From Camp Stream Hut to Royal Hut via Stag Pass
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Distance: 14.3 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1225m to 1912m. Gain: 706m. Loss: 609m . Gradient: 5 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot, avalanche risk (3/7)
GPX info source: Drawn on map

From Camp Stream Hut follow the 4WD track north for 500m to the crossing of Camp Stream where a signpost marks the start of the Stag Saddle route.

The route is sparsely poled and follows the river upstream on the western (true right) bank. Going is slowish on rounded tussocks but it's a technically easy walk. As the valley narrows the marked poles become frequent, and the route climbs more steeply to the scree basin west of Stag Saddle, before swinging east to cross the saddle. Stag Saddle is the highest point on the Te Araroa walkway at 1925m.

On the east side of the pass the poled route drops into a tussock basin, before crossing to the north side of the small creek and dropping down a spur between two creeks to a large valley below. Avoid the temptation to drop north into the northern creek - this gorges out and is impassable.

Once in the valley the poles disappear, and the route follows the creek downstream until it hits Bush Stream 300m upstream of Royal Hut. Royal Hut is on the opposite bank. The stream is knee deep in normal flows and will be impassible after heavy rain.

If the river is impassable, a route north to Stone Hut is possible on the western bank, but the smaller Blind Spur Stream would have to be crossed, and you'd need to go over pt1408 to avoid creek crossings above the hut. A bridge just below Stone Hut give access to the hut.

Created by: Madpom on 2015-12-26. Experienced: 2015-11-20
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