Distance: 7.8 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 602m to 921m. Gain: 134m. Loss: 322m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

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

An untracked but straight forward route exists up the creek behind Manuka Hut and down the East Branch of the Stour.

Head up the creek from Manuka Hut, sticking on open river banks until above the scrubline. Once at the broad saddle, stick to flat snowgrass terraces on the eastern side as the Stour begins to form a valley to the west. Continue to follow terraces 30-40m above the river until you are forced to drop to the river to pass the next sidecreek up from Orr Stream.

Sidle low on the eastern bank picking up obvious terraces 10-20m above the river. Cairns mark the start of an old benched track down to the forks with Orr stream. From Orr Stream follow the bed of the East Stour down to its confluence with the West Branch. For those headed to Woolshed Creek it is possible to 'cut the corner' and pick out good routes west near the base of the slope, through initial scrub soon after you enter the broad flats of the West Stour.

2-3 hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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