Distance: 8.8 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1069m to 1673m. Gain: 776m. Loss: 561m . Gradient: 9 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons, avalanche risk (5/7)

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

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

Iceaxe/crampons, avalanche risk (difficulty: 5/7)
Ice axe and crampons required, crosses avalanche paths

From Top Hut, a very rough 4WD route follows the riverbed upriver. Head 3km upstream until you pass the next major sidecreek on the south (true right), either criss-crossing the river on the 4WD track or on tussock/shingle on the south bank. After the sidecreek, the 4WD track crosses to the northern bank and leaves the riverbed. Cross the river (knee deep, can easily flood) and follow the 4WD track onto terraces on the northern bank. The track swings north and climbs a vague spur beside the next sidecreek, before petering out into tall tussock.

Continue up the east side of the sidecreek towards the saddle east of pt1686: first through tall, awkward tussock; later on good but steep scree. The right-hand of the two saddles is preferable as the scree ascent is stable. From the saddle, climb west onto pt1686,

Looking NNE beyond the head basin of Spean Stream you will see a V saddle between the outlying pt1616 and the main range - this is your route. First, however, sidle north (right) of pt1722 to find good but steep scree on which to descend into the head of Spean Stream. Cross the head basin of Spean Stream and ascend the small stream to the saddle west of pt1616 - a short steep scramble on increasingly loose scree.

From the saddle west of pt1616, descend due north down the gut beyond until about 1450m where it starts to swing east and becomes steep. Climb left out of the gut onto good scree faces and follow animal trails across the face 2-300m until you hit a good scree face down which you can descend to the valley below.

On the valley floor you will intersect the sparsely-poled route to Cameron Hut This is easily missed. The route heads briefly up the south side of the 1st creek you hit, meandering through scrub and glacier boulderfields, before crossing the small creek and climbing north onto the moraine beyond. Once on the moraine, the route turns right, circling east then north through the moraine to reach Cameron Hut, now visible on flats beyond. The track is not obvious.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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