Distance: 1.7 km (0.8 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 356m to 527m. Gain: 180m. Loss: 20m . Gradient: 7 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

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

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

There’s a swingbridge over the river from the picnic area. The bush is solid mature manuka – tall trees rather than low scrub. On the far side of the Tutaekuri with dry feet, a 2m-wide recently recut track heads downriver before climbing up 100m onto the ridge. It is an easy, gentle climb to the saddle where a signpost marks the turnoff to Mackintosh Hut.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Mackintosh Hut track junction, the broad marked, cut track sidles gently down to the Tutaekuri River, which it follows briefly upstream to cross on a swingbrige at the picnic area.