Distance: 15.3 km (9.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 29m to 431m. Gain: 554m. Loss: 425m . Gradient: 4 deg (Moderate)
Skills:

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

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

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

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

A marked route connects Teal Bay Hut and Lake Poteriteri Hut.

A good cut track runs east inland from Poteriteri Hut for about 3km, until the end of the intensive trapping zone is reached and the track cutting ends. From here the route is well marked but not cut. It continues east to the base of the hills before climbing steeply and then twisting its way along ridgelines, skirting pts 452, 459, 269, before dropping into the Wairaurahiri. The bush in this section is mostly dry with low undergrowth and good going.

From where the route hits the Wairaurahiri valley floor to the swingbridge is slow going The valley floor is marshy and thick with fern and windfall. The route slogs 1.5km through this, crossing a couple of creeks before climbing onto the low valleyside to their north. Going does not improve with wet boggy overgrown ground and plenty of windfall all the way to Rata Burn. This entire section is marked and uncut and requires care not to loose the route. Rata Burn is crossed on a walkwire, as it the main Wairaurahiri.

The marked route follows the eastern shore of lake Hauroko from the swingbridge to Teal Bay Hut, 2km to the north. The turn-off to The Hump is about half way to the hut and is signposted.

5-9 hours

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description