Willberg Range

From SH6, follow the gravel bed of Harold Creek up to the base of the hill and pick up an only intermittently maintained marked route on the true right. GRID REF This leads up steeply to an open rata ridge that continues to the scrub, where the track is getting overgrown. Above the Mt Wilberg trig, the open tops offer excellent travel (and campsites by tarns) through to the main Wilberg Range. A rockbiv is marked on a NZAC 1962 map roughly east of pt 1310m but i havent seen it. The climb onto pt 1665m is steep but straight forward when dry. Time: Road to pt 1665m, 7hrs.

Turn off SH6 along Poerua Valley road. Seek permission from the farmer here, (Keith McKenzie- NOW HIS SON) before continuing along a bulldozed road until overlooking Rata Creek, about 200m up from the river. Cross and pick up the old hunters track which climbs onto a terrace in the bush before heading up the spur on the true left of Rata Creek over pt 469m. The track is only intermittently maintained, and may not be found till some distance up the hill. This is a long climb to bushline, and in the top section the narrow ridge is a little overgrown with flax and scrub. The track finishes at bushline on the straight spur west of Mt Ferguson. The tops offer good tussock travel over Mt Ferguson through occasional rock outcrops to the main Wilberg Range at pt 1665m. There are tarn campsites at pt 1486m. Time: Road to Mt Ferguson, 6 hrs.

The stream descending from pt 1592m to the Wilberg River was known as Exit Creek. An equally large tributary called Entrance Creek drains from pt 1665m and joins Exit. Both branches can be used, neither is entirely easy. The true right branch (Exit) is reasonable travel on boulders most of the way down, and has a rock biv marked on an NZAC 1962 map at I34 142725 which also names the creeks.