Kaweka puzzle

Sorry I can't cast any light on your question. Two of us went through there on a similar trip August 1974, so I'd think conditions have changed a bit :-) Here's the routeguide link: http://routeguides.co.nz/routes/208 I've still got a very good colour pic of me (I'll get round to scanning and posting it later) taken in the bush at Pt 1254 on the summit of the crossing over from the Ngaruroro. Stayed at Tussock, then headed down the section you ask about. Sadly my memory is too flakey to recall detail, but Geoff in his usual style got way ahead of me and he stopped for lunch at the turnoff up to Harkness. I think he'd had his lunch and a good snooze before I caught up to him. I recall some scrub bashing and a bunch of river crossings, but nothing like your description. What I do recall very vividly however was the next section down to Ngaawaparua. After about a km or so the track climbs high on the TR and sidles beautifully for several km inside lovely forest along a fairly steep slope. The footpad had only been recently cut or cleared and for long stretches it really was just one boot-width wide. It was quite eerie because the slope was so steep that if there was no bush it would have felt terribly exposed. Funny how some things just stick in the memory like that. How did the rest of the trip go bernie? Feel free to write it up.

Thanks Phillip, I had MadPom's track in the GPS - it goes straight down the river. None of the research I did before the tramp suggested swimming ! I admit I was a little surprised at the toughness of the terrain - we came over the Otorehinaiti Saddle - travelling up the stream was very slow so we pulled out onto a spur before the stream turns south and climbed to 1000m to contour around - mistake! That gave us several deep gullies to cross and numerous bluffy bits to negotiate. We finally gave in and descented to the stream just below the final climb to the saddle. An hour before sunset and stuffed, we fortunately found a flattish spot to camp. The next day to Harkness hut was comparatively easy. The tramp down the Makino River and through the gorge was good fun.

From the point it drops off the face to the river the track heads downstream crossing 20+ times, always within 10m of the river. One crossing alwats gets me (shorts deep). Others are normally hood. Teack is cut & marked ... just crosses lots.

Yeah, I get the lots of crossings :) The question is about what happens immediately you come down to the river the first time - we managed to work past the TR bluff (on the TL, and high above) but it was clearly not the correct way. Once past that small rocky bluff on the TR, we had no problem.

Walked this section a couple of years ago (albiet in the reverse direction) and don't remember having any issues when it came to exiting (as it would have been the case for us) the creek. Not sure if things have changed in the interim or if it is just more obvious in the reverse direction.

Traced it out on the map and it looks like a great trip bernie!

Do you remember, Dodgy, if you left the stream, at 90deg, steeply up an eroding gut or did you angle up, gaining height but paralleling the stream? Phillip, the trip is detailed in Routeguides http://www.routeguides.co.nz/trips/100 It was challenging, certainly. The trip up Otorehinaiti stream (at least the route we took) was very tough country indeed. However, some good views (but briefly, through the mists), nice huts and a fun splash down the Makino river were great fun.

I want to say we angled out as I don't specifically remember a steep scramble. All I can really remember though is the guys I was with (who hadn't done a lot of tramping and certainly not multiday trips) being quite excited then a little confused by all the river crossings.

Hey Bernie. We went from Harkness to Tussock in Dec last year. I am trying to remember the bit you describe. Certainly we never lost the track and from memory it was easy to follow. I do remember that our last crossing of the river was from the TL to the TR and then up a steep eroding gut to a terrace above. From here it was poled through the tussock all the way to Tussock hut.