Distance: 4.9 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 389m to 1041m. Gain: 656m. Loss: 4m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

From the Kumeti Roadend,, head up the Mangapuaka riverbed for approx 1km. An old 4wd track heads up the gravel flats, cutting later onto river banks. The 4wd track gives out around the old Kumeti Hut site, and tha route crosses to the southern bank where a signpost marks the start of the tramping track to Kiritaki Hut. The route up the riverbed is not marked, and it would not be hard to miss the start of the track to Kiritaki. Several river crossing are normally performed - ankle to knee deep in normal flows - but the river can be impassable after heavy rain. A bushbash up the south-western bank looks possible, but tough, if the river is uncrossable.

From the signpost, the track is well cut and marked, climbing steeply south, gaining 300m onto the spur. Once on the spurt the gradient flattens to a gentle climb, and bush gives way to scrub. A further 3.5km of gentle climb follows to reach the signposted track junction at an unnamed peak 400m east of Matanginui. Here a track turns south towards Kiritaki Hut, and another continues west to the western park boundary at the former Opawe Hut site.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description