From Wairaurahiri Hut to Crombie TT 18 via Escarpment west of Wairaurahiri
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Distance: 9.0 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 15m to 299m. Gain: 369m. Loss: 279m . Gradient: 4 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)
GPX info source: Drawn on map

A reasonable route runs up the west side of the Wairaurahiri from the south coast track at the swingbridge by Wairaurahiri Hut to join traplines at the flats south of Crombie Biv.

From Wairaurahiri Hut, cross the swingbridge and follow the South Coast Track up the escarpment to terraces above. Leave the track and follow the edge of the escarpment north picking up good deer trails. Progress is occasionally choked by crown-fern but generally good. Cross the unnamed stream 500m north of the track and continue along the main river escarpment until the sharp bend in the river immediately south of pt48 where a steep-sided gully is met (sot shown on maps). Head north up the side-creek until a good crossing point is found. From here a bearing of slightly west of north will take you to the base of the spur climbing to pt198, avoiding dropping into a steep, choked gully to the east indicated by contours on the map.

The ascent to pt198 is slow with thick fern, but travel along the ridgeline good and open on clear deer trails once the tops are reached. An impressive population of kaka were in residence when I visited.

After crossing pt299 look out for the shape of pt313 to the west and drop west to the saddle separating the two, climbing to pt306. From here north travel is slower with low fern on the ridgeline, but the route is obvious to the northern end of pt238. Drop north from the northernmost limit of the ridge to flats below. A well marked but poorly cut trapline runs east-west across the base of the spur - look out for its yellow triangles and assorted flagging tape.

Last updated by: Madpom at 2019-08-26 00:21:50. Experienced: 2019-08-21
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