Distance: 4.0 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Road - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 853m to 1281m. Gain: 451m. Loss: 89m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, etc

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous 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

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

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

A rough former 4WD track runs from the junction 600m SE of Boundary Creek Hut to Potts Hut. Occasional ATVs and motorbikes use the track but it has deteriorated beyond being usable for 4WD.

From Boundary Creek Hut, follow the main 4WD track 600m SE back towards the Puddle Hill Creek roadend to the signposted track junction. Follow the signposted (rough) 4WD track branching west and climbing steeply. The track climbs a spur to a flat saddle above where a signpost marks the turnoff to Mystery Lake.

The whole area was burnt off in a fire in 2015, and was still black and barren a year later.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Mystery Lake / Potts Hut track junction, a rough 4WD track leaves the flat tops and descends steeply east down a spur towards the South Branch Ashburton. Just above the valley floor the track ends at a signposted junction with another 4WD track. Boundary Creek Hut is 600m left down this track on river terraces below.