Key Info: Off-track, rough track, navigation, river crossings, no huts, steep terrain, scree, limited water, Whio.
It is recommended to go up Mistake Creek, over U Pass (up the waterfall) and down Hut Creek and should take two moderate-long days (7 and 6-8 hours or 10-11 and 3-4 hours, depending on campsite).
The Mistake Creek track is marked all the way to the bushline (5 km, 2.5-3 hours) however it is fairly rough with a fair bit of windfall [2013]. The track crosses Mistake Creek at about halfway - this requires extreme care especially after any rain and should not be crossed if it looks particularly high. This would be a mistake. There was a non-OUTC drowning here in 2005. On a more positive note, there may be a pair of Whio here.
The track is incorrectly shown on the map, it actually continues on the true right through the scrub and forest until you reach the bushline. Once above the bushline there is no track. There is a beautiful lake and excellent views of Ngatimamoe Peak (2164 m) and shortly after this turn left up the stream coming out of U valley. Follow it up through beech forest until you reach the bottom of the waterfall then cross to the true left to get up (although the true right is passable). This section is quite steep and requires a head for heights. The top of the waterfall is the last place to get water until you reach Hut Creek.
[Edit 2019 (Luca K): There is a rough outline of a track at the start and by the waterfall you follow below a bluff to the true left and there is a steepish 5m chimney climb to get above the bluff. afterwards you traverse easy terrain in the tussock almost to the waterfall and then the easy tussock continues round to the top. See below.]
Camping in the basin at the top of the waterfall (7 hours from the roadend) is good, however you can also continue up to U Pass (another 1.5 hours) and down the scree slope on the other side to where a creek emerges near the valley floor and to the bushline (10-11 hours from the roadend). It is possible to camp at the bushline, but there is no water.
The track in Hut Creek is not correctly shown on the map. There is a track through the beech on the true right of Hut Creek with some windfall [2015], then you follow the valley down (no track). To refind the track, head 300 m further to the true right from where it is marked on the map. Back on the track there are two creeks to cross which may be obstacles after heavy rain. From the top of Hut creek to the carpark takes 3-4 hours.
(Updated 2013 - J.Vincent)
(Updated 2014 - J. Metherell)
(Updated 2018 - C-L. Schloots, D. Larkin & H. Sturmer)
(Updated 2019 - L. Karjalainen)
