Distance: 4.6 km (3.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1010m to 1400m. Gain: 177m. Loss: 480m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

South from Pukematawai we pick up marked tracks again. On Pukematawai a DOC signpost indicates the track NW to Te Matawai Hut, and south to Dracophyllum Hut. Continuing south on the main ridge, the cut track drops and swings west scrub-line. Slight climbs are required for pt1217, pt1180 and pt1158, but the general pattern is descent until the bushline is reached. Once in the bush, however, the main ridge resumes its sawtooth norm, and climbs and falls sharply over pt 1070, pt1090 before reaching the damp Dracophyllum Hut at Dracophyllum Knob (1117m).

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

North from Dracophyllum Hut, the track drops into cloud forest before sawtoothing its way north over a series of low peaks - pt1090 and pt1080. From there the pattern is of steady climb over 3 more small peaks out of bush into scrub. Leaving the scrub the final long, exposed (to weather) haul up Pukematawai. A signposted track junction 50m before the summit marks the turnoff to Te Matawai Hut.