Distance: 2.7 km (1.5 DOC hours) - Unmaintained track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 237m to 464m. Gain: 289m. Loss: 106m . Gradient: 8 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Unmaintained track (5/9)
Former track, overgrown - markers / ground trail still followable

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised 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

An old logging track runs down the western bank of the Waiotauru from the forks below the hut. From the forks head down the eastern bank. The old roadbed is boggy and best avoided, so just find good bush and go. Keep 50m from the river, climbing onto the terrace when you hit it. A large slip exists on this face,and the route climbs above it, following the edge of the terrace. Follow good ground trails climbing above the slip. You hit the sidecreek (on maps) 80m above the river. The route on the opposite bank is slightly downhill of where you hit the creek. Follow the faulline/terrace on the opposite side for another 100m then find a good spur which drops to hit the side-river just above the major forks. Cross the stream (floods in heavy rain but ok in normal conditions). and climb onto the terrace beyond.

At the back of this terrace, near the western end, you can pick up a good logging track which climbs steeply onto the Island Range beyond. Once on it this is easy to follow over pt472. 300m beyond, a junction is reached with another old logging track joining from the west.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the track junction, follow the main logging track south along the Island Range. The track drops steeply to hit the sidecreek just above the forks. Cross where the track hits the sidecreek and then head SW up the spur opposite until you hit good terraces after about 60 vertical meters. Good ground trails exist.

Follow the terrace/faultline south, crossing the sidecreek and passing above the large slip shown on maps. Once across the sidecreek you can sidle downhill, keeping in the good bush and out of the scrub until you reach river flats again. Follow these upriver, staying in good bush, until you reach the next forks, where you can drop to the riverbed and join the 4WD track.