Distance: 2.2 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Marked route - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 649m to 963m. Gain: 378m. Loss: 79m . Gradient: 12 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Marked route (6/9)
Uncut route, with markers normally within sight

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

The route to blue range starts at the metal 'cow' sign at Cow Saddle. The track is marked with tape and old permolat, and has a good ground trail. Climbing SSE from Cow Saddle it crosses pt 810, pt 890, turns sharpoly SW at pt890 to join the Blue Range track at the Waingawa RIver signpost (the top of the marked track out of the valley)

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Waingawa River signpost on the Cow Creek Hut track, a route heads north-east along the range. The track is marked with tape and old permolat, and has a good ground trail. Swinging NW at pt970 and dropping over pts 890 and 810 it is an easy route to Cow Saddle.