Distance: 1.7 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 581m to 796m. Gain: 39m. Loss: 247m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills:

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

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Continuous moderate climbs

Moderate-hard (difficulty: 4/5)
Tall, walkable scrub / large rocks, occasional waterfalls or gorges in rivers

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

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

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

The route drops fairly steeply off the 'track' at the junction and is marked with permolat markers. The route is not well marked initially and feels like it is heading the wrong way initially but becomes more obvious lower down. A small clearing just down from the junction allows views across to Thompson. Stay on the ridge and take care not to drop into the West Waitewaewae. At the junction of the ridge down to the Waikawa river via 490, markers are found.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Follow the ridge upwards towards the spur off Waitewaewae. The track gets less well marked but just keep climbing and keep on the ridge.