Hauturu High Point - West

Easy going single trail through forest to start with. All runnable. It is an old bridle way so is well-formed although some areas of erosion to be careful of. Once you get to the Framptons Hut turn off the trail is much more rugged and climbs steeply. Could be muddy in wet conditions and awkward to climb. The track is well-marked but is overgrown in places.

The trail climbs gradually as it traverses along the slope through the forest. Easy underfoot though there are some boggy sections as the path crosses streams. The track is an old bridleway and you can see that it is slightly raised with clear edges for the most part but there are areas where erosion has narrowed the trail and the drop off to the edges is quite steep.

A gate marks the junction where the 4WD track to Frampton’s Hut veers off from the main trail to the left. Waima Main Range Track and Hauturu Highpoint track to the right. Another ten minutes on along a narrower path is the next junction. Right to Hauturu and straight on to follow the main track.

Now you start to climb! Steep and rugged in places, make good use of trees, branches and roots to navigate the muddy, rooty slopes through beautiful native forest. You emerge at a meadow and a great view and then continue along the forested ridgeline before descending steeply to a stream and then climbing back up again. At a junction you can continue down to Waiotemarama Waterfall (approx 5km) but for the summit turn left and follow the track to the trig.

There is no view at the summit, just a wooden trig but if you continue past the trig for a few minutes you emergte at the end of the ridge to a brilliant view looking out across the Waipoua Forest and to the coast. You can also see the Waima Range to the left.

Descend by same route. At junction go through the gate to follow 4WD track to hut.