Distance: 4.6 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1224m to 1498m. Gain: 309m. Loss: 351m . Gradient: 8 deg (Gentle)
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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

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

From the track junction at Bishops Cap, a cut marked track runs east and climbs to the bushedge at Purple Top. A poled route climbs to the summit, which it circles round before sidling NNW on the eastern face to reach the bush again. From here the cut marked track resumes and runs to Mt Rintoul Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Mt Rintoul Hut a clear cut track continues to the bushline at Purpletop, from where a poled route leads to the saddle to the south of the summit. Circling the summit, the poled route descends back west into stunted beech, where a wide cut track leads to the junction south of Bishop’s Cap where a signpost marks the track junction.