Distance: 7.1 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Benched track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 680m to 859m. Gain: 358m. Loss: 215m . Gradient: 5 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Benched track (3/9)
Benched, maintained, marked tramping track or pack-track

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

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

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

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

It’s a long, but relatively easy slog from Makomako to SH38. From the hut the broad, benched 6-foot track sidles contours in a generally southwards direction to the turnoff a couple of km ENE of Maungapohatu. Unfortunately, here the good benched track continues straight on into the private land, and we must turn off it and climb on what is now just a standard tramping track. A kilometer later there’s a DOC signpost – the crossing with Ruas Track – the only time I've seen times measured in days on a DOC signpost!

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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