Distance: 1.5 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 806m to 1458m. Gain: 0m. Loss: 652m . Gradient: 27 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) 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

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

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

From the signposted track junction just west of pt1471, a poled route climbs north over a small highpoint, before following a spur down the the bushedge, sidling on the eastern face for much of the time. Once in the bush, the track is well cut and marked (2009) and follow the spur down towards the Kawhatau River. Just above the main river it swings east, crosses a small side creek, and emerges onto a clearing on a terrace where Crow Hut is located.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From behind Crow Hut, the track sidles briefly downriver, crossing a small side stream, before climbing steadily up the spur to pt1471. The track is cut and marked in the bush and scrub, and poled in the tussock. Crossing the small peak west of pt1471, it intersects the McKinnon-Kawhatau track on the southern face. The junction is signposted.