Distance: 0.7 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 990m to 1108m. Gain: 54m. Loss: 168m . Gradient: 19 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

This is an old route to Top Gorge Hut. From the saddle on the track south of Rocky Knob (there was a metal stake with tape marking the start of this route, in Feb 2020), go straight down the centre of the valley to the west. There is a faint ground trail as you push through grass and small scrub, with occasional cut branches and tapes. After about 110 metres distance the trail moves left (south) slightly onto the true left of the tiny creek in this valley, onto a grassy slip. Sidle across the slip then veer downhill on its far side, to the creek again. Cross the creek onto the true right and pick up a cut track through leatherwood and bush, heading down this small valley. This faint trail has occasional cut branches and tapes, and is worth finding and following all the way. Near the bottom of the valley, the trail veers sharply right off the spur and down a bit onto a grassy slip where you can see the Pohangina. Veer right (up the Pohangina) into the gut of the slip, where you will find the easiest way down the steep slip into the riverbed on the outside bend of the river (the eastern-most bend in this vicinity). From where you dropped into the Pohangina, it is approx 40 minutes boulder hopping down the riverbed to Top Gorge Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Coming from Top Gorge Hut up river, there may be a large cairn marking the last creek entrance on the Pohangina's true left (east) before this route starts. (This is the creek which comes down the route's valley). The grassy slip that you need to start up is a few minutes (80 metres distance) up-river from here, on the eastern outside bend of the river. It is a very steep clamber up first 5-10 metres of the slip (you may see a piece of tape on some scrub).
To see what the route looks like on a high-definition aerial photo, download this route's GPX file and go to https://maps.walkingaccess.govt.nz/ "Tracks and Trails" map with the Basemap set to "NZ Imagery Basemap", then use "Add Data" .... File to display the GPX trail on the aerial photo..