Distance: 6.3 km (2.8 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1084m to 1218m. Gain: 566m. Loss: 604m . Gradient: 11 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

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

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

The ridgeline track to Longview continues north from pt1164, becoming increasingly exposed to the elements as it ascends into clear tussock tops. The track is well used, marked / poled. Note that the area around Longview is incredibly exposed to wind in certain conditions (every time I've visited!).

Longview Hut is visible (if you have visibility) sheltered below and to the east of the track/ridgeline. The turnoff is signposted.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Longview Hut, a good, obvious poled tramping route follows the ridgeline south towards the Apiti Track. After Rocky Knob (detour off main track) the track enters scrub and then sections of bush - where it is cut and marked.

Madpom wrote: Pt1164 has a marked turnoff to Makaretu Hut (2007 - note that when I visited Makaretu in 2014 it appeared that this northern access was no longer maintained).
2018 - this appears to be the main, mapped route down to Makaretu, complete with a new doc sign, and makes sense relative to the exit point at the Makaretu end. An old, overgrown looking track to Makaretu is signposted (with old DOC sign) head east on the spur south of Te Pohatu (Co-ord: S40° 00.173' E176° 05.691')

South of pt 1664 (450m/10min) the track enters the top of a slip and no obvious markers are present on the far side, pick your way across and down (past the stoat trap) to re-enter the leatherwood.

The track is mostly easy walking with some undulations and recent windfall - both trees and leatherwood, but generally straightforward to negotiate around. (Feb 2018)