Distance: 5.8 km (4.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 497m to 971m. Gain: 174m. Loss: 515m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

An old pack-track climbs the valley floor towards the pass, later sidling the northern face - cut through subalpine scrub and fuschia bush. The descent of the western side is steeper - the pack track descending through first scrub then fuschia and finally reaching mature bush at the swingbridge.

The track stopped at the bridge (2007) and an unmarked route followed the southern riverbank the remaining 3km to No. 4 hut. Markers marked the start of the short track to No. 4 hut from the river. (2.5-4.5hrs)

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Follow the southern riverbank upriver from No.4 hut to the swingbridge, 3km upstream. Crossing the bridge an old pack-horse track runs up the northern bank for 1km before climbing a spur to reach the saddle. Mature bush is left at the swingbridge, replaced first by fuschia and later low subalpine scrub,. The reverse process is repeated as you descend the pack-track down the eastern side of the pass, sidling the northern face through scrub and hitting patchy fuschia-bush in the valley. The single remaining Harper Pass Bivvy is 1.5km beyond the pass in a clearing to the south of the stream and is located in the track. (2.5-4.5hrs)