Distance: 6.0 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 338m to 1078m. Gain: 827m. Loss: 424m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

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

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A good track runs south from the Comet roadend, climbing steadily the 100m to the plateau.From there an easy 2km follows through pine plantation and beech on a good cut track, before the plateau ends and the abyss of the Taruarau valley opens up before you. The track remains well cut and benched as it zigzags down the steep spur to the valley floor. A lot of contours crossed, but on a decent track. Sidling down and downriver, the track crosses a sidecreek where there are good campspots, and then drops the final few meters to the river.

Bozzy 2024 added: Did not spot markers from campsight to river which resulted in a scramble down a bank (presumably river bank damaged by cyclone Gabrielle in 2023). Suggest having a good look around for best way down to river and best crossing point.

The Taruarau must be forded - knee deep on fine shingle in low conditions, but it's a big river and can easily flood.

Once across the track heads downriver on a low terrace of open manuka - more well used campspots. Triangles mark a steady climb to higher open terraces, before a cut track heads in thick low bush at their rear, sidling into the sidevalley which holds Shutes Hut. A further 1km of sidling steep valleysides follows before the track reaches a basin with a large grassy clearing, a stand of mature pines, and Shutes Hut.

Comet->Shutes 1h45 to 3hrs