Distance: 1.6 km (0.7 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 245m to 402m. Gain: 80m. Loss: 201m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Streams (2/6)

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

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

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

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

From the signposted turnoff from Mountain Track Road, a broad cut marked track crosses the flat tops through manuka and pines before descending very steeply to the Waikouaiti River. The descent is slippery after rain.

The Waikouaiti River is small at this stag - shin deep in normal flows, and unlikely to become impassable except in extreme conditions.

Crossing the eastern branch river the tracks sidles the south side of the western fork through manuka and flax to reach the historic but forsaken Possum Hut (shelter). The hut is rundown and probably not suited for overnight stays. There is no camping at the hut, but good flats exist 500m east between the main river forks.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From possum Hut the track sidles the south bank of the river for 500m downstream to the forks. Ignore the taped 'Eucalyptus Spur' route climbing south between the forks, and cross both southern branches of the river on the marked track to the base of the eastern valleyside. he creek is small here, shin deep in normal flows, and should not pose problems except in extreme flows.

The climb out of the Waikouaiti is very steep through manuka and pines. This section is very slippery after rain. Once on the plateau above a broad track winds through pine and manuka to meet the Mountain Track Road as a signposted junction.