Distance: 3.5 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1131m to 1362m. Gain: 325m. Loss: 103m . Gradient: 7 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is 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

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

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

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

I walked this in thick fog on a bearing. Broad featureless tops lead NNE from the top of the Cow Saddle track towards Cattle Ridge Hut. No obvious ground trail is present but it is easy going on low-to-rolling tussocks. Cattle Ridge Hut lies off the main ridge in a basin to the east. The descent is obvious if you have visibility as the hut can be seen for a kilometer or so before you reach it. In fog it is harder to locate an good map/compass skills are required as the turnoff is not marked.