Distance: 6.3 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 953m to 1937m. Gain: 985m. Loss: 2m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

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

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

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Descend solid scree faces into the head of the Ahuriri and follow the valley downstream. I took the steep section to the main forks from terraces on the true left - which gave a reasonable descent, despite what it looks like on the map.

From the forks at the Ahuriri head, the valley is broad and easy going on moraine and shingle until scrub and tussock appears 2km above the hut. A vague trail - exists on terrace on the true right through this section. Crossing the river at the confluence above the hut, following grassy terraces along the bushedge led to Top Hut. Alternatively a 4WD track climbs from downriver to the hut site.