Distance: 3.5 km (1.8 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 929m to 1316m. Gain: 270m. Loss: 524m . Gradient: 13 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous 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

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

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

WIll be exposed once out of the bush, so carry winter storm gear...

Pretty obvious sign on Aston pointing West down Renata Ridge. Follow the scrubby and steep in places trail down the spur before dropping into the goblin forest. There is a small climb up uonto Elder and the hut is just over the brow in a fairly open spot next to the track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Climbing up from Elder Hutt, there is a drop through goblin forest through a saddle before the proper climb begins. Steep in places, up out of the treeline and through scrub up onto Aston. Not a lot of fun in bad weather. In bad weather, we were just over 1.5 hours up. Down would be quicker.