Distance: 2.3 km (0.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy terrain
Altitude: 1216m to 1295m. Gain: 79m. Loss: 56m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

A good poled / marked track runs from the Peel Lake Track / Leslie Karamea Track junction to Balloon Hut. Dropping west into a beech gully it then climbs gently north across the tablelands to reach Balloon Hut located in the last section of bush before the climb to Lake Peel.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Balloon Hut a good marked / poled track runs south tyen east to join the Leslie-Karamea track at a signposted junction 1.5km before Salisbury Lodge.