Access: Eleven kilometres N of where the Masterton bypass rejoins SH2, it crosses the Ruamahanga River. Fifty metres S of this bridge, an old sealed road formation may be followed on the L for 500 metres to the DOC information sign, before the woolshed of Reef Hill Station. Cars may be left near the DOC sign – not by the woolshed. This access crosses private land – be sure to leave all gates as you find them.
Overview: This access point leads to the Ruamahanga River, Cow Saddle, and the tops of the Northern Tararuas.
This valley rises among the higher peaks of the ranges, and the headwaters are steep, rough and scrubby. In the middle reaches, where the valley follows a fault alignment, there are extensive grass and forest flats and these also continue some way up the Ruapae Stream. The upper gorge, to the NW of Cattle Ridge, is fairly rough, but the lower gorge between Cleft Creek and the road-end is gentler.
About 3½ hours to Cleft Creek on the TR all the way. The common access to Roaring Stag Lodge is now from the Mangatainoka road-end, thus this less-used track down the Ruamahanga has regressed. It reasonably well marked and traverses fairly easy country. On farm country, dogs must be on a lead, and rifles unloaded.
Up: From the DOC signboard, cross the stile and keep close to the fence on the L to the gate at the far end of the field. Do not use the old route close to the woolshed. Beyond this a farm road leads up-river across the paddocks to a trail fork in 10 minutes, then passes over the spur to regain the terraces in 25 minutes. This road formation now leads beyond the line of pines to the end of the terraces and continues along the hillside almost to the bush-edge: 25 minutes from the pines and 75 minutes from the road-end. In the bush the trail descends briefly to within 15 metres of the river to cross a narrow stream, then regains terraces beyond.
The track before the narrow stream crosses the toe of talus slopes, and there are plans to improve its definition. Beyond here, the trail is in good condition and in less than an hour a major side-stream, Paddys Creek, is crossed. Beyond this, apart from a scramble past a small slip, the good going continues over level terraces. The signposts at (Topo50 BN34 125 851) are found on the high terrace a few minutes before the Cleft Creek junction, less than 3 hours from the woolshed.
«» To go up Cleft Creek, follow the trail L over forest terraces before it drops to cross the creek, 20 minutes from the signposts. The trail to Cow Saddle can then be picked up less than 50 metres upstream (see 2.4).
«» To go up the Ruamahanga, drop down to the river from a little beyond the signposts, to good crossings below and above the Cleft Creek bluffs. (see 2.2).
Cleft Creek vicinity
SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN 2.2 and 2.3 IS OUT OF DATE (MARCH 2019) AND AWAITS REVISION
On the high terrace down-valley of the Cleft Creek confluence are the signposts. From here one route leads upstream, close to the river most of the way, to Roaring Stag Lodge. A second trail leads down-valley on high TR terraces to the main highway. A third trail leads up Cleft Creek to Cow Saddle.
2.2 Cleft Creek to Roaring Stag Lodge
From Cleft Creek confluence to Roaring Stag: 1½–2 hours via the shorter route.
The Ruamahanga River narrows to its lower gorge just above the Cleft Creek confluence. If the river is high, it will be best to gain the old sidle track to bypass this bluffy section. This adds a good 45 minutes to the journey. See sketch map.
This original Cow Saddle–Ruamahanga pack track used to follow N from the extensive flats and high terraces on Cleft Creek’s TL, to beyond the first active slips on the Ruamahanga’s TR. This trail is almost unmarked these days, but is straightforward going. The track following the TR lower reaches of Cleft Creek is more recent.
Up: On the high terraces downstream of the Cleft Creek/Ruamahanga confluence are the signposts at (Topo50 BN34 125 851), and a few minutes up-valley of these a small stream is crossed. Drop now to the main river where convenient, cross it and once beyond the bluffs around the Cleft Creek mouth, re-cross to the TR for the rest of this journey. Eventually, large manuka flats are reached upstream of a high TR slip and the bridge at Roaring Stag Lodge is reached 10 minutes further on.
If it is difficult to cross the Ruamahanga around the Cleft Creek bluffs, proceed up the trail on the TR terraces of Cleft Creek towards its usual crossing place about 20 minutes up from the signposts. Keep an eye on the matching terraces on the TL of Cleft Creek, for you’ll soon want to be on them. Cross the creek and follow these TL terraces down Cleft Creek, never far from the edge – some of the early travel may be rough. On the terraces you will be out of sight the Cleft Creek/Ruamahanga confluence, and the route keeps a little above the river until past some active slips at (Topo50 BN34 121 856), about 25 – 35 minutes from your crossing of Cleft Creek. From here, the travel close to the river is simple up to Roaring Stag, apart from a few minor bluffs that may need to be sidled if the river is high - there is no consistent trail till above the big manuka flats.
2.3 Cleft Creek to Ruamahanga road-end
Three hours or less from Cleft Creek to the road-end.
Down: Below the Cleft Creek confluence, an 80cm deep ford with a good bottom allows you to regain the TR of the Ruamahanga River. Follow downstream for a couple of minutes, then scramble to the high terrace to pick up the track heading down-valley. A small side-stream is crossed and in a few minutes, the signposts are reached. The track now stays on these high terraces most of the way to the bush-edge, interrupted only by a small slip and a few streams.
Forty-five minutes from the signposts, drop to cross Paddys Creek – an enchanting spot — and 5 minutes further on, a sign encourages with ‘2 hours to Mt Bruce’, i.e. the main highway. Thirty minutes on is a steep-sided, narrow stream, close to the river, with a short climb to minor terraces beyond and soon the bush-edge. These last few minutes of the trail are now better marked and padded, and an old farm road is picked up soon beyond bush-edge. Thirty minutes from the bush-edge brings the first of the farm terraces and 30 minutes on, the last of the terraces before the climb over the spur.
From here two routes are available: over the spur; or through the river.
«» The former climbs through the fringe of manuka and up the grass spur to the road formation at the top, then drops to the terrace again on the down-valley side, 25 minutes distant.
«» For the river route, follow the higher terrace to its end where a gate leads down to twin crossings of the river, a few hundred metres apart. The first crossing is rocky, but the second crossing has a better bottom (75cm deep at normal water). A farm track then leads up to a gate at the TR terraces. This route takes less than 15 minutes, terrace to terrace. Fifteen minutes from this gate is the road-end stile at the DOC signs. The latter part of this route crosses the field, now keeping to the upper fenceline, away from the woolshed.
2.4 Cleft Creek to Cow Saddle
Up: From the Ruamahunga River, it is possible to proceed up the bed of Cleft Creek itself for 20 minutes until the track is picked up on the TL, just after a TL side-stream. There is a derelict bridge 3 minutes up from the Ruamahunga. Ignore it.
More usually, from the Cleft Creek/Ruamahunga signpost, follow the trail up high terraces on the TR of Cleft Creek for 20 minutes or so until it drops to the stream. Don't cross, but continue up low terraces for 5 minutes until a TL side-stream is seen. Cross Cleft Creek above the side-stream. The well-marked track heads up a spur in a SW direction to the 600m contour, crosses a small gully, and then sidles onto Cow Saddle, which is reached in under 2 hours from the Ruamahunga.
Down: From Cow Saddle a well-marked track heads SE, sidling across a small gully at the 660m contour and then heading NE down a spur to the junction of Cleft Creek and a TL side-stream. Cross Cleft Creek (do not cross the side-stream) and follow the marked trail down-stream for 5 minutes before climbing onto good terraces on the TR. The padded trail continues down-valley and, after crossing a small side-stream, reaches the signposts at the main track: 20 minutes from the stream crossing and 90 minutes from Cow Saddle. (Alternatively, one may proceed down the interesting Cleft Creek to the main river, some 15 minutes from the creek crossing.) [revised April 2019]
Roaring Stag Lodge Vicinity
Roaring Stag Hut
Roaring Stag Hut is a Standard hut, located at -40.730649, 175.524563. It has 12 bunks with heating, mattresses, toilets - non-flush, water from tap - not treated, boil before use, and water supply. Bookings are not required, usage is first come, first served.Roaring Stag Hut alert
Large ant infestation on track
We are aware of an infestation of large ants on the track between Cattle Ridge and Roaring Stag huts. The infestation is 560 m from Cattle Ridge Hut at 850-900 m altitude.
There’s a possibility they are Argentine ants. To avoid the risk of ant bites or spreading this pest species further, do not stop to rest or put your pack down in this area. We expect ant activity will decline over winter and increase again in spring/summer.
First published on 8 April 2024. Last reviewed on 8 August 2024.
Roaring Stag Hut
Roaring Stag Hut is a Standard hut, located at -40.730649, 175.524563. It has 12 bunks with heating, mattresses, toilets (non-flush), water from tap (not treated, boil before use), and water supply. Bookings are not required, usage is first come, first served.
Roaring Stag Hut alert.
2.5 Roaring Stag Lodge to Mangatainoka road-end
Roaring Stag Lodge nestles on a river terrace and is the node of several routes in the Ruamahanga Valley. The lodge sleeps 12.
Out: From Roaring Stag an excellent track leads up-valley to gain a higher terrace, then crosses two small streams to the foot of a spur – 15 minutes. Another 90 minutes along this easy-graded spur brings the Roaring Stag/Herepai Track junction. Turn R and 45 minutes down from here is the first bridge over the Mangatainoka; the second, another 30 minutes on, is close to the road-end. About 3 hours in all from the lodge. [revised March 2018]
2.6 Roaring Stag Lodge to Cleft Creek and Ruamahanga road-end
Down: Cross the bridge at Roaring Stag and follow the trail downstream to the large manuka flats. There is no continuous trail further downstream until past the Cleft Creek bluffs, 1½ hours from Roaring Stag. A double crossing of the river is usual around Cleft Creek: the second crossing has a good bottom but it is 80 centimetres deep.
If the river is higher than normal, the old route on the TR of the Ruamahanga can be taken. It follows the edge of high terraces above the Cleft Creek bluffs, reaches that creek and crosses it about 20 minutes up from the Ruamahanga. A good place to gain these high terraces is by the active slip near (Topo50 BN34 121 856), but take care on the unstable slip. If heading for the road-end, keep reasonably close to the TL terrace edge, and cross Cleft Creek and gain the terraces on the TR where the well-padded track will be found leading back down the creek to the signposts. Then see 2.2 and 2.3 above.
For the trip down the Ruamahanga River itself to the road-end, see 21.2.
2.7 Roaring Stag to Cattle Ridge Hut and Waingawa 1423
About 2 hours to Cattle Ridge Hut, and another 2 hours to Waingawa 1423.
Up: Cross the bridge from Roaring Stag and follow downstream for 2 minutes to a track forks, where the Cattle Ridge track swings away from the down-valley track. Turn right, cross the flats and a small stream, then climb the spur to Cattle Ridge Hut, about 2 hours from Roaring Stag. Standard hut – sleeps 5 – tank water.
Cattle Ridge proper is gained about 10 minutes above the hut where the turn-off is marked with an iron standard.
About 10 minutes up the ridge is another iron standard with a disc on it and 50 metres W from this is a third standard, which marks the top of the track that drops to cross the upper Ruamahanga towards Dundas Hut – see 2.8. [revised March 2018]
Following up the ridge, the quality tarn at Pukeroa 1318 is followed by a sharp saddle and then the broad top of Pukekino, about 75 minutes from the Hut. The reverse of this route, from Pukekino to the sharp saddle, is difficult in mist and opportunity should be taken to memorise the trail.
Beyond Pukekino the ridge is pretty flat and broadens beyond .1384. The turn-off to Cow Saddle at .1360 is not conspicuous but is marked by a cairn and slotted standard. (See 5.9) Just beyond this turn-off, the ridge narrows before the short climb to Waingawa itself: a little over 2 hours from Cattle Ridge Hut.
Down: Travelling down Cattle Ridge from Waingawa, the ridge broadens once past the Cow Saddle turn-off and the going is fairly flat until just beyond the broad featureless top of Pukekino. Where the ridge-top swings NW, a slotted standard will be found marking a swing of the route to 60° true (NEbE); a line of stones on the ground confirms this. A hundred metres distant is a similar standard. About 5 minutes down-spur from the second standard are some cairns, and the spur drops sharply 75° true (EbN) to the saddle. This face is steep and scrubby, and its western edge may be slightly better. A climb brings you to .1318 with the split ridge beyond. A tarn nestles between the ridge arms – follow down the western one.
Ten minutes down from here, you will be pass the twin standards at 300° true (NWbN) that mark the top of the Dundas Hut track. A further 10 minutes down-ridge from these, a standard and cairn mark the turn R to Cattle Ridge Hut. This hut, about 10 minutes down from the ridge, lies in the scrub – around 2 hours from Waingawa.
Below the hut, drop to the tarn then swing L up the small spur for 100 metres, where a stake marks the turn R for the spur to Roaring Stag. The early bush is pleasant totara and toatoa, though these die out further down. The well-marked track makes one or two wide sidles on the way down as it passes steep country above slips and false pads may mislead. Eventually it crosses a small stream and joins the main valley track 2 minutes down from the Roaring Stag Bridge: about 1½ hours from Cattle Ridge Hut.
For the route from Waingawa 1423 to Cow saddle, see 5.9.
Cattle Ridge Hut
Cattle Ridge Hut is a Standard hut, located at -40.729929, 175.503448. It has 5 bunks with heating, mattresses, toilets - non-flush, water from tap - not treated, boil before use, and water supply. Bookings are not required, usage is first come, first served.Cattle Ridge Hut alert
Large ant infestation on track
We are aware of an infestation of large ants on the track between Cattle Ridge and Roaring Stag huts. The infestation is 560 m from Cattle Ridge Hut at 850-900 m altitude.
There’s a possibility they are Argentine ants. To avoid the risk of ant bites or spreading this pest species further, do not stop to rest or put your pack down in this area. We expect ant activity will decline over winter and increase again in spring/summer.
First published on 8 April 2024. Last reviewed on 8 August 2024.
2.8 Cattle Ridge Hut to Dundas Hut
Dundas and Pukemoremore exchanged names on the 1:100 000 map around 1960. The hut was then close to what was known as Dundas, and the hut's name hasn't changed. About 4½ hours in either direction.
Westwards: Twenty minutes up Cattle Ridge from the Hut turn-off, two standards will be found at 300° true (NWbN), 50 metres apart. The first of these has a disc on it. These standards point towards the Dundas Hut track. Cairns also mark this turn-off, particularly one by a large rock near the edge of the ridge. From here, a few cairns lead steeply down through tussock to a slip where the track is poorly marked. Below the slip the vegetation is very dense and the track difficult to follow. It becomes easier to follow in the bush, ultimately reaching the Ruamahanga River. This could take up to 2 hours from Cattle Ridge Hut.
Across the river, the track sidles high to avoid rough going, before following a sidestream, still high, to the stream forks: at least 45 minutes from the river crossing. A well-cut track leads up the spur between the forks to above the scrubline. About 75 minutes from the forks, Dundas Hut lies on the N face of the spur and about 75m below the spur-crest. The drop-off point is before the spur-crest becomes ill-defined, and is signposted.
Point 1415 (Topo50 BN34 080 898) on the Main Range can be reached in 20 to 30 minutes from the hut.
Eastwards: The minor summit of .1415 on the Main Range, carries several small tarns (with another one in the saddle northwards) and marks the inconspicuous turn-off to Dundas Hut. The turn-off is however sign-posted, saying 10 minutes to Dundas Hut; allow at least 20 minutes. From the northernmost tarn on the summit of .1415, turn SE and the face will soon develop into a blunt spur. Dundas Hut lies in a basin down the N face of this spur, 75 metres below the spur-crest and about 200m below .1415. The hut turn-off is signposted too.
From Dundas Hut, regain the spur crest which then drops about 550m through tussock and scrub to the stream forks, which can be reached in 80 minutes. The track is very steep in places, and at times not obvious through the vegetation. Cross the stream. The track then sidles first above the stream and then the main river, losing a further 120m, to reach the Ruamahanga crossing. This sidle track is very overgrown with not many discs, so can take up to an hour. Cross the river to gain the track uphill. Two hours of steep climbing (about 600 metres) through thick vegetation brings the open Cattle Ridge. Twenty minutes down-ridge (NE) are the cairn and standard marking the top of the eroded track to Cattle Ridge Hut, about 4½ hours from Dundas Hut. [revised March 2018]
2.9 Haukura Ridge and East Peak, from Ruamahanga Forks
This was the normal route to the (long-gone) Haukura Biv. Beyond the river flats at the Ruapae-Ruamahanga confluence, the traces may be picked up of the trail which climbs the spur for 2 hours to a knoll, .1127, before dropping 100m to a saddle full of leatherwood (the old biv site). Beyond the biv site the ridge has about 90 minutes of rather rough and rocky travel to East Peak. There is a small lake concealed on the forest flats at the foot of the spur: it can be seen from high up. [revised March 2018]
For the descent from East Peak, see the last few paras of 20.8.
2.10 Haukura Ridge from foot of Bottles Track
This route crossed Ruapae Stream from the foot of Bottles Track (see 2.11) and climbed the bush spur to the knoll before the old Haukura Biv site. The route is now ill-defined but quicker than 2.9. About 90 minutes from stream to knoll.
2.11 Bottles Track towards Herepai Hut
This track leads from the upper Ruapae Stream towards the saddle below Herepai Hut.
Up: From the point in Ruapae Stream where the valley starts to close in and take a distinct W turn, a small stream at (Topo50 BN34 134 900, NZMS260 S25 234 537) joins on the TL clearly draining the saddle to the N. (Ruapae Stream has a short gorge just above this point.) A short way NE up this side-stream is a slip on the TL. Follow up the slip and climb out on its TL when the remains of the Bottles Track can be followed to the main Herepai Track, which should be reached in 30 to 40 minutes from the main stream. [revised March 2018]