Distance: 8.7 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 574m to 816m. Gain: 428m. Loss: 187m . Gradient: 4 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

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

Continue upstream from the cableway up the river flats. From about 720m elevation the river starts to narrow, but travel is still good. There are many crossings of the river, which would be impassable in high flow/after heavy rain. While most of the river is relatively flat gradients, and Gabrielle has filled all the deep pools with gravel, there are a few log jams that require climbing over, and one narrow boulder section which required linking arms to get through confidently.

We took 3.5 hours from the Cableway to Crow Hut, however the sign in Crow Hut (the old DOC information board) recommends 4 to 5 hours, and has the information "Travel on this section of the river is difficult and is recommended for experienced trampers only".

This section of river is some of the nicest most beautiful river travel available in the Ruahines.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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