Akatarawa Adventures

[WuZards-Eugene]

Hey Guys

A few of us are going for a bit of a play over the weekend in the Akatarawas, staying over night. If anyone would like to come join us, feel free to meet us at Orange Hut at around 1230 today, or anywhere else we may be in the forest. Will be in there with two AG's and an XR with spotlights. Should be heading in from Karapoti at about 1100.

Eugene

[andy mac]

Hi, we (3 bikes) saw you 3 at the Hydro Rd/pine forest intersection about 6pm. Did you manage to find/extract your bike again before dark? - he went solo off track & bogged it.

[marks]

Hi, we (3 bikes) saw you 3 at the Hydro Rd/pine forest intersection about 6pm. Did you manage to find/extract your bike again before dark? - he went solo off track & bogged it.

maybe they never made it back out alive? (cue dueling banjo music)

[WuZards-Eugene]

Yep that was me. Managed to finally get it back onto a track at around 9pm, and cause the AG's didn't have headlights, both of them were following me with the spotlights (baja kit). Took forever to get back to orange hut. Attached below is a little map of where I went through (making my own track). The yellow line is roughly where struggled through with the XR, and the blue lines are proper tracks.

[andy mac]

Now that's why its called ADVENTURE riding. All's well as long as your mates didn't drink all the beer. :apint:

Its easy to lose the track in the pines, because its so open you can ride in any direction & it all looks the same. A few weeks ago I got off track but fortunately the others came back to find me. :grouphug:

The google photo is interesting showing the cleared corridors for the electricity pylons.

[WuZards-Eugene]

Those clearings made it easier to pinpoint which gully I was in aswell. We split up so kit was walking up from the south and me and tony went back to where I entered the gully, walked down to the XR and found out that on the opposite side of the gully was a track, all we had to do was find a way that we could get back onto it easier, hence why our route took us all the way down the gully. Wish I had the camera with me, then it would show just how much of a mission it was.

Luckily there was plenty of drink when we returned to Orange Hut. Had the place all to ourselves, which I wasn't expecting seeing as it was such a good weekend.

[Eddieb]

I was in there on the weekend on the PD and was surprised how quiet it was also. Stopped at the Orange Hutt briefly and there was just us and 2 quad riders having lunch.

[Laxi]

mate! that photo dosn't do it justice, you is a crazy mo fo, even that freakn stag had truble getting in there :rofl:

p.s we took a vote! next time we dont come looking for you :bleh:

[buggsubique]

mate! that photo dosn't do it justice, you is a crazy mo fo, even that freakn stag had truble getting in there :rofl:

p.s we took a vote! next time we dont come looking for you :bleh:

Stag??....

[Gone Burger]

Hey - just a heads up... The Akatarawa Road is currently closed due to another slip. Been closed for 2 days but they will hopefully open it again by the time the weekend comes round. Closed at the Fern Valley Point. Pretty sure it's the same major slip that was just past the twin bridges (Waikanea side) a few months back. No problems if heading to the summet from Kapiti side, but not so flash from Upper Hutt. I live up near stagelands and will post on here as soon as the road re-opens. Hopefully tomorrow. Cheers.

[Laxi]

Stag??....
big thing with antlers, eugene had his bike so far in the bush, when i was reconing a way out I almost triped over it

[buggsubique]

ha, yeah I know what a stag is, was just enquiring... good stuff. Was just up in Deadwood tonight for a hoon. Hadn't taken the bike up that way before. Primo hill climbs up that side - heaps of hold-on-like-fuck bits where the back wheel just bites on the rock and launches you like a rocket...

[WuZards-Eugene]

Hey - just a heads up... The Akatarawa Road is currently closed due to another slip. Been closed for 2 days but they will hopefully open it again by the time the weekend comes round. Closed at the Fern Valley Point. Pretty sure it's the same major slip that was just past the twin bridges (Waikanea side) a few months back. No problems if heading to the summet from Kapiti side, but not so flash from Upper Hutt. I live up near stagelands and will post on here as soon as the road re-opens. Hopefully tomorrow. Cheers.

Are there gaps where they have blocked it off? :whistle:

[Gone Burger]

Are there gaps where they have blocked it off? :whistle:

It was completely blocked off but the road has been cleared and re-opened today. All good from either side now. And no convoy of large trucks flowing around the corners.

[325rocket]

Hey guys,
how noob friendly is the Akatarawa / Karapoti area?

[andy mac]

Hey guys,
how noob friendly is the Akatarawa / Karapoti area?

First you should get a permit from Wgtn Regional Council, it costs nothing & they give you a handy map - ph 526 41333.
Always ride with someone else because there's no mobile coverage & its a long walk out. You will be fine if you stick to the main tracks - Perhams Rd, Whakatikei Rd, Pram Track, Karapoti Gorge, Hukinga Rd, Rimu Rd, Hydro Rd. Some of these tracks get very greasy when wet. Watch the Welly forum for upcoming rides. If your WR has rego & WOF there is the Capital Coast Adventure in 2 weeks time. Now the fun begins :yes:

[Pedrostt500]

First you should get a permit from Wgtn Regional Council, it costs nothing & they give you a handy map - ph 526 41333.
Always ride with someone else because there's no mobile coverage & its a long walk out. You will be fine if you stick to the main tracks - Perhams Rd, Whakatikei Rd, Pram Track, Karapoti Gorge, Hukinga Rd, Rimu Rd, Hydro Rd. Some of these tracks get very greasy when wet. Watch the Welly forum for upcoming rides. If your WR has rego & WOF there is the Capital Coast Adventure in 2 weeks time. Now the fun begins :yes:

Was told by an old hand, a few years back, to carry a small tourch, as if you have to abandon your bike in there and walk out, that hour or so's ride in will take you alot longer to walk out and when it gets dark in there it gets dark.

[WuZards-Eugene]

Was told by an old hand, a few years back, to carry a small tourch, as if you have to abandon your bike in there and walk out, that hour or so's ride in will take you alot longer to walk out and when it gets dark in there it gets dark.

yes, very handy note, I spent two hours walking out of there by the light of a cellphone. It was dark enough for the cellphone to create enough light to see where i was walking (using the screen of the cellphone, as it didn't have a torch on it).

It pays to get a rough idea of where the main tracks go.

[WuZards-Eugene]

Forecasted plan is to go in on Friday the 14th of May at around 5:30-6pm, head in to Orange hut, setup a decent feed and have a few drinks. On Saturday, will be time to head out for a play and then when a colleage of mine turns up on his Grizzly, we shall head for some knarly trails (that he can pull us out of hehe).

Just so everyone knows aswell, all you should need is your normal day kit, plus a sleeping bag, some food, and something to drink. You don't need a kitchen sink, there's already one there.

I'll be taking a suitcase dedicated to food and drink so if anyone is wanting to join, but cant carry everything on their own bike, give me a buzz.

There will be a trophy for the best stuck bike at the end of Saturday (and lets hope I dont get it again).