The Asbestos Track starts from the signposted junction 100m west of the lower junction swingbridge. This is a benched pack track. The track climbs steadily for 250m through beech forest before entering sparse bush and bare dunite rock. The final 1km is an easy sidle on a benched track to Asbestos Cottage.

Older maps show it being necessary to climb to the ridgeline and return down to the cottage - but this is no longer necessary as the benched sidle track is now open (2020)

0.5-1 hr

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A good benched track runs down the Takaka from the signposted Salisbury Lodge junction to the signposted 'Lower Junction', from which tracks lead to Upper Takaka, Asbestos Cottage and the Cobb valley. There are 2 signposted junctions at the lower junction, one on each side of the swingbridge, both about 100m back from the river.

The Flora and Takaka rivers are crossed on swingbridges. Other small sidecreeks are unbridged but should not pose problems.

0.5-1hrs

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A well maintained broad benched track runs from Salisbury Lodge to the Upper Junction in the Takaka valley. The first 2km are poled across flat tablelands leading to a signposted junction at a bridge from which Dry Rock Shelter campsite can be reached, 400m to the east.

Below Dry Rock Shelter the track is benched into the valleyside, broad and in good condition for a further 3km to the junction with the Upper Takaka Track. The Growler Rock Shelter - a picnic area under a natural rock shelter - is on the track 1km before the junction.

1-2 hr

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From the Lodge, the defined track heads west across the tableland, poled, running 1.5km to a signposted junction with tracks leading to Lake Peel (via Balloon Hut) and to the Karamea (via Splugeons Shelter)

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From the signposted track junction the poled track turns south before entering the bush. Once under the trees, the benched track descends on a steady, moderate gradient to Splugeons Shelter.

1-2 hrs

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From Splugeons Shelter the benched track climbs on a steady, moderate gradient to the bushedge. 1km of poled route leads north from there to a signposted track junction where it intersects the track from Salisbury Lodge to Balloon Hut.

1-2 hrs

From Splugeons Shelter the benched marked tramping track descends on a moderate, steady gradient to a bridged crossing of the Leslie River.

It's a pleasant stroll from the bridge on the TL of the Leslie River to the Wilkinson Tk turnoff which is signposted 4km before Karamea Bend Hut.

1.5-3 hrs

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From the signposted junction of the Leslie-Karamea track with the Wilkinson Track, continue 3km along an easy cut/marked tramping track on the LT of the river to the Leslie River swingbridge.

From the bridge the track is benched into the hillside and makes a steady, moderate climb on a constant gradient, reaching Splugeons Shelter after 2.5km and a 500m climb.

2-4 hrs

The fingerboard at the start has 'track' replaced with 'horror' - unmaintained, this track becomes choked with onga-onga and lawyer vine.

The lower third of the track is beside the creek and crosses several times making for a risky trip if the flow is high. However, the steep track is obvious and frequently benched.

Once having left the creek, the track continues steeply under beech zig-zaging to pt 905 and a brief respite from the ascent. Quickly climbing again, then even more steeply (20deg) the track leaves the bushline for a steep poled climb over tussock and Spaniard grass to the saddle.

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From the saddle, Wilkinson Hut can be seen at the treeline. The poled route down is perhaps not the best route as it crosses thick Spaniard grass and wet bog.

The descent to the valley floor has no visible track, near vertical in places and slippery - slow progress.

Once on the valley floor, a sizeable bog is negotiated. Within a km of the hut, the track becomes more defined, moving to higher ground on the TR. Wending its way through an attractive fern grove, the track comes back to the river just below the hut - crossing to the TL to access the hut might be difficult in heavy rain.

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Initially a well-cut track rises away from the river then descends to the first of many river crossings. From here the track deteriorates, with a few steep, wet and slippery sections. One part of track had crumbled with a sizeable slip.

However, overall, travel is quite good. 12km from hut to the fixed bridge that marks the end of the track and the start of the 4WD track that leads to the trailhead (4km). Ellis River would be difficult to cross in high flow.

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A good route follows the spur / upper western face south from pt1541 to the saddle with Loveridge Peak. The climb to Loveridge is a simple tussock ridgeline which cn be followed over the summit and to the start of the dropoff to Bton Crk at the southern end.

The spur dropping SSW is the more obvious of the two and can easily be followed down to the forks of Ironsand Crk and Baton Crk. The crossing 0m below the forks was low (ankle-knee deep) in normal flows but it is a steep scramble out on the southern side. The sidle track is 20-30 vertical meters up the southern valleyside. You will hit the track at the small, obvious 1-person rock shelter that sits directly on the track.

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A route marked with blue dots / triangles sidles the east face of The Twins at around the bushedge before climbing to the ridgeline south of the peaks.

From Ellis Hut the route follows the obvious spur over pt1196 and sidles terraces visible on the map just below the bushedge before climbing to the saddle at spot height 1248. This section is well marked with blue triangles and cairns, which weave in between spectacular sinkholes and through tesalated pavements. I hit the track part-way along and cannot say where it branches off the Ellis Hut Track.

From pt1248 follow the base of the steep faces of The Twins, above the bushedge on stable scree, climbing gradually to stay close to the base of the steep faces. Occasional cairns give reassurance but are not frequent enough to follow. Follow the spur WNW bwside the creek shown on the maps to regain the main Arthur Range ridgeline, ensuring you stay above steep bluffs at around 1500m.

Once on the ridgeline the NW face can be descended to get past the bluff layer and down to the narrow saddle with pt1476. The ridgeline west from here is narrow but easily navigable to pt`1541 where the broad spur leading to Loveridge Peak joins from the south.

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Will be required if descent to Ellis Basin has snow or ice

A signpost 500m east of Mt Arthur - before the final ascent - marks the turnoff to Ellis Hut. A well poled route crosses the tops south before swinging SE to a saddle and then dropping south down a dark scree gully (icy in winter) into Ellis Basin. Ellis Hut is on the track at the bushedge.

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Poled through to just below the summit, as the ridge narrows, the terrain becomes more rocky and sidles the north-facing slope. However, the track is well defined and easily followed. The last climb to the rather flat top is steep but not dangerous. At the top, there is a low rock wall providing minimal shelter - good views if the weather is kind.

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From the summit, descend following the pole-line, sidling into the saddle. The well-defined track continues descending along the ridge to the marked track junction.

This is a poled , and obvious, track briefly in bush then very exposed - mostly low tussock and easy travel. The track junction at the end of this segment is clearly marked.

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A benched, gravelled track through to Mt Arthur Hut, it took less than an hour with a 5-day pack.

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