Distance: 3.6 km (2.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 384m to 435m. Gain: 45m. Loss: 92m . Gradient: 2 deg (Gentle)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

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

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

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

When I walked this the Ruamahanga was in flood, so my trip was confined to the western bank. If the river is down then it may be easier to make use of flats on the eastern bank which looks less of a scramble.

I crossed the bridge at Roaring Stag, and follow the western bank downriver. Going was ok - a bit of bushbashing and a lot of large old windfall in the bush; some scrambles round the base of slips; but a reasonable tramp.

Cleft Creek is best crossed at the forks, as it soon enters a gorge upstream. However, if this is not possible due to floodwater, then a steep, tough bushbash is possible up the true left of Cleft Creek - staying high out of the gorges until you reach the forks below Cow Saddle.

The Ruamahanga Track is 20m out of the river - a scramble up the opposite (southern) bank.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description