Distance: 4.6 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 314m to 612m. Gain: 317m. Loss: 280m . Gradient: 7 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal 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

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

There’s more tall grass and ongaonga on the flats above Tokenui, 1km of it to where the track climbs out of the valley. A grunt of a climb up a spur, then a vaguely marked, windfall-smitten sidle track along the western side of the ridge before finally dropping down another steep spur into the next creek. The track does not drop down the side-creek, as indicated on newer topomaps.

There is no track down the valley, but travel is reasonable – large flats of fern-trees – tramping on the terraces amongst them rather than in the river. Crossing a large side-stream 1.5km above the climb out we come across an old concrete slab and chimney on the western bank – another hut, gone.

The track out of the valley is obvious if you’;re looking fore it – the valley narrows as it turns the sharp bend east. Just beyond, a large DOC triangle marks the start of the track, a signpost on the opposite bank in case you miss it.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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