Distance: 6.3 km (6.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 996m to 1628m. Gain: 778m. Loss: 596m . Gradient: 13 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

There route continuing along the ridge to Mt Fishtail from the Mt Royal Track at pt1198 is not signposted, but a reasonable well-traveled ridgeline route continues WSW to clearings at pt1250. The ridge swings W again here, and beech becomes scrubbier in places requiring occasional bush-bashing to travel the 3km to the treeline at Mt Fishtail. It’s a steep rocky scramble to the summit of Mt Fishtail – but the views of the entire range, the Sounds to the north and Wairau to the south make it well worthwhile. Mt Fishtail Hut is visible below amongst scree on the south face of the peak, but it is necessary to continue W to the obvious saddle before cutting back SE to the hut, as the south face is steep and bluffy.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description