Distance: 7.1 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 250m to 319m. Gain: 94m. Loss: 123m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

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

Flat (difficulty: 1/5)
Flat

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

An old 4WD track leads down the Taramakau flats from the Pfeifer confluence on the southern bank. Hugging the base of the hill to the south, look out foir a signposted / marked track to Morrisons Bridge, cutting east of a low rise 500m before the Otira River.

The wet-weather track sidles the east side of the Otira until it reaches flats 1km below the swingbridge. This section is subject to bad windfall and can be slow going. Follow the unmarked route up the eastern bank of the Otira to the major footbridge which crosses at Morrisons.

DOC warn that several sections of the wet weather track can flood in extreme conditions - but the track was out of the river after 2 days of persistent rain when I visited. In low flows it is also possible to ford the Otria directly to Aitkins at the Otira / Taramakau confluence without using the wet weather track.