From Cascade Hut, a signpost points downstream for Clements Mill Road. The track soon drops to the Cascade River, which must be forded at its confluence with the Tauranga Taupo River. The track sort-of abandons you here and you are left to wander down flats on the eastern side of the river in scrubby flats, for about 1km. Finally, upstream of the former Stanfields Whare site (now gone) a good tramping track starts, leading downriver through mature bush on the eastern bank.

The next sidecreek must be crossed (knee deep in normal flows).

The track then climbs a spur to reach pt1159 - steep at first but gentler later on. A couple of minor peaks follow before the weel-marked, cut track swings north into the Hunemaiaia Stream. This is crossed (minor) before the track sidles the western bank for a couple of kms of ups and downs. This section drops into one steep sidecreek, which it follows down without any track markers for 100m before emerging on the far bank.

From here the track is good, crossing back to the eastern bank on a bridge for a final kilometer to the roadend. Good campspots exist at the roadend, and this can be a popular spot on weekends.

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Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

A good track runs down the south side of the Cascade valley from the Kaipo track junction. Soon the cascades are passed, though getting a good view of them is tricky. Cascade Hut lies 1km down the valley, situated on wooded terraces back from the river.

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From the signposted track junction at Waiatupuritia Saddle, the track climbs west briefly, gaining 100m before swinging north down a long spur descending into the Cascade valley. The track reached the valley floor, crossing a sidestream 100m above the main river. Excellent camp spots exists at this crossing.

A good track then follows the valley floor downriver, crossing the creek a couple of times (ankle to knee deep, tree-trunks were available to cross on when I visited in 2015). The signposted track junction with the Kaipo valley track to Oamaru Hut is reached after 1.5km.

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A basic Kaimanawa tramping track climbs from the signposted track junction just below the forks of the Oamaru River and Waitawhero Stream towards Cascade Hut.

The initial 1.5km is steep and relentless, but after pt1254 the gradient lessens. From here the track climbs and drops over numerous minor peaks, which get higher as you travel north. The track is initially through good bush, but this becomes scrubby higher up. You break out onto tussock tops for 1.5km crossing Maungaorangi, with great views in all directions. This section of the route is lightly poled.

Returning to the bush, the track drops to Waiatupuritia Saddle, where an unmaintained track joins from the Ngaruroro valley to the south. This track heads to Boyd Hut, but crosses private (iwi) land.

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A poled route heads up the Ngaruroro from the airstrip below Boyd Lodge, crossing the river after 1km. This crossing is knee deep and fast in normal flows and can become impassible.

The poled route then climbs east to the bushedge, before a cut, marked tramping track takes over, crossing Waitawhero Saddle and dropping into a broad valley containing a tributary of the Oamaru. The track sidles this on terraces on the western bank.

The main Oamaru river is reached after 2km, and must be crossed (small and ankle-knee deep in normal flows). A signposted track junction for tracks to Oamaru Hut and Cascade Hut lies 100m beyond just before the next sidecreek. Good campspots also exist here.

A rough poled route heads down the valley from Boyd Lodge, passing the airstrip on the western side. Poles are sporadic, and it is possible to lose the track across open low tussock.

The track crosses the Ngaruroro River (less than knee deep, 3m wide, but could flood easily after rain), and passes below a steep truncated spur of vertical river gravel. Soon beyond a metal signpost on the eastern bank marks the turn east out of the valley to Tussock Hut. This is the start of a 2m wide Kaweka 'highway' - a well maintained cut, marked track through first Manuku scrub and later beech forest. This climbs gently to the summit before dropping into the head of the Harkness and exiting the beech just above and opposite Tussock Hut, Poles lead the lad few hundred meters to the hut. 1h45-3hrs

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The head of the Harkness at Tussock Hut lives up to the hut's name – a broad, gentle, V of a valley, clad in golden tussock. The track crosses the trickle of a stream and sidles the western face. The valley becomes slowly scrubbier as we head downstream – tussock becoming low scrub , later rising to waist height. The poled track changes from a foot-worn slot between tussocks to a full 1.5m-wide, cut Kaweka track. The gentle valleysides become steeper and rocky, and finally the track abandons efforts to sidle and drops to the Harkness River – now a couple of meters wide. Some 20 crossing follow – most of which can be hopped across with dry feet intact, but near the end there’s one which always catches me out. Fill your boots! The route should be navigable in all but extreme rain,

The track junction (on the western bank at the major forks) for the turnoff to Harkness Hut is signposted.

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Above the forks and track junction, the track to Tussock follows the valleyfloor for the first 2-3km, crossing the creek numerous times. The creek is small, but wet feet almost guaranteed. It is unlikely the creek would be uncrossable except in the worst of weather.

The steep, rocky and scrubby valleysides slowly soften and transition to tussock, and finally the track climbs the western face and leaves the creek below. The remaining scrub soon ceases, and we enter a broad valley of gently sloping tussock. A further 2km on well used poled track on the western valleyside leads to the head of the valley, where Tussock Hut site across the now-small stream.

The track junction for the turnoff to Harkness Hut is signposted up the NE fork, and another broad Kaweka track heads up the north-east fork towards the hut, crossing the creek another 4 times. You can see the hut clearing on the northern slopes ahead, where tussock valley transitions back to beech. It’s a brief rocky scramble up the track to the hut, some 40m out of the valleyfloor.

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From Harkness Hut, a marked track drops to the creek. A poled route then follows the vallyfloor 800m downriver to the forks, crossing the creek 4 times. A signpost at the forks marks the track junction.

Expect snow and ice on tops in winter.

From Harkness we continue along the central Kaweka highway. To warm-up there’s an easy 800m section along the valley floor, but then the climb starts. The broad track climbs steadily up the meandering ridgeline, reaching exposed tops 1km before the hut. The tops route is poled and clear.

A junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

Te Puke Hut nestles in a beech-covered basin at the head of a small sidecreek on the southern side of the ridgeline - 100m off the track. The junction is signposted.

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From Te Puke Hut, the poled route climbs briefly east over exposed tussock tops.

Just before the summit, a junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

At the junction, the Harkness track swings sharply SW and starts to descend a spur towards the bushedge 100m below. Once in the just the track is cut and marked, and descends steadily to the valley floor 400m below.

Once in the valley there track crosses the creek, follows it downstream for 800m or so, and then climbs the northern valleyside to Harkness Hut - out of sight on a spur some 40m above the valley floor.

From Te Puke, follow the poled route west for 300m to the top of the hill, and turn north on a well travelled trail towards the trig. This ground trail branches at the trig, with one fork heading NE along the tops. Follow this over Te Pukeohikarua and over the next saddle, swinging briefly west to another unnamed peak which is sidled on the western face. The trail becomes less and less clear as you progress, but going is relatively easy through tussock and low scrub.

You are now at the northernmost point of the clear tops, as shown on the map, 500m ENE of pt1429. From here, follow the spur running just west of north down to the river. The first section is scrubby, but can be bypassed by remaining on the western face in clear subalpine vegetation. Once the beech becomes tall enough, cut right onto the spur and follow it down all the way to the river. Careful navigation is required where the spur 'kinks' to avoid dropping to sidestreams.

Once in the valley floor, travel in in the riverbed. This is stoney and clear of vegetation, but the first 2km (to the first major forks) suffers from numerous logjams and a few scrambles are required. Below this the riverbed is clear and going is easy. Travel on the banks becomes increasingly possible. One small gorge can be negotiated in-water in normal flows. Numerous campspots exist below the first confluence, but none above.

The confluence with the Mangatainoka River is marked by two pieces of yellow tape on a tree. From here a marked, occasionally cur track runs downstream to Mangatainoka Hut, 1.5km away. Several crossings are required but are ankle deep in normal flows.

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From the Otore clearing, a bearing of due north crosses the low Otorehinaiti Saddle through mature open beech, and drops to an (unmarked) fork in the head of the Otorehinaiti River. There is some flagging tape here marking the way, but a bearing of due north would suffice.

The river is small and unlikely to pose problems in all but extreme conditions. For the 1st 1km, the gradient of the valley is moderate, and there are no river flats, but it is still good open beech forest, and easy walking, sidling the valleyside. Below that, the valley soon opens up – good tramping down river flats and terraces, beech leaves and moss underfoot. Navigation is simple – follow the stream. A short tight section exists just above the confluence, but nothing tricky.

Good campspots exist on terraces on the southern bank of the Oamaru River. The Oamaru tracks in 100m north of the river (knee deep in normal conditions), and easy to spot if you head that way.

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The Oamaru is knee deep at the confluence in normal conditions, and easily crossed.

There are good, well-used campsites at the Oamaru/Otore confluence. Ignore old permolat markers heading east at the confluence – they appear to sidle terraces on the south side of the Oamaru, heading downstream. The Otore valley is narrow at first, but soon opens up – good tramping up river flats and terraces, beech leaves and moss underfoot. The river is small and unlikely to pose problems in all but extreme conditions. Navigation is simple – following the main stream to where it swings due south towards the saddle. The gradient increases 1km from the saddle, and the flats disappear, but it is still good open beech forest, and easy walking, sidling the valleyside. 500m from the saddle, there is a final fork, not shown on the map. We climb the mossy slip between the two forks, heading due south towards the saddle, emerging onto a wide plateau of beech which rises gently to the saddle itself. There is some flagging tape here marking the way, but a bearing of due south would suffice.

The Otore clearing is open – a mixture of marsh and tussock. The small Otore Biv is tucked away on the south-west side.

From the Otorehinaiti conbfluence, a typical Kaweka 1.5m-wide highway through the bush runs 3km along river terraces and sidles low on faces to the bushedge. From there the stroll downstream to Oamaru Hut is across easy, tussock flats alternating with bands of scrub – a well traveled, poled track.

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The stroll upstream from Oamaru Hut is easy, tussock flats alternating with bands of scrub – a well traveled, poled track. After 3km it reaches the bushedge, where a typical Kaweka 1.5m-wide highway through the bush starts. From the bushedge it’s a further 3km to the confluence with the Otorehinaiti Stream.

The Oamaru River track runs 100m away from the river at the confluence, so if you intend on heading up the Otorehinaiti then keep an eye on your map to pick out the spot you need to drop to the creek and cross.

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Mature beech trees cover the flats, dim light dappling an open forest floor carpeted in beech leaves beneath. Robins are evident for the first time in the trip, practicing their scales from branches above, and hoping you disturb something tasty. The track too is a welcome change: a broad, 2m wide benched track, well cut and well marked. After a kilometer-or-so of warm-up on the flats, the track begins to climb, rising with the ridge. Benched into the face, zigzagging where going gets steep, it is easy, fast travel. A couple of kilometers into the climb, the track passes through a grassy clearing – the site of the former Te Iringa Hut, now gone. There’s no obvious water here, so be warned if you were thinking of camping.

Soon after the beech is left behind and the ridgeline becomes scrubby. The highpoint of the track is 1160m, but the climb has been so gentle, you’d hardly have realised you’d gained 400m from the road. From there the track continues to sidle, dropping back into mature beech, and finally reaching Tiki Tiki Stream.

A good, well-used campsite exists just before the first stream, but it’s another 2km to the swingbridge across the main Kaipo river (more campsites on the south side of the bridge. If you're lucky: blue ducks in the water below).

From the Kaipo swingbridge, there’s another 7km of travel along river terraces to reach the Oamaru Hut. For the most part this is a broad track, cool and shaded though mature beech forest. The river meanders nearby: sometimes visible, sometimes not, banks lined with tall toetoe.

Shortly before the hut this comes to a sudden end: the shaded bush stopping on a sharp, ruled line to be replaced by open scrubby tussock flats. 500m further downriver Oamaru Hut sits on a terrace at the confluence of the Oamaru and Kaipo – looking downriver over scrub to distant (felled) pineforest.

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Following the poled track north from Oamaru Hut, you pass through 500m or so of open scrubby tussock flats before a sudden line on the ground is reached and scrub is replaced by tall, lush, mature bush.

To the Kaipo swingbridge, there’s another 7km of travel along river terraces. For the most part this is a broad track, cool and shaded though mature beech forest. The river meanders nearby: sometimes visible, sometimes not, banks lined with tall toetoe.

The junction at the swingbridge is marked by a suignpost, and there are good, well used camp spots on the southern side.

Snow / ice likely in winter

From Te Puke the track spends a lot of time on an exposed, bare ridgeline, dropping in between to long, flat saddles where stunted beech trees lap over the tops - at the limit of their range. In late summer, the whistles of sika serenade me from the faces below. There are no major climbs, but lots of short ups and downs over each peak. The tops sections are poled, and the bush sections well cut, so it is easy tramping, but exposed.

Finally, the narrow ridgeline broadens to wide, marshy tops – climbing, slowly drying as they rise, to reach the track junction on the flat summit.

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From the track junction, the Te Puke track heads east across broad, flat clay-pan summits, swinging due north after a kilometer or so, and dewscending slowly to the first of several saddles.

From here the track spends a lot of time on an exposed, bare ridgeline, dropping in between to long, flat saddles where stunted beech trees lap over the tops - at the limit of their range. In late summer, the whistles of sika serenade me from the faces below. There are no major climbs, but lots of short ups and downs over each peak. The tops sections are poled, and the bush sections well cut, so it is easy tramping, but exposed

The turnoff to Te Puke Hut is signposed left off the main track, and the hut is visible across a small basin 100m to the south.

From the track junction at the summit above Mangaturutu, the poled track to Venison Tops runs south over the open tops – easy going for 500m, when the low saddle(s) to Venison Tops open out below you. The track drops to a narrow ridgeline, losing 200m to the first saddle, climbing again 100m-or-so to cross each of two intermediate nipples above the low ridgeline. Beyond the third saddle, the track makes a final, steady 300m climb to reach the bushedge at Venison Tops Hut. It’s a well marked, well cut track, and I shouldn’t complain, but there’s a lot of up and down for just four horizontal kilometers.

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From Venison Tops the track drops steadily on a narrow ridgeline, through mature bush to reach the first saddle some 300 vertical meters below. It then climbs again 100m-or-so to cross each of two intermediate nipples above the low ridgeline. Beyond the third saddle, the track makes a final, steady 200m climb to reach the bushedge at 400m south of the Mangaturutu Junction. It’s a well marked, well cut track, and I shouldn’t complain, but there’s a lot of up and down for just four horizontal kilometers.

The turnoff to Mangaturutu Hut / Te Puni Hut is signposted on the flat summit.

Heading south (uphill) from Venison Tops / Tira for 100m or so leads you to a signposted junction for Rocks Ahead (south) or the main Kaweka Range (east). Heading east, the track drops steeply to a beech-covered saddle, where it idles flat for a couple of kilometers before commencing its steady climb to Ballard. The 400m climb is continuous but good, the 1.5m wide cut track following the ridgeline as it weaves its way upwards towards the main Kaweka tops. Things become steeper and stonier once the bushedge is passed, and we climb through red clay-pan hollows in a landscape painted orange, yellow, grey by the sub-alpine plants and lichens of the Kawekas. Climbing further, the clay-pan is slowly superseded by bare fine stones, the colours of the sub-alpines by a diminishing scattering of grey-gold tussock. Until finally, nothing remains but bare rock and scree.

A large cairn on the summit marks the turnoff to Ballard Hut, accompanied by a standard steel-plate Kaweka signpost.

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From the cairn / signpost at the Ballard Hut junction, the poled route to Venison Tops drops steadily east through a landscape of bare rock and stone. Soon the rock gives way to clay pan and small alpine plants, and slowly a Kaweka palette of striking orange, yellow and grey plants and lichens establish themselves over the red-oxide soil.

The gradient steepens and we drop north off the narrow spur into the bush below, aiming for a saddle on the ridgeline. Once in the bush the track is broad, marked and well cut. The track idles more-or-less flat in a westerly direction for a couple of kilometers before a final kilometer-long climb is reached, rising 300m to Venison Top and emerging back into stony tussock. A signpost marks the track junction on the ridgeline, and the hut is 100m to the north on the bushedge.

Heading east from the Ballard turnoff, the good news is that there is no real climbing left to reach the main Kaweka ridgeline, 1km of gently climbing ridgeline east to Whetu Highpoint. The route is marked with occasional poles, and follows the broad ridgeline.

The track junction just SW of Whetu highpoint is marked with a signpost.

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Heading west from the Whetu track junction, the route to Venison Top / Ballard follows the ridgeline for 1km of gente descent to a prominent outlying knob. The route is marked with occasional poles.

The turnoff to Ballard Hut is at the summit of the knob and is marked by a signpost and large cairn.

Heading south along the main range, the poled route falls then rises 80m with the ridgeline as it crosses a gentle saddle to pt1638. 500m before the summit, where the main range swings SW, a track junction is reached with Ihaka Spur joins from the east - providing a route down to Middle Hill.

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From the top of Ihaka Spour, the main range runs NNW, crossing a gentle saddle and climbing again to Whetu highpoint. The track junction for Ballard / Venison Top is signposted 100m SW of the summit.

Heading south from Iahka Spur along the main range, the poled route crosses a couple of minor peaks and intervening saddle before swinging SE to make a brief but tiring slog up North Kaweka to the mast – only 120m above the saddle, but it feels like more.

South from North Kaweka, the ridge broadens to flat, stony tops, devoid of any vegetation. Frost action has made wave patterns in the gravel, and in places sorted the rocks into polygons of larger stones. On a good day, all three major volcanoes are visible to the west: Ruapehu, Ngarahoe, and in the far distance Taranaki. To the east, on a really clear day, a distinct grey shape beyond the Uruwera range can only be Hikurangi. This place truly feels like the top of the world.

The track junction for North Ridge / Back Ridge Hut is 600m south of North Kaweka and is signposted on the broad, featureless tops.

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Heading NNE from the Back Ridge Hut turnoff, the main ridge is a broad, featureless expanse of fine stone, narrowing towards the mast at North Kaweka. The sparsely poled route skirts the peak to the west, and swings WNW to drop some 120, to a saddle, before climbing / sidling pt1668 on its eastern face.

Heading north again we drop 100m to another saddle, and climb over pt1638, swinging NE on the summit. 500m beyond the top of Ikaha Spur (rising from the east) is reached, which gives access down to Middle Hill.

From the Back Ridge Hut turnoff, the main Kaweka Range route continues south across broad, featureless, stony tops to the Kaweka J highpoint. The route is sparsely poled & markers could be hard to find in poor visibility. The Makahu Spur track junction is signposted & reached 100m before the summit. By the summit of Kaweka J stands a large cairn & there is a memorial plaque to Heretaunga Tramping Club members who lost their lives during WWII. A nearby stamped metal signpost marks the start of the route west down to Sterns Saddle & on to Back Ridge.

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From the Kaweka J highpoint, the main range route runs north across broad, stony tops for 1km to the North Ridge/ Back Ridge Hut turnoff. The route is sparsely poled & easy to lose in poor visibility. The track junction is marked by a signpost.

The Rocks Ahead track starts at the signposted junction at the summit above Back Ridge Biv, with a stamped metal sign stating it is a 2 hr decent. After a brief 100m section on the open top, the track enters mature beech forest and starts its long descent to the Ngarurora River below. Following a well defined spur, the descent is easy at first, with several brief climbs over outlying knobs, including pt. 1371. The last 1.5km however, is steep & continuous & the spur less defined. The track is well cut & marked however (2018) & 20m from the river a signposted junction is reached with Rocks Ahead Hut lying 20m upriver & a track leading briefly downriver to the cableway to cross to the western bank & Rocks Ahead Biv.

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From the track junction 20m south of Rocks Ahead Hut, a stamped metal sign post states it is 2 hrs 30 min to Back Ridge Biv. The track up on to Back Ridge heads east & initially climbs gently before steepening as it climbs unforgivingly up an ill-defined spur to the first bush knob. The gradient lessens & the spur becomes more defined as you make your way over numerous small climbs, followed by small descents, including a climb over pt. 1371 & into a bush saddle before the summit of Back Ridge is reached. Travel is through mature beech forest & higher up the track is lined with beautiful moss. The last 100m to the stamped metal signpost at the track junction on the summit is in the open. Follow a poled route which drops to Back Ridge Biv which lies 150m SE of the junction on the far bush edge.