Distance: 2.5 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 299m to 439m. Gain: 148m. Loss: 90m . Gradient: 6 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

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

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

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

The track starts from the Ponongina Valley Road along a 4WD farm track (private - permission required for dogs, etc). This drops off the escarpment on mud and clay and descends to the valley floor, where you are finally deposited on the river bed 800m downriver of the Piripiri / P{ohongina Confluence. Following sparse markers and ground trails through lupin flats leads to the confluence. Piripiri Stream must be crossed - and is ok in normal flows but can be impassible after heavy rain.

At the base of the hill on the true left you'll find the DOC track starting at the bushedge - the section from the confluence to here can be overgrown, so follow your nose till you hit the base of the slope and trees.

From here a marked, cut DOC track climbs, sidling the valleyside for 1km to where a signpost marks the junction with the Center Creek track.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description