Distance: 4.3 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1209m to 1724m. Gain: 511m. Loss: 590m . Gradient: 15 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

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

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

An easy-moderate marked tramping track, with a 500m climb / descent over Mt Richmond.

From Mt Fell Hut, regain the ridgeline W of the hut. A poled track sidles S up the east face of Johnson Peak before swinging due W at a col before the summit, to climb moderately steep scree faces to Mt Richmond itself. It’s a 500m climb from the hut to Mt Richmond summit, the highest point in the range. Amazing views are guaranteed – so long as it’s not cloudy, raining or snowing. A stone corral has been built on the summit and provides shelter to wait out the next gap in the weather. From Mt Richmond summit the poled track swings NW along a broad rocky ridge, before dropping W to Richmond Saddle, where the hut may be visible below. It’s a steep, 550m descent – but the rocks are stable and going isn’t as bad as it looks.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Richmond Saddle Hut, a poled route climbs steeply east to gain the summit ridge of Mt Richmond. The climb is on rock and scree, and is steep but stable,

Once on the summit ridge the gradient lessens and a gentler walk follow to the peak. A rock wall has been built here and provide a sheltered spot for smoko.

From the summit, follow the poled route east to the next saddle, swing round the east side of pt 1613 and follow the ridgeline north, descending gently. A signposted track junction just beyond the next saddle marks the turnoff east to Mt Fell Hut on the busheline below.