Distance: 0.0 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1402m to 1714m. Gain: 312m. Loss: 21m . Gradient: 102 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons (4/7)

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

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

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

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

Iceaxe/crampons (difficulty: 4/7)
Ice axe and crampons required in winter

Above the bushline, keep to the ridge to the west of the side creek and then cut due east around its head to pt 1742. Here you enter a region of strongly coloured red, ultramafic rocks, unlike any others I've seen in the region. Crossing this red rocky flat to the east of the ridge (pt1845) deposits you at the outflow of Sleepy Hollow.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Sleepy Hollow outfall, head west over the low flat summit of pt1742, and follow the main spur dropping west. Cut round the head of the first sidecreek shown on the map, and swing south. A clear spur runs just west of the creek all the way to the Caples valley floor through good mature beech forest. You emerge at the base end of large flats. The Caples can be waded here in normal flows (knee deep) to reach the track. Alternatively a swingbridge exists just above Upper Caples Hut 3.5km upriver.