Distance: 4.9 km (5.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate-hard terrain
Altitude: 444m to 1060m. Gain: 769m. Loss: 165m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

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

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional 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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

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

A very overgrown route up an old 'wildlife management track' from Forks Hut to the Takapari Roadend.

From forks, drop to the northern stream, cross it, and pick up a well marked route (pink triangles) climbing to the ridge opposite. Once on the summit, this swings SE then SSE (phone reception at highpoint). It is well marked bu uncut to where it starts to drop towards the next saddle SW.

Beyond here, follow the ridgeline, passing occasional flagging tape and other markers, but with no obvious track. The ridgeline is in places devoid of trees and you are pushing through tall tussock and toetoe. Beyond the saddle low bush resumes and we continue climbing the ridgeline chosing whatever route is easiest. Bush remains reasonable open until the next highpoint where it becomes scrubby and very slow.

The first pink triangle of the track to Takapari Road is located on this triangular highpoint, and though they are very intermittent at first they eventually consolidate into a marked, unmaintained track along the ridgeline - and going improves from very slow to merely slow. The track becomes well defines as it enters first peppertree scrub and then leatherleaf. In 2010 this was still well cut, thoogh starting to overgrow through the leatherleaf, but by 2014 it was becoming a scramble in places and not fun with a pack.

The track emerges at the end of the Takapari Road, some 300m beyond the point at which it ceases to be gravelled and becomes boggy and undrivable.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description