Distance: 3.2 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1334m to 1526m. Gain: 319m. Loss: 299m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7)

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

The ridgeline from Mid King to Girdlestone is great fun. Short tussock tops, narrowing to knife-edges in places. Rocky and tussock scrambles up to each of the peaks. Not easy going, but good fun if you want a good, easy tops scramble on a fine day.

A trig point marks Girdlestone summit, and after the steep 200m climb from the saddle to the south you won;t miss it.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

The ridgeline to Mid King from Girdlestone is great fun. Short tussock tops, narrowing to knife-edges in places. Rocky and tussock scrambles down from each of the peaks. Not easy going, but good fun if you want a good, easy tops scramble on a fine day.

Mid king summit is not marked, but is the unction with a route from Mitre Flats / Mid King Bivvy to the east.