Distance: 2.8 km (1.8 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 658m to 914m. Gain: 424m. Loss: 402m . Gradient: 18 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - 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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

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

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

From the signposted track junction, the track to Unknown Campsite climbs steeply south up a narrow spur. This spur is steep, potentially slippery after rain, and has several exposed sections. Requires hands-on tramping, but plenty of good handholds.

Once on the top, things improve. Several breaks in the vegetation allow for views of the Colenso basin as a reward before swinging SW for a steady descent towards Unknown. A couple of large downed trees must be clambered around before the final descent into the stream. The track is steep and potentially slipper and hits the river 600m upstream of the campsite, following the northern bank down to the campsite. Windfall was present within the creek bed as well. The creek must be crossed to reach Unknown Campsite, but is small and should be ok in most conditions.

Quite a lot of windfall was present (2018), but most negotiable and semi-cleared were possible by hand and saw.

The large clearing at Unknown has infilled with scrub, but good campsites still exist on the river bank.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Crossing the creek at Unknown Campsite (small, ankle deep, only likely to pose problems in extreme conditions), the track follows the northern bank upriver. After 600m it climbs the face to the north, a steady climb passing several sculpted rock outcrops similar to those on Potae. The ridge, once reached is narrow. It drops steeply north into the Mangatera and has several steep, exposed scrambles on soil prone to be slippery after rain. Not for the faint hearted.

The track junction with the Colenso-Iron Bark track is signposted.