Distance: 9.2 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 363m to 507m. Gain: 279m. Loss: 396m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

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

From the hut, the track heads down the river and 20 minutes later reaches a slip. This can be climbed over or avoided b=y crossing the river twice.
The track then carries on down the river past several large side streams. A swing bridge crosses the river about an hour from the dam base.This is reached by skirting the side of the dam and avoiding as much as possible the thick mud.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the dam base, climb up to the top of the dam and follow the 4WD track around the true left side of the lake until the track climbs out of the lake and into the bush. The lake edge can be very muddy and the track difficult to locate into the bush.
The track then follows the river, crossing a swing bridge in just over an hour.Carry on up the true right crossing Dick Creek and Harris Creek the spur provides good access to West Peak). Burns Stream is reached in just over 3 hours About 20 minutes before the hut, a large slip requires either a short drop into the river and wet feet or a climb up and over the slip (adding 20 minutes to the trip).