Distance: 10.9 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Road - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 835m to 1023m. Gain: 78m. Loss: 243m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

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

Flat (difficulty: 1/5)
Flat

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

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

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

A private 4WD track (Arrowsmith Station) runs down the north bank of the Ashburton River (South Branch). This provides the fastest route downriver, but permission should be obtained to use it.

Alternatively, the south/west bank of the river is DOC land and the river bed LINZ, so you can walk down that way - though the river undercuts that bank lower down and the face above is steep - so several river crossings would be preferable if using that route.

The river must be crossed at least once if you start at Wild Mans Hut. Crossings are knee-to-thigh deep in normal flows and could easily become impassable. Travel all the way on the true right is possible (but slow and rough) between Boundary Creek Hut and Top Hut.

The private 4WD track cuts east up the face to a low saddle as the river gorges out 1km above Boundary Creek Hut. Ignore the private track and drop to the riverbed. Cross to a grassy flat opposite (the flat just above the gorge). A rough 4WD track can be seen climbing from the flat to terraces above. This can be followed to Boundary Creek Hut

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Follow the 4WD track north from Boundary Creek Hut, crossing the small creek at the hut then traversing terraces and dropping to the main river. From here, two options exist:

A private 4WD track (Arrowsmith Station) runs up/down the north/east bank of the Ashburton River (South Branch). This provides the fastest route downriver, but permission should be obtained to use it.

Alternatively, the south/west bank of the river is DOC land and the river bed LINZ, so you can walk up/down that way - though the river undercuts that bank initially, and the face above is steep - so several river crossings would be preferable if using that route.

The valley opens out to wide, grazed flats 1km below Wild Mans Hut. A good 4WD track can be seen descending the face to the east. Wild Mans Hut (private) is 100m up the sidecreek upriver of that track - just on the farm side of the DOC boundary fence.

The river must be crossed at least once if you want to visit Wild Mans Hut. Crossings are knee-to-thigh deep in normal flows and could easily become impassable. Travel all the way on the true right is possible (but slow and rough) between Boundary Creek Hut and Top Hut.