Distance: 2.2 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 665m to 856m. Gain: 215m. Loss: 60m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills:

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

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

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

The Asbestos Track starts from the signposted junction 100m west of the lower junction swingbridge. This is a benched pack track. The track climbs steadily for 250m through beech forest before entering sparse bush and bare dunite rock. The final 1km is an easy sidle on a benched track to Asbestos Cottage.

Older maps show it being necessary to climb to the ridgeline and return down to the cottage - but this is no longer necessary as the benched sidle track is now open (2020)

0.5-1 hr

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description