Distance: 5.9 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 97m to 462m. Gain: 604m. Loss: 713m . Gradient: 13 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

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

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

A good marked route climbs the spur behind Ngatamatea Hut. Turn sharply south down the main ridge just _before_ the summit (easily missed). More orange triangles run south along the main ridge over several highpoints. Several traplines branch off the main ridge and care needs to be taken to stick to the main ridgeline. At the last highpoint where the ridgeline forks, a trapline forks off due south marked with two yellow triangles, labelled 'Ngatamatea/Onepu confluence'. This route south down the spur is less well travelled and less obvious on the ground. Marked with yellow triangles it drops to the river 100m downstream of the forks.

Hapenui Hut is at the next major confluence, 600m downstream. Small grassy flats on the south bank at the forks make good camping. A track climbs east from the flats to a terrace 10m above where Hapenui Hut is just visible. At least 1 crossing (preferably 3) are required - knee deep in normal flows but debris on the clear riverbed shows the river often gets up to over 1.5m deep.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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