Distance: 6.7 km (7.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 964m to 1593m. Gain: 667m. Loss: 722m . Gradient: 12 deg (Moderate-hard)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons (4/7)

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

minor (5/5)
A viable route, not widely used

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

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

Iceaxe/crampons (difficulty: 4/7)
Ice axe and crampons required in winter

This track crosses private land (East Taupo Lands Block) as it curves over Te Wetenga. Permission is required. The alternative public route is up Ecology Stream from Thunderbolt. and into the Mangmaire.

Ridgeline south from Junction Knob is good with a few 100m climbs. Well travelled route. To drop to the Rangitikei I took the spur 1km south of Te Raketuangiangi. This was scrubby and narrow in places, requiring a couple of scrambles on exposed faces. I suggest you look for alternatives. Generally bush is scrubby high up, and improves lower down. Some OK campspots on the east side of the river below the next sidecreek downriver. Rangitikei was 4m wide and knee deep in normal flows. Could easily flood. 2-5hrs from Junction top.

The spur shown up onto Island range was good. A steady climb through mostly good bush, with just the last 200m to the bushedge through tight-packed young pole-beech. One on the ridgeline a good cairned track runs north east, sawtoothing over intermediate peaks to the junction with the ridgeline to Te More.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

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