Distance: 2.2 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 918m to 1058m. Gain: 218m. Loss: 163m . Gradient: 10 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7)

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

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised 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

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

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Note: This route is not marked on the newest LINZ topo maps, but a version of it does appear on the NZTM 2019 topo map. This route was re-cut and re-marked by Geoff Spearpoint and Andrew Buglass in March, 2024, and their description of what they termed the Low/Medium Route over Meins Kbob is in the hut book at Lyell Hut.

From Lyell Hut, head downriver. Continue past the large orange triangle marker approximately 300m downstream of the hut that signals the start of the climb to the Meins Knob high route (which quickly climbs into a boulder field). Follow a boot path on scrubby terraces next to the Rakaia river until you reach a cairn that marks the start of the low/medium route. From the cairn on, the route uses white permolat markers.

At the cairn, gain the obvious bench, where the route begins to pass through a series of small basins that may be swampy after rain. Climb on a rough but distinct track following the permolat markers to the high point: a shoulder approximately 140m above the river. Views from here are lovely, though not as spectacular as from the top of Meins Knob.

Descend sidling through bluffs. The low/medium route puts out about 300m downriver of the bridge. This end of the route is also marked with a cairn. From here, you can turn right and continue downriver to reach Reischek Hut.

To reach the bridge, turn left and walk on narrow ledges just above the river until you spot the ladder chained/bolted to the bluffs, which leads to the bridge.