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DOC Land
Altitude: 722m to 1598m. Gain: 983m. Loss: 994m . Gradient: 11 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6)
Note: This route is on the Te Araroa Trail. It is very popular in summer and huts along this route may be full.
From Hunters Hut, make an initial descent to the stream north of the hut (a tributary of the Motueka River Left Branch). Cross the river and walk upstream on the TR, following waratahs. At the forks about 2km later, the path leaves the stream and begins a steep 800m climb. There is no water along the trail from here until a small stream just above Top Wairoa Hut.
Climb 300 vertical meters up a steep, open hillside dotted with scrub. At the top of this slope, the route enters bush, and then resumes climbing another 250 vertical meters along a ridge, until it reemerges above the bush line on the NW ridge of Mt. Ellis. Follow the poled route and traverse Mt. Ellis and Pt. 1569, which offer spectacular views of Tasman Bay, Maungakura (Red Hill), and the other peaks of the Richmond Ranges.
Descend from Pt. 1569 to the saddle at Pt. 1374, where the route turns down into a rocky gully and proceeds steeply downhill as blaze orange Top Wairoa Hut comes into view almost directly below. The route sidles and descends sharply to the hut, through tussock and boulders, crossing a small stream above 400 vertical meters above it.
Nestled at the edge of the bush line, Top Wairoa Hut is a nicely maintained classic NZFS 6-bunker, like many of the huts in the Richmonds. From here, it is another 3-3.5 hours down the spectacular (but somewhat tough) Wairoa River route to Mid-Wairoa Hut. Do not proceed to Mid Wairoa Hut if it has been raining or if rain is in the forecast as the route requires many crossings and the river route would be dangerous in high flows. Mid-Wairoa Hut is virtually the same as Top Wairoa Hut but has an amazing swimming hole.