trails lead down the spur to hit the creek opposite the hut.