Distance: 2.3 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 601m to 1357m. Gain: 56m. Loss: 785m . Gradient: 22 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) 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

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

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

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

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

From Howletts Hut, follow the poled track 50m south to a signposted track junction. From here a cut, marked track drops east through the leatherleaf towards the Tukituki valley. After 200m the track enters the bush and becomes steeper, dropping down Daphne Spur. The last 200m to the river are steep and more poorly defined, emerging down a loose gravel face just up the western fork below the hut.

To reach Daphne Hut, head up the river for 80m on the western bank, and cross to Daphne Hut on the opposite bank. In high river conditions, better crossing may be found further upstream.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Daphne Hut, cross the stream and drop to the forks 80m downriver. The track to Howletts starts just up the western fork, and is gravelly and steep at first. Once in mature bush a good cut, marked rack follows Daphne Spur up to the bushline, where a cut, marked track continues through leatherleaf the the summit and a signposted junction 100m south of Howletts Hut.