Getting there takes real experience
The route starts across the road from a small parking area beside the Karangarua River bridge, about 26 km south of Fox Glacier. Plan on at least two days. From Lame Duck Hut, the leg to Christmas Flat takes about three hours and crosses the Karangarua River twice and the Troyte River, with exposed slip faces and steep climbing along the way. Some parts use markers, but the detailed notes for this leg warn that much of it is unmarked. Go only if you’re well equipped and confident navigating serious backcountry. Summer and autumn are the preferred seasons; floods can happen any time, so avoid bad weather and rain. Dogs aren’t allowed.
