Distance: 3.8 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 974m to 1483m. Gain: 122m. Loss: 560m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Alpine weather (2/7) - Streams (2/6) Winter - Snow/ice underfoot (2/7)

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

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

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Snow/ice underfoot (difficulty: 2/7)
Snow/ice likely on track

Expect snow and ice on tops in winter.

From Te Puke Hut, the poled route climbs briefly east over exposed tussock tops.

Just before the summit, a junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

At the junction, the Harkness track swings sharply SW and starts to descend a spur towards the bushedge 100m below. Once in the just the track is cut and marked, and descends steadily to the valley floor 400m below.

Once in the valley there track crosses the creek, follows it downstream for 800m or so, and then climbs the northern valleyside to Harkness Hut - out of sight on a spur some 40m above the valley floor.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From Harkness we continue along the central Kaweka highway. To warm-up there’s an easy 800m section along the valley floor, but then the climb starts. The broad track climbs steadily up the meandering ridgeline, reaching exposed tops 1km before the hut. The tops route is poled and clear.

A junction with a well-trodden track, heading north from the summit, is not marked on maps or signposted. However, it appears to lead off along the tops towards Mangatainoka Hut.

Te Puke Hut nestles in a beech-covered basin at the head of a small sidecreek on the southern side of the ridgeline - 100m off the track. The junction is signposted.