Distance: 2.4 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 672m to 1353m. Gain: 681m. Loss: 0m . Gradient: 16 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7)

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-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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

A steady 400m climb up the cut marked track from Cow Saddle takes you to the bushedge. Shortly before emerging onto tops a small stream crosses the track with good campspots beside it.

The climb is not over. The well cut track continues for another 100m-or-so of leatherleaf taking you to open tussock beyond. However, the route does not get much use and there is no ground trail beyond this, so it's a slow ascent on rolling tussocks, a further 300 vertical meters to reach to top.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description