Distance: 13.3 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1128m to 1890m. Gain: 787m. Loss: 792m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Streams (2/6)

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-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous 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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

Head up flats on the southern side of the Wairau from flats below Island Gully Hut, following good cattle tracks. The valley swings north, just after you cross a fenceline. Follow the creek north up the main valley through a landscape of moraine and scree into the scree head basin. No crossings are required, but crossing the creek can speed travel (ankle deep in normal flows). Climb to the obvious U notch at the western side of the saddle at the valley head. Scree is firm lower down but very mobile higher up – slow going.

From the saddle drop good runnable scree on the far side into a side-valley off the Paske. Follow the northern bank downriver (NE) until you get to the start of beech forest. Drop to the main valley floor through beech. Paske Hut is 1km downriver on the southern bank.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description