Note: This route travels through very active avalanche terrain in winter/spring. Alpine and avalanche assessment skills are essential in these seasons.

SH 73 to Edwards Hut (4-6 hours one way)
Car parking is at Greyneys Shelter. From there head across the road through the underpass under the railway tracks. This joins with a 4wd track that leads to the Bealey River. Cross the Bealey River just above its confluence with the Mingha River. If the river is not easy to cross here you will have problems further on, so save the trip for another day.

Look for the sign and orange markers on the Mingha River flats which mark the start of a 20-minute track to bypass the lower Edwards gorge. This track starts just below the confluence of the Mingha and Edwards Rivers.

When the track emerges on to the riverbed, travel upstream on the true left for 1 hour, climbing the bank once or twice when necessary. Cross the East Branch of the Edwards River (difficult when high) above where it joins the main river and pick up the marked track 100 m up the East Branch on the opposite bank. The track rises and falls several times avoiding steep side gullies, and gives the odd glimpse of waterfalls as it follows the Edwards River canyon.

Take extreme care on this part of the track as there are large drop-offs and steep sections of track.

In the lower valley (below the East Edwards confluence) this route crosses several very large avalanche run-out zones; do not attempt after heavy snow, or if it is raining onto a winter snowpack!

The track leads to a large upland valley, emerging finally among tussocks on the upper river flats (take care as it is easy to lose the way in the maze of tussocks.) The track leads back into the forest for a short section before emerging on the river flats with a clear view to Edwards Hut.

The radio at Edwards Hut is monitored by Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre during office hours, 7 days a week. Please read the instructions carefully. There is a log burner in the hut for heating, but you will need your own cooker and utensils.

Edwards Hut to Hawdon Hut (6-9 hours one way)
Follow the pole-marked route from the hut upstream. The route shortly drops into the riverbed. Travel is generally beside the river, crossing back and forth where necessary. Keep your eye our for Blue Duck (Whio) in the river. Above the confluence of the unnamed Amber Col stream the river can be dry in the summer months. The rockpiles of Taruahuna Pass are reached in about 2 hours from the hut.

Climb onto the rockpile and follow the numerous rock cairns across the debris field to the base of Tarn Col where you will encounter a sign. A pole-marked route ascends onto a very steep rock spur to Tarn Col, a climb of just over 100 metres vertically over 800 metres.

When Tarn Col is covered in ice/snow the route is difficult and an ice-axe and crampons will be needed. Time for the climb is about 45 min. Poor visibility will complicate route finding and if you have been climbing for more than 45 minutes it is likely you have chosen the wrong place and are climbing Falling Mountain instead.

Once on Tarn Col sidle around the tarn, following marker poles into the head of the creek that drains the tarn. Avoid the temptation to stay on the flat tussock land on the true left as you will end up in bluffs. During winter, into early summer, this creek can be full of built up avalanche debris. It is unwise to travel on the ice as it gets undermined by the creek below, and a fall through the ice can be 10's of metres (it doesn't end well). Ice tools may be still required to travel on the slopes on the true-right of the creek.

Approaching the East Otehake River at the base of the creek you will find a pole-marked route sidling through the alpine scrub and tussock upstream into the Otehake. Once you join the Otehake River is is a boulder hop of only 500m to the base of Walker Pass. In poor visibility it is easy to miss the low saddle above the river! There is a large cairn of rocks in the river, a well trodden path through scrub onto the pass, and a marker pole on the pass itself.

Once on Walker Pass, a well worn path travels to the true-right of the tarn and joins the Twin Fall Stream draining the tarn. This stream is crossed numerous times as you descend the valley. As you approach tree-line keep an eye out for the track turning sharply left up onto a small rocky knob (there are marker poles). From this point the marked track descends through forest, passing beside a waterfall, before crossing the stream as it drops onto the forested Hawdon River terrace. The Hawdon hut is only 400m further along this track.

The radio at Hawdon Hut is monitored by Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre during office hours, 7 days a week. Please read the instructions carefully. There is a log burner in the hut for heating, but you will need your own cooker and utensils.

Hawdon Hut to Hawdon Shelter (3 hours one way)

Note: If it has been raining heavy, Discovery Stream, the Hawdon River, and Sudden Valley Stream may all become impassable, and you may not fully realise this until you arrive lower in the catchment. If in any doubt stay at the hut, radio the Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre and ask for advice.

From the hut follow the short track to the bouldery crossing of Discovery Stream, the marked track stays on the true-right of the Hawdon River for about 2.3km. About 1km before you reach the confluence of the East Hawdon River start looking for a safe crossing of the Hawdon River to its true-left. Continue down river, crossing the East Hawdon. On the other side a well worn track is found skirting in and out of beech forest along the river flats.

Before the Hawdon River cuts you off at a high bluff, look for another crossing of the Hawdon River to the true-right bank. You will pick up a line of marker poles leading you towards the bush edge, where a marked track travels along the bush edge downstream, avoiding the various springs out on the river flats.

On reaching Sudden Valley Stream look for a safe crossing, this stream can be quite swift and rocky. On the other side cross the electric fence at the stile, and drop back down onto the river flats on the true-right of the river. Do not be tempted to cross the river early, as you will encounter narrow swift channels with rapids, continue dow river about 700m until almost opposite the Hawdon Shelter campsite, and look for a safe, shallow crossing through the river braids to the true-left, then head into the forest and the shelter.

If you don't have transport waiting for you at the shelter, it is about a 3km walk along the access road to SH73.