Ruahines

Bro I've done most of those routes and you need to be fit and on top of your game for those.

http://routeguides.co.nz/ This website might assist you - it has detailed route descriptions and time estimates. I believe Madpom created the website but I could be wrong. At the very least he is a heavy contributor. Day 1 alone looks like 7 hours, might be pushing it if you start at noon. I've never done this route though, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Day 2: Crow Hut to Otuoka Hut looks to be over 10 hours alone. Four hours from Crow Hut to Wakelings Hut, this may be a better option if you're heading from Waterfall Hut. Day 3 looks doable from Wakelings Hut but a big day. Day 4 looks fine Again, I have not done these tracks but this is the information I have managed to find looking at http://routeguides.co.nz/ - Check it out it is an awesome website! Cheers

Cool. Thanks for the info and website. Will check it out.

Yep. that routeguides web site is madpom's baby.

Be mindful that snow on the tops at this time of year might slow you down, too.

Apologies for being brief on my last reply, was posting from an ipad which I suck at using. @gaiters thanks, fitness and movement speed is not a concern for myself and from experience my companion shouldn't be an issue though has yet to be tested on a truly long day. My bigger concern is if any of the terrain (especially long lengths of tops) is more difficult than it looks on a map - eg deep tussock, boggy, razorback ridge, very loose scree etc. Any info on this would be much appreciated. @gazcan yes, this is more of a concern when I was last up Mangaweka I got hit was reasonable snowfall (and generally terrible conditions on the tops) and cut short a multiday tops trip to instead just climb Mangaweka and then walk out. I am certainly happy to make these decisions again in terms of shortening the trip or switching to valley travel if conditions dictate. @Pageix thanks, I have seen that site before and looked at it but forgot about it. (I think because I never bothered to figure how to use it correctly!). I've had a decent play now and is certainly a great resource - thanks @madpom awesome work!

After playing with @madpom's site I've roughly figured the following, can someone let me know if I'm well off. Day one Sunrise Road end to North Block Road end 20mins - can I drive right to North Block Rd end and is there a car park? There seem to be two different road end points shown on the map. North Block Road end to Waipawa Forks Hut. 1hr (?) - No info on the map but a formed track shown. Looks like something I would do in an hour. Waipawa Forks Hut to Waikamaka Hut 2hrs 20min DOC time. Waikamaka Hut to Waterfall Hut 2.5hrs DOC time Total 6hr 10min including road walk based off mainly DOC times (which I would normally be well under). Day two Waterfall Hut to Mangaweka via Trig creek 2hrs - the site mentions various routes and I read somewhere of descending via Pinnacle Creek. Does anyone know if a particular creek is easier to ascend than the others? Mangaweka to McKinnon Hut 2hrs (?) - my estimate based off what looks to be relatively simple tops travel. McKinnon to Crow Hut 1 to 1.5hrs (?) - again my estimate Crow Hut to Rongotea high point 2.5hrs DOC time Rongotea to Mokai Patea point 2 hrs (?) - again my estimate. Looks like a very wide ridge is it boggy, deep tussock which my be slower? Mokai Patea point to Otukota Hut 3 hrs DOC time Day two total: Comes to 12.5 hrs which does seem long. Well above what I would like for this trip at least. Going from Crow to Wakelings Hut (4hr DOC time) reduces it to a 9 hour day which is more manageable. Day three Otukota Hut to Maropea Forks Hut 3hr 20min - mix of my estimate and DOC time Wakelings Hut to Maropea Forks 2.5hr DOC time Maropea Forks to Maroparea high point 2hrs - my estimate looks to be a good deal of climbing then potentially a drop to a saddle and a climb back out. Maropea high point to Armstrong Saddle 3hr 20min DOC time Armstrong Saddle to Top Maropea Hut 1hr DOC time Day three total from Otukota 9 hrs 40 from Wakelings 8 hrs 50min Day four Top Maropea Hut to Road end 3hr Allow 3hrs to climb and return from Te Atuaoparapara? After doing that exercise I'm probably leaning to the Wakelings Hut route unless we were making really good progress on reaching the Mokai Patea Range. I've been accused of scaring people off in the past with going too far too fast! Any information/suggestions/corrections is much appreciated.

You can park at the back of the farm at north block road. It has a car park at the back of the property. This is going to take you longer than you think a lot of this tramp your doing is on pretty rough unformed routes. I'm sure your fit but these routes are tough. If the weather is good park next to the river and walk up the bed to waipawa forks hut. It's easy. The scrubby saddle to waikamaka is pretty vague and over grown. A good time is dependant on picking a good route. It's not as easy as it looks. It's a good first day to waterfall hut. I've done it. Hinerua to waipawa forks via waterfall hut in a longish day. Day two man I'm not keen on that. Hikurangi range is pretty rugged all the way to McKinnon, very over grown and vague trails. The route up pinnacle creek is tough as hell. I would consider getting to McKinnon a big day. Getting to otukota stuff that. A good option in low flow is walking from waterfall to crow via the river. Day three is pretty sweet if the rivers are down if they are not its another slog along shit over grown tracks. Day four easy, in good weather. Man a lot of these routes your times are close though it's hard yakka. Day two needs a serious rethink.. No matter how fit you are this is tough country these days. I pretty much did this trip a couple of years ago when I was at my fittest and it was still a slog for most parts. I was had it. The rivers can be fun and easy travel as long as they are low. They could be tough going with all the snow melt and rain filling the tarns on top. Just don't under estimate this trip and you'll have a great adventure. But this is no easy trip.

Pinnacles Creek is the way to go. The other routes provide a lot of opportunities to stuff up and get into bad country. Pinnacles is ok - just a steep scramble towards the end. Not well marked though - but fairly clear geography to follow.