Distance: 2.3 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 284m to 600m. Gain: 340m. Loss: 205m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

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

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

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

From the junction of logging tracks, follow the track heading west for 100m to a skidder site / clearing. Continue in the same direction (do not turn left) for a further 20m to a second clearing before swinging west down the main spur dropping towards the forks. This section of track is not well marked or obvious, so follow the geography.

Dropping to the river things get steep, but a good route drops just on the north face of the crest of the spur until 10m above the river. Cut south and look for a good scramble down to the stony riverbed.

The creek is generally ankle to knee deep but can flood after extreme rain. Cross to good flats with possible campspots opposite, 20m downriver. From the top end of the flats cut to the base of the hill and pick up the spur just upriver. Climb this as it joins another spur from the north and heads up to the top of the ridge. Once on the tops an uncut but roughly marked route runs SW, later S following the crest of the ridge. The route is not always obvious, but can be followed with care - or simple follow the ridgeline. Small windfall is the only real issue.

After crossing pt601 the ridge drops to a saddle where it swings SW and starts to climb. An obvious junction exists here (unmarked) with another broad ridge/unmarked route heading ESE before dropping to the river and eventually Waiotauru Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Kapakapanui/Waiotauru/pt601 junction at the saddle, follow the main ridge north over pt601. The route is sparsely marked and not cut but followable with care. Swnging NE the ridge continues to drop gently until the 400m contour is reached and the ridgeline ends. I take the spur dropping NW to the forks opposite the slip shown on the map. This has a faint route down it, mainly animal trails, and is not marked, but brings you iut at flats 20m below the confluence. Camping is possible.

Crossing the river and heading 20m upstream pick up a good scramble up the opposite bank. Pick up a clear ridge climbing steeply. Climb the ridge, just north of its crest until it broadends, then follow it to the tops. A vague trail becomes obvious, and once the climb flattens takes you to the end of an old logging track. Following this east 150m takes you to a junction with the logging track that runs NS down this ridge (Island Range).