Distance: 10.1 km (10.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, hard - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 198m to 972m. Gain: 975m. Loss: 934m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills:

Unmarked route, hard (8/9)
Unmarked route, no clear geographic features to follow

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

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

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

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

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

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

No description

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the forks 1km downriver of Sutherlands, climb the downriver ridgeline. 1st 100m are steep, loose and scrubby, but going gets better beyond. Follow ridgeline to Te Maunga Summit - scrubby in places but generally average going. The descent from several of the peaks on the way is challenging: ridgelines do not become obvious until some distance below the summits, and you drop off the peak on a bearing with little visibility due to trees. Good map/compass skills are a must.

Te Maunga features a large clearing and promises of good views in clear weather. Descend the ridge which leads directly to Tauanui Hut. A band of thick undergrowth for 200m above the valley floor makes the lower part of this slow but managable going.