Maps G38, H38, H39
There is a DoC walking track that starts from the Lake Ohau Lodge, or alternatively from the Glen Mary ski club lodge, and follows marker poles to reach Freehold Creek, where a good track with bridges over side-creeks, climbs through the bush to the bushline at 1100m.
There is great camping in the high basins in the northern headwaters, near spot elevation 1479 on the topomap, accessed via steep slopes. Easier slopes to the SW lead up to a saddle with the Ahuriri River East Branch.
This can be used to access the Ohau Range to the south, and Ohau Peak (1916m). There is great skiing into the basins on the eastern side of this ridge.
This trip can also be linked up with Dumb-Bell Lake. From the saddle with the Ahuriri River East Branch, climb past the tarn marked “1514” and to a saddle at location 501543. Ski down to the north through a basin, and climb to another saddle between the two peaks marked 1922 and 1929, from which it is possible to ski down to Dumb-Bell Lake.