Jess is a Wanderer headed out into rural Waikato in search of Te Aroha's beautiful mountain. Having been told by a friend, "It's not hard, it's not easy," I didn't know what to expect but I was up for the challenge.
DOC recommends allowing three hours to reach the summit. We did it in just under two without really trying very hard to rush. It was steep pretty much the whole way up.
The climb was enjoyable as parts required scrambling over tree roots and clambering over rocks. Definitely a worthwhile outing for a Sunday morning.
Once at the top, you can go back down the way you came or take the gravel road/mountain bike track. I recommend going back the way you came. We took the road and added about 7km and terribly sore thighs to our adventure. Literally, I could hardly move for about three days afterwards.