Category Archives: national park

bikepacking, bikes, friends, national park, NZ

Half-Heaphy – James Mackay Overnighter

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With the forecast looking amenable to a pleasant day on the Heaphy, we hastily prepared for a trip in to James Mackay Hut – weather didn’t look so great on the way out, but that was a risk worth taking for time on such a track. Repacking done, the slow drive to Karamea (plenty of roadwork on the winding road) over, and a remarkable pie at Vinnie’s Cafe devoured and we were at Kohaihai trying to evade the sandflies late-morning.

Kohaihai itself not a bad spot, ignoring the insect bites.

All my riding seems to be at a leisurely pace currently, but that’s ok – the Heaphy is wonderful and worth savouring. Far more details and photos from past visits here.

Tom leaving the first beaches and Kohaihai Bluff.

Certainly was looking like a great late-autumn day.

Into the nikau groves.

Rachel emerging from forest on to one of the many swing bridges.

Snacks at Katipo Creek Shelter probably weren’t necessary, as Heaphy Hut is so close, but it was getting warm – I was bewildered to be delayering to summer riding kit. The trail opens up a bit here, in no time we were lunching outside the hut amused by the antics and fighting of the cheeky wekas. It looked as though there were a lot of pigs around, such was the damage to the big lawn in front of the hut – but no, just the wekas ripping up the turf hunting for tasty morsels.

Last time I was through here with Pete, there was the bridge over the Heaphy River had been swept away in a flood – so I was keen to see the new bridges (one crossing the Heaphy below the confluence with the Lewis and the other crossing the Lewis).

This is unusual – quite the convoluted ramp structure to get on to the true left side of the bridge.

Impressive.

The new bridge is much higher above the river. A deceptive incline on the true right side, quite unusual for a swing bridge in the NZ backcountry.

It’s a short section of new trail to cross the Lewis – that bridge not so big, but also more of a climb at the other side than one expects. Another break at the weird Lewis Shelter, because snacks are necessary – especially with a steady two-hour climb next.

The shelter has been closed in, albeit in a rather temporary-looking fashion.

At least that door-of-sorts will keep some weather out.

I suspect this was done for the bridge building, there was a stack of mattresses outside – they weren’t there when the shelter was newer. I pottered on up the climb, nice not to have to spend twenty minutes clambering over a big slip as on last visit. We settled in to a quiet evening in the hut, two other hikers our company. Again with such a large hut and few people in it, it’s difficult to heat – especially with coal no longer supplied and a ropey wood supply.

Supposedly there was some weather to get ahead of on our return, but it sure didn’t look like it. Rachel wanted to go a bit beyond the hut and we were happy to oblige. Fun to attempt slightly more challenging trail – scoured out rocky bits.

We found some rocks and climbed them.

The aforementioned slip about halfway down the long descent to the rivers seemed a good spot to regroup – read: for the others to make sure I’d not gone off the side of the mellow trail – and snack.

Nice to have this bike for the trail riding.

Crossing the Heaphy again. Freewheeling down that bridge, it’s alarming just how much speed one picks up. Hitting an upright definitely to be avoided at that pace.

Pausing in the sun (the weather certainly didn’t come in) to make sure we didn’t carry excess food out, I took the opportunity to wander to the beach – which I’d never had time or bothered to do before. Lovely. At sea level it was warm again, I spent even more time in short sleeves than the previous day. Plenty of time to appreciate the ride out…

A very pleasant two half-days of riding in a beautiful spot (the coastal section always feels like it is somewhere more tropical), we were back at the truck rushing to cover skin and load-up to avoid the bites. Back for another pie in Karamea.

And look at the real estate listings; alas, this has been sold.

bikes, friends, GPS, MTB, national park, NZ

Paparoa, Pike29 loop

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Not having seen Rachel since her last big bikepacking trip abroad, time was running out to get the Oteake crew back together for a more modest bike trip. The weekend long since decided, the location was only confirmed closer to the time as late-autumn forecasts considered. Andy and I were keen to ride the recently opened Pike29 Memorial Track, off the Paparoa Trail; Rachel was happy to ride it again – possibly as it meant she had the shortest drive. Richard (soon off to Tour Divide), Tom (recently reacquainted with on previous ride) and Ian made up our group assembled in Blackball Friday night. The plan was to ride a loop from Blackball, to and along the southern section of the Paparoa to the Pike29 intersection, the Pike29 and thirty-odd kilometres of road back to Blackball.

A very frosty morning, we were eventually underway after I’d sorted my car loaded for two weeks of adventures (and possibly two weeks of work) out. Getting up to the trailhead at Smoke-ho was an opportunity to warm a bit, but it wasn’t too chilly – even being the only one in shorts. The climb to Ces Clark hut is one of my favourites – an old mining pack track, I’ve always found it an achievable technical challenge on a loaded bikepacking rig. I was looking forward to the Paparoa on my unloaded trail bike; the climb seemed a lot easier – it seemed to have been sanitised in parts, but it was probably mostly the change in set-up.

A few bridges early on; the entries and exits the only non-rideable parts of the trail.

Frosty at the old hotel site, around 400 m elevation.

Ces Clark hut view down the lower Grey River valley.

As we reached the tops, the breeze picked up a bit – cooling things off a little. Despite a few prolonged stops, not many photos taken (previous trips here) as I was enjoying riding and being on the trail.

After lunch at Moonlight Tops Hut, it was into one of my highlights of the Paparoa – the goblin forest as you ride along the escarpment. My lack of time on the bike starting to show – I don’t remember there being so many little climbs! With all our stops, it was about six hours before we reached the top of the Pike29 track.

From the top end, the trail starts with a somewhat unexpected climb for half an hour – at my, now, slow speed having walked an alarming amount of it. You’d think I’d have dropped from the 32 tooth chainring by now, but no – at least getting a smaller one is finally in progress. 32t was manageable when I was in some sort of bike-fit condition and I’m definitely no longer that.

More, possibly even better, goblin forest at the top of the Pike29.

All were waiting for me at the final lookout at the top of the descent.

Finally, the long descent to Pike River – which was the main reason for bring the more-fun (on trail anyway) bike today. Wow, I don’t know of a longer downhill on an intermediate, built trail in the country. Dropping eight hundred metres over seven and a half kilometres, that was fun that continued for twenty+ minutes – little effort to give, I just enjoyed the descent twisting through the forest. For the time of year and location, the trail was remarkably dry (well-built and little used so far) – only getting a bit sticky on the lower parts near streams. An extraordinary trail, both in itself and the memorial aspect of it.

I waited for five minutes at the carpark, time to rest, look around and consider some of what had happened here in the previous fifteen years. Realising, as the slowest one on the road, I was wasting time I began what can only be described as a plod thirty kilometres back to Blackball. With big, slow-on-the-road tyres and little energy to push them it was only twenty-five minutes before I was caught and fairly unceremoniously dropped. The rest of the way being character building and good training for something. Thanks to Ian for picking me up just before the final climb to Blackball! A grand day out on two excellent trails.

bikepacking, bikes, GPS, national park, NZ

A40BPT8 – Perry Saddle to Rameka

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Our hut-buddy kept Perry Saddle hut insanely warm all night, nice to get up to a not-freezing hut on a grey morning. It looked I might have to don my raincoat for the second day of the trip – but the rain abated just enough to start climbing to the high point of the track without it.

Easy climbing for twenty-five minutes.

Time to give the bikes another rest at the summit; usually worth a wander to the lookout.

South over the Flanagan Creek valley.

East to our first sighting of the Aorere River, which we’d follow all the way to Golden Bay.

There began our ninety minutes and eight hundred metres of descent to the end of the trail. Much fun with occasional stops to look through any break in the bush, chat to the only other trail user we saw (a trail runner out for the day) and clear the odd bit of tree fall.

A fleeting friendship at Aorere Shelter.

Two hours in and we were marking the end of an excellent, slow trip through the Heaphy with it mostly to ourselves – another memorable ride through, certainly is a special trail and place. Bit of a shock seeing even a little bit of traffic again as we rolled the thirty-five kilometres to Collingwood.

Brief stop at the Bainham Store, one day I’ll visit when it is open and poke around all the curious things on display inside.

They seemed to have a complete set.

Our charmed run with the weather continued as the rain threatened but stayed very much in the hills, as we went back to Rockville.

A big, delicious lunch was savoured at The Courthouse Cafe in Collingwood before we set off for Takaka, which was only half as far as I thought – score! Even better, the norwester was at our back the whole way.

A warm afternoon, well – warm enough for ice cream. We pottered a bit getting a derailleur hanger straightened and working out where to stay that night – we still had a day and a half to complete the last hundred kilometres to Nelson and Pete’s flight home. Jonathan came through for us and we could stay in a hut halfway up the last climb of note of the trip. Time to stock up for another night in the bush; I was most thankful for this as the late-afternoon rush in Takaka was a bit overwhelming and I just wanted to escape again.

I may have got a bit carried away buying non-freeze-dried ingredients to cook dinner. Somehow everything was squeezed in or strapped on, off we went.

With overloaded bikes, and half a dozen eggs, we opted for the easier and smooth gravel road climb over the singletrack. As it was, it was steep enough! We were pleased to see slips from recent heavy rain had been cleared, as I was happy to clear the climb.

Made it!

How good is this?!

I particularly enjoyed all the native birdsong, especially a raucous kea, that goes with all the hard work in planting the hillsides in natives. Cooking far too much carbonara in a large pot on a small stove by torchlight was also fun – plenty left for breakfast and lunch the following day.

The following day, the last of our excellent tour, is without photos as my phone further made its case for replacement. But it was fairly uneventful – I loved the Rameka climb again (we walked and chatted a lot, occasionally I tested myself on some of the technical parts, there was one slip which required a bit of carrying), Canaan Downs is very pleasant, the top half of the huge descent off Takaka Hill (sealed highway) was exhilarating, by the bottom half I was bored and disengaged! From there, I just told myself it was an eighty kilometre commute to Nelson and didn’t expect any more. Unexpectedly, I did get the second-best pie of the trip in Motueka – so that was a high point.

Andrew met us on the outskirts and guided us back to his, ending our ten-day Hokitika to Nelson tour of some of the best multi-day trails to be ridden in NZ. What a trip, so fortunate with the weather enabling Plan A to be realised, and being able to take our time through spectacular country wth few others around. Only some minor mechanicals (mostly flat tyres) slowed us, but not enough to disrupt plans. Thanks Pete for the idea, planning and invite – another trip to remember. Also thanks to Rachel, Nina, Jonathan, Andrew and Diana for the accommodation, food and mechanical support.

bikepacking, bikes, GPS, national park, NZ

A40BPT7 – James Mackay to Perry Saddle

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Twenty-three kilometres! Easily my shortest day of bikepacking yet. It was utterly fantastic; such a luxury to take our sweet time through the deserted Heaphy – we saw no-one else on the track all day.
Hand scribbled notes and maps in James Mackay hut told of a short track up the hill behind. On a nice morning, there was no way I wasn’t going up there. Even with a rough track, which was mostly up a rocky, rutted water channel, it was only fifteen minutes to climb the hundred metres to the summit of Otepo.

Down to Heaphy mouth.

The trig on top has certainly seen some weather.

Over to the Tubman Range; Heaphy River down in between somewhere.

Can’t stay staring around at the summit all morning, time to head down. Lush.

By the time I returned to finish packing, who knows how many coffees Pete had had – and it had clouded over. Shockingly, I had to put my raincoat on for the first time on the whole trip – seven days on the West Coast! Incredible fortune with the weather late-winter. The drizzle was light and the jacket didn’t last long as it soon ceased.

Back into the forest for a short while as we climbed towards Tasman district.

A small drop, with some trail clearing, took us to these flats beside the Saxon River.

I was hopeful of seeing my first takahe some time during this sightseeing day. I was delighted to see this pair as soon as I looked around the corner of Saxon Hut.

It was time for a long lunch in the hut watching their antics; very cool, and at times amusing.

Out into the Gouland Downs section; pleased the rain has stopped, always feels a bit exposed out here.

Here’s another Big River.

It didn’t really matter how slow we were going, but progress was reasonable enough as we entered the Enchanted Forest for a short time before popping out to Gouland Downs Hut.

It’s such a charming little hut, we were tempted to call it a day there – but it is very dark inside and the open fire has leant it a decidedly smokey atmosphere inside. But nevermind, caves to be found! On previous rides through I had no idea there were a number of small caves back under the Enchanted Forest – I’d unknowingly ridden over one four times! Leaving our bikes at the hut, we went exploring.

Down off one side of the trail…

The caves certainly were not hard to find.

And none too wet, we could walk underneath the trail with dry feet soon popping out on the other side to clamber back up.

Beginning to see how the forest got its moniker.

Follow the water and they’re even easier to find.

Back on the bikes for the last stretch, climbing gently a few hundred metres to Perry Saddle.

Leaving the Downs, another brief spell of jacket wearing.

I had good fun clearing as much as possible as the trail got rockier and more difficult to negotiate.

At the hut just after three, that was a most enjoyable short day seeing more than I have on previous faster rides through. We even had plenty of time to properly heat the sprawling hut this time; again, a bunk room each. I found a large book detailing the history of the track and area – fascinated, I read much of it that evening.

The briefest of appearances for the afternoon.