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DOC Land
Altitude: 952m to 1241m. Gain: 284m. Loss: 325m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Occasional rivers (3/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)
The Mingimingi Saddle is private land, and access is administered by Helisika They seem happy to give access so long as they have no hunters in the area, so ask. The Mingimingi streambed is crown land, but there is no Queens Chain, so banks are private, as is the Ngaruroro for the first km or so. Again, Helisika can give permission, or you can stick to the crown-owned riverbed.
The old NZFS track up the spur south of the Mingimingi saddle from the Mangamaire has not been cut in years but starts off obviois through dry, sand and rocky tussock faces. It can be followed with care to the flat tops, where it becomes indistinct. Cut just south of the edge of the beech above the first gully north, and head ENE towards the spur indicated on the map. The track becomes obvious but overgrown again once in the open beech. From the forks of the Mingimingi on the other side, follow the creek or tussock banks downriver. The creek is small, and ok in most conditions, but the large bed shows that it can flood in heavy rain The private Mingimingi Hut is passed after 3km on the northern bank, and is managed by Helisika. 1.5-3hrs Mangamairi to Hut
Below the ridgebed becomes broad and provides good travel to the Ngaruroro.
The Ngaruroro occupies all of its riverbed, so legal travel on the crown riverbed is hard, and the private scrub and tussock banks are more inviting. It is a slow hard 4km downriver before the cut track from Oamaru Hut joins from the east. The irver is ok in most conditions but big enough to be impassible after rain n which case a slog on the west bank would be required.
An easy 1km follows along the poled, cut track. Boyd Lodge (hut) lies 300m west (uphill) from the start of the obvious (huge) airstrip, and is signposted. 2-4hrs hut->hut