Distance: 5.8 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 678m to 1238m. Gain: 560m. Loss: 101m . Gradient: 7 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

The Te Araroa trail climbs south from the roadend at the end of Cora Lynn Road, passing Bealey Hut after 150m. The track is well maintained, well marked all the way to the bushedge. Above that the track continues, marked with poles and well travelled, sidling across the face climbing gently to cross the ridge east of Lagoon Saddle. The track continues to climb until it reached the edge of beech forest in the head of the Harper, and then drops 1km to river.

The Lagoon Saddle A-Frame is beside the river, adjacent to the track. The old Lagoon Saddle Hut is across the stream and 20m up the face, hidden int he beech.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Lagoon Saddle A-Frame, the track climbs the eastern valleyside for 1km, reaching the bushedge shortly before the valley head. The poled track sidles round the spur, 600m east of the saddle, then sidles gently east down the face of the main Waimakariri valley until it reaches the bushedge. Beyond a series of zigzags on the well marked, well cut trail lead to Bealey Hut, and the roadend 150m beyond.