Distance: 5.3 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 616m to 1246m. Gain: 17m. Loss: 645m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) 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 (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

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

Walked this with 2-3' of fresh soft powder snow present (in mid-march!). Slopes were gentle so ice-axe / crampons not required, but axe did come in handy for support.

A poled route over tussock leads south down Devilskin Stream to the bushedge where the marked, cut track starts. My notes just say "A very long sidle down the true left of Devilskin Stream to the Doubtful". Broad shingle flats with a track on the south side. Crossing was knee deep with some snowmelt present - small river in a big riverbed so clearly floods at times.

Doubtful hut is a few hundred meters downstream on the south bank.

(3hrs in deep snow.)

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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