Distance: 2.6 km (2.8 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 335m to 649m. Gain: 113m. Loss: 422m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: - Prolonged rivers (4/6)

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-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Tall, walkable scrub / large rocks, occasional waterfalls or gorges in rivers

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

Prolonged rivers (difficulty: 4/6)
Frequent river travel - impassible after rain, risk of getting trapped

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

The DOC sign at the saddle says 2 hours. It isn't due to some serious wind damage. Allow 3 hours
From Girdlestone Saddle the track drops very steeply through bush providing hand holds to the narrow stream bed. The South Ohau is a narrow rut with plenty of hook grass and greasy rocks and is just a trickle, but grows as it drops and the gradient eases.
The track then follows the course of the stream for an hour until it climbs steeply onto the spur to avoid Dowling Falls. The exit is well marked. This spur has suffered a lot of windfall and the track is difficult to follow and slow going. Eventually it drops steeply back into the river where a 10 minute walk will get you to the bottom of the falls in 2 hours.
From the falls, the hut is reached by following the stream for another 45 minutes. Keep an eye out for the large Butchers Creek coming in from the left and the hut will be up the bank just around the corner.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the hut, head down to the confluence of Butchers Creek and the South Ohau and turn right. Follow the river up past several side creeks, following the largest. Dowling falls is worth a visit if just to see what is preventing a simple amble up the stream, then head back and follow the marked track up the spur. A lot of windfall obscures the track and you will be climbing through this. The track is hard to follow, but continue up the spur until the track leaves the wind blown trees and drops back into the river. Carry on up the river which narrows and becomes a trckle. A DOC orange triangle marks the steep scramble out and up to Girdlestone Saddle