Distance: 2.1 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1265m to 1520m. Gain: 173m. Loss: 282m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Prolonged scrambles (4/7)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Prolonged scrambles (difficulty: 4/7)
Scramble, frequently on exposed ridges, spurs, faces

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A compass essential in poor visibility on this broken, confusing ridgeline . Heading NW from Waingawa follow the main ridgeline. There are obvious ground trails in places, but Bannister Ridge is tough going. There are many more saddles and peaks than suggested by the map. Between Waingara and Bannister four spots require the use of hands in scrambles / climbs. The first sees you balancing (crawling) along on a 40cm wide knife-edge section of ridgeline. The next two are near vertical climbs. The last is 30m sidle on a 30cm wide shelf on the steep face with bluffs below. The good news is that the rock is stable and leafterleaf provides plenty to hang on to.