Distance: 2.5 km (1.3 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 1316m to 1688m. Gain: 89m. Loss: 461m . Gradient: 13 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) Winter - Iceaxe/crampons (4/7)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

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

Alpine weather (difficulty: 2/7)
Tramp on open tops, exposed to alpine weather

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

Iceaxe/crampons (difficulty: 4/7)
Ice axe and crampons required in winter

The long, gentle descent north east from Rangioteatue is easy going on gravel and tussock tops. From the saddle west of Three Johns, a brief steep climb is required, 60m up the first of the Three Johns, to reach the beginning of the tussock spur descending north west to the Waipawa Saddle. This route is unmarked, with no clear ground trail.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Waipawa Saddle, head SE up the tussock spur towards the Thee Johns. The route is unmarked and the ground trail faint. This spur joins the ridgeline 60m below the summit, where you can swing west and skip the rest of the climb to the Three Johns Summit. A long, gentle climb follows on broad tops of tussock and later shingle to reach Rangioteatua. This unmarked, rounded summit is the junction with an unmarked route up from Rangi Saddle to the west,.