Distance: 2.2 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 237m to 754m. Gain: 109m. Loss: 626m . Gradient: 20 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

The descent to the Makaretu starts at Bush Corner. A tree has been painted with a large, but now faded blob of orange paint, and a more recent ring of marker tape is also tied nearby. Head west from here and pick up the gently descending spur running 600m east. Once on it you will pick up an occasionally cut, dazzle-marked route following the spur.

Take the southern form of the spur (continuing east), then cut north into the head of the small sidestream which drops due east to the Makaretu. This stream provides good, open travel to the valley floor.

The last 50m of the sidestream before the main valley is choked, and a short sidle track cuts low across the spur to the south of the confluence to reach the broad flats of the Makaretu Valley.

The old Makaretu Tent Camp lies 500m downriver, on the western bank, in a section of scrub at the foot of the stream draining from pt577.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Makaretu Tent camp, head upstream for approximately 500m to the next stream draining from the east. The is the small stream which drains west from Bush Corner.

Climb over the base of the spur upriver of the confluence - marker tape is present showing a route - and drop into the open base of the sidestream. Travel from here to Bush Corner is up the small sidestream. This looks steep and unlikely on the map, but is actually open and good going. Lower sections are in toetoe, but later it enters mature bush. By contrast, the surrounding ridgelines are thick and choked with creeper and scrub and do not look like good travel.

Taking the larger valley/stream at each fork leads you to the summit of the spur 600m west of Bush Corner. From here an occasionally cut, but well traveled route runs east, climbing with the spur, to meet the main track at Bush Corner. The route is marked with spots of dazzle.