Distance: 8.9 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 375m to 845m. Gain: 1696m. Loss: 1230m . Gradient: 20 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

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

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

The carpark on the true left of the Earnslaw Burn is not signposted but is at the corner of the 'farm track' shown on maps. Climb the gate and follow the fenceline NW to the bushedge where DOC marker triangles start. After climbing briefly through farmland patches of bush and clearings, the track enters solid beech forest and sidles in it for ~7km up the eastern valleyside to emerge at the bushedge in the upper Earnslaw Burn. The track makes many more ups and downs than topo maps suggest. At the bushedge, the rock biv is visible on the opposite side of the river.

There is another good rock bivvy at CB10 361 429 on the true left of the Earnslaw Burn, about 500m upstream from the mapped one.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A marked, cut tramping track starts on the TL of the Earnslaw Burn at the bushedge, opposite the rock biv marked on maps. It sidles down the eastern valleyside making may small climbs and descents as it goes. It is a popular track but subject to windfall / slips in the middle section. The track exits onto farmland at the end of the Earnslaw Burn valley. From here, follow the fence SE and climb the gate to the carpark.