Distance: 5.2 km (3.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 154m to 488m. Gain: 418m. Loss: 151m . Gradient: 6 deg (Moderate)
Skills:

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

Secondary, unmapped (4/5)
Route not on maps, an alternative recognised access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

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

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

A reasonable ridgeline route connects the Teal Bay-Poteriteri track with the Crombie flats.

From TT59 on the Crombie tracking-tunnel line, head directly uphill (generally north) climbing the ferny spur to pt210. A brief ferny saddle follows to pt211 from where the vegetation opens up and good deer trails lead generally north up the ridgeline passing pt367, pt396, pt398, pt499 (where the is a clearing) and pt459. The Poteriteri - Teal Bay track is intersected just north of pt459 and is infrequently cut and sparsely marked - so keep your eyes open.

2-4hrs

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

Leave the Poteriteri - Teal Bay track at its high-point just north of pt459 and climb south to pt459. A good pen ridgeline with good deer trails leads generally south over pt499 (turn sharply east from the summit), pt398, pt398, pt367, pt211 and pt210. From 211 south progress becomes ferny and slow. Follow the main ridgeline slightly east of south off pt210 towards the Crombie flats below.

An east-west tracking tunnel line is intercepted around the 160m contour (40m above the flats below) and is marked with yellow triangles and an assortment of tape.

2-3hrs