South Island back roads? [Archive]

BMWST?

27th February 2014, 20:33

thepom

27th February 2014, 20:47

By bike or 4wd?....I dont know any 4wd road's but a few bike ones...try the advguide website...

Gremlin

27th February 2014, 20:49

Depends on the route you want to do.

South of Danseys, take SH87 through Middlemarch (fun sealed winding road). Towards the end head west through Old Dunstan Rd (ex gold trail etc) which gets you through to Alexandra. Then take Nevis Rd (head west of Alex) then Nevis heads South-west and you come out on SH6 south of Lake Whakatipu.

mattsdakar

27th February 2014, 20:52

My brother is a keen 4wd er.He frequents the molesworth,clarence,rainbow, St James Maling etc regularly.A mate and he are going south to some road road near gore and the guy organising wants to do Dansey.
Do you guys have some roads that are must do on the way to gd back?Thanks

Tell him to look at the Dunstan trail..there is lots of options there but he could head towards Poolburn then lake Onslow then out towards Roxburgh and then down SH 8 to Raes Junction then thru to Gore. There is also the Piano flat Route after Roxburgh but its pretty Knarly and would need a heavily modified 4x4 to get thru (lots of bog holes)
Rgds Matt

Jantar

27th February 2014, 20:58

BMWST?

27th February 2014, 21:12

its a 4wd trip.He has toyota landcruiser flatdeck the other guy has 4wd mitsi ute.Not into bush bashing or mud plggin though any half track/ road is fair game. the less sealed highwy the better

Gremlin

27th February 2014, 21:18

Dont forget the track over the Cairnmuirs to get to the start of the Nevis.:yes:
We got ourselves a local to show us the best bits :msn-wink:

Pity you couldn't come the whole way, but still good riding with you. :niceone:

BMWST, Nevis is probably the roughest of the bits I listed, nothing awful, but you definitely need some clearance.

unstuck

28th February 2014, 05:06

Done the nevis and dunstan in a kingswood station wagon, and a toyota corolla hatchback. :msn-wink: If he wants the girly track, then he better come through the back of lake onslow and down to millers flat. Heaps of back roads, just got to know where to look. If they need rescuing, tell them to pm me, as I have done a few rescues of girly 4x4ers just lately. :devil2::niceone:

Muzz67

28th February 2014, 05:51

[QUOTE=unstuck;1130685587]Done the nevis and dunstan in a kingswood station wagon, and a toyota corolla hatchback. :msn-wink:

Did Nevis last year,, found an 80year old guy in a Nissan Civillian bus!

FJRider

28th February 2014, 06:05

The Shingle creek (near Roxburgh) to Piano Flat (near Waikaia) ... over the Old Man Range. Not a road (for want of a better name) you should do alone though.

FJRider

28th February 2014, 06:11

BMWST, Nevis is probably the roughest of the bits I listed, nothing awful, but you definitely need some clearance.

The Nevis is pretty good at the moment ... been no rain in the area for ages.

unstuck

28th February 2014, 06:19

[QUOTE=unstuck;1130685587]Done the nevis and dunstan in a kingswood station wagon, and a toyota corolla hatchback. :msn-wink:

Did Nevis last year,, found an 80year old guy in a Nissan Civillian bus!

Probably my old man. Bust his water tank too, the silly old goat.:laugh:

Shingle creek is definitely a 2+ vehicle track, even though it is public road, it is not maintained between postmans creek and the top of Waikaia bush road on the shingle creek side. Lots of 4x4 swallowing holes up there, and a nightmare to recover stuck trucks.:Punk::Punk:

clint640

28th February 2014, 10:53

Instead of, or as well as, Dansey's, head over the Omarama Saddle track in the Oteake Conservation area. Look up the DOC brochure on 4wding in the Waitaki District, some other good stuff in there too.

Cheers
Clint

BMWST?

28th February 2014, 21:22

The Shingle creek (near Roxburgh) to Piano Flat (near Waikaia) ... over the Old Man Range. Not a road (for want of a better name) you should do alone though.

They will be prepared,me bro has a winch and always has a full complement of rescue gear,thnks for the tips,keep em coming

FJRider

1st March 2014, 08:01

They will be prepared,me bro has a winch and always has a full complement of rescue gear,thnks for the tips,keep em coming

Tell them to take warm clothing ... That road goes over the highest bit of ground from there to Antarctica.

Unstuck was NOT kidding about the bog holes swallowing trucks ... you need thigh high waders to walk through the puddles.

BMWST?

1st March 2014, 09:52

Tell them to take warm clothing ... That road goes over the highest bit of ground from there to Antarctica.

Unstuck was NOT kidding about the bog holes swallowing trucks ... you need thigh high waders to walk through the puddles.

Will do,appreciated

unstuck

1st March 2014, 10:36

If they are coming this far, they may as well do the Borland and percy saddles in Fiordland, just out of Manapouri. They would need extra underwear though.:msn-wink:

A winch and all the recovery gear in the south island wont help you if you hit one of the swamps wrong on the whitcombe rd(shingle creek). I once spent a long day walking a 20 ton digger up there to rescue a stuck truck, and the only way I found it was they were clever enough to leave a marker with a bit of rag tied around it in the bit of swamp they last saw the truck. The roof of the truck was a good meter and a half under the surface.:Punk::Punk:

BMWST?

1st March 2014, 10:42

If they are coming this far, they may as well do the Borland and percy saddles in Fiordland, just out of Manapouri. They would need extra underwear though.:msn-wink:

Noted!!!!!

unstuck

1st March 2014, 10:47

Noted!!!!!

If they do decide to do the percy and borland, when the sign at the end of the road says road ends, thats exactly what it means. Even though it still looks completely doable, there is nowhere to turn around and it is a long way in reverse with only inches between you and space. :devil2:

BMWST?

1st March 2014, 10:49

If they do decide to do the percy and borland, when the sign at the end of the road says road ends, thats exactly what it means. Even though it still looks completely doable, there is nowhere to turn around and it is a long way in reverse with only inches between you and space. :devil2:

Also noted!

FJRider

1st March 2014, 11:28

A few (goat) tracks go up to the old Shelite mines near Glenochy ... a head for heights essential.

BMWST?

20th March 2014, 21:01

[QUOTE=Muzz67;1130685591]

Probably my old man. Bust his water tank too, the silly old goat.:laugh:

Shingle creek is definitely a 2+ vehicle track, even though it is public road, it is not maintained between postmans creek and the top of Waikaia bush road on the shingle creek side. Lots of 4x4 swallowing holes up there, and a nightmare to recover stuck trucks.:Punk::Punk:

Tell them to take warm clothing ... That road goes over the highest bit of ground from there to Antarctica.

Unstuck was NOT kidding about the bog holes swallowing trucks ... you need thigh high waders to walk through the puddles.

is this road also known as Whitecoombe Road?

FJRider

20th March 2014, 21:08

is this road also known as Whitecoombe Road?

Not the name I have ever heard it called. :mellow:

And I've heard it called a few funny things .. :pinch:

BMWST?

20th March 2014, 21:17

Not the name I have ever heard it called. :mellow:

And I've heard it called a few funny things .. :pinch:

Is this the one then

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/track/piano-flat-uphill-whitcomb-road-oldman-range

FJRider

20th March 2014, 22:00

Is this the one then

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/track/piano-flat-uphill-whitcomb-road-oldman-range

On close inspection of Google maps ... It seems it IS ... Whitecoombe Road is on the Waikaia side from the Piano flat end ... then changes to Canton road ... then changes to Waikaia Bush road.

There is a track (for want of a better word) from the Wakaia Bush road (Shingle creek side near the top)along the TOP of the old Man Range that comes down onto Symes road in Fruitlands. This is a very high route .. for adventurous and well equipped groups ONLY. On a good day up there it's fucking cold. Add a swamp or two ... the odd bog hole .. and many rocks of diff smashing abilities ... Other off road tracks in the Provence just do not compare.

T.W.R

20th March 2014, 22:25

On close inspection of Google maps ... It seems it IS ... Whitecoombe Road is on the Waikaia side from the Piano flat end ... then changes to Canton road ... then changes to Waikaia Bush road.

There is a track (for want of a better word) from the Wakaia Bush road (Shingle creek side near the top)along the TOP of the old Man Range that comes down onto Symes road in Fruitlands. This is a very high route .. for adventurous and well equipped groups ONLY. On a good day up there it's fucking cold. Add a swamp or two ... the odd bog hole .. and many rocks of diff smashing abilities ... Other off road tracks in the Provence just do not compare.

Whitecoomb rd is a 5 heavy 4wd rated track and the track you're talking about has a 5 heavy rating aswell..... passes by Mitchells Cottage

Winston001

20th March 2014, 23:04

[QUOTE=unstuck;1130685601]

is this road also known as Whitecoombe Road?

Almost.

It's the Whitcomb Road also known as the Snowpole Road and there is a monument to a group of miners who died trying to cross in winter 140 years ago. The snow poles are long gone but existed to guide miners walking in the snow.

Its a serious piece of road. The Snowpole road is closed from May until September because of people getting trapped up there. So is the Nevis.

Its the sort of road I'd probably not do on my own but a light trail bike would be safe enough.

I went through a few years ago in a 4wd with a group (thank goodness) and got properly stuck in a bog hole. By the time we'd finished my truck had 6 inches of peat swamp swirling around the floor and the radiator choka with dirt. It was a slow trip home.

Winston001

20th March 2014, 23:14

However this road is one of New Zealands best kept secrets and is certainly worth doing. Two vehicles in summer/autumn is safe but not if its snowing. From the Shingle Creek end there is a steep climb up to expansive views about 4800ft over Otago, and you can go right higher into the Old Man Range. Not for the fainthearted though.

From there down to Potters an early gold field which is isolated and just damn impressive to think of people living there summer and winter. 'Course some of them died too...

Then on to the peat bogs on top, nice views over northern Southland, then a steep drop on clay where some accidents have happened ( think a guy either died or was badly injured recently) and finally into the bush and out to Piano Flat.

This is remote back country Otago/Southland. I love it. Most people will never get there but if you take your time and carry recovery gear no real problem.

FJRider

21st March 2014, 05:24

Whitecoomb rd is a 5 heavy 4wd rated track and the track you're talking about has a 5 heavy rating aswell..... passes by Mitchells Cottage

Symes road goes from the Alexandra/Roxburgh highway up to (what was) the TV repeater / Cell phone tower tower ... near the summit of the Old Man range. The track that joins to Waikaia Bush road is off/from that.

Little more than necessary is done to the upper portions of both tracks ... in the way of road maintenance. Snow on the tops is normal even in summer. The grading means little if "Inclement" weather has been through prior ... and it gets plenty of that. I would not even go as far as calling it a Dry weather road.

unstuck

21st March 2014, 06:50

The road you are talking about will be closed to public traffic next month and will re open in october. Not the worst road around here, but defiantly 2 or more trucks. Been a few seriously injured and even killed up there, mainly motorcycles or winch/tow ropes snapping and chopping people up. I used to take people up there in the snowcats in winter, thats a blast. May have some running this year too(similar to the one in this pic) if all goes well.:2thumbsup

T.W.R

21st March 2014, 07:58

Symes road goes from the Alexandra/Roxburgh highway up to (what was) the TV repeater / Cell phone tower tower ... near the summit of the Old Man range. The track that joins to Waikaia Bush road is off/from that.

Little more than necessary is done to the upper portions of both tracks ... in the way of road maintenance. Snow on the tops is normal even in summer. The grading means little if "Inclement" weather has been through prior ... and it gets plenty of that. I would not even go as far as calling it a Dry weather road.

I know what the track is like and the associated side tracks....drove it many years ago when part of the MC4WDA & NZ4WDA in the 90s :bleh:

unstuck

21st March 2014, 08:08

I know what the track is like and the associated side tracks....drove it many years ago when part of the MC4WDA & NZ4WDA in the 90s :bleh:

Done the side trip out to gem lake????
Thats a goodun in the wet.:msn-wink:

T.W.R

21st March 2014, 08:55

Done the side trip out to gem lake????
Thats a goodun in the wet.:msn-wink:

Did the main track from Piano Flat hut through to Obelisk rock (the old trig point), Potters, Shingle creek, & the run down to Fruitlands past Mitchells hut. All done in nice weather, the trip organisers were pretty cautious and kept us pretty contained...... A club run a month earlier to Napoleon Hill on the coast two trucks had rolled so everyone had to behave themselves :lol:

unstuck

21st March 2014, 08:58

A club run a month earlier to Napoleon Hill on the coast two trucks had rolled so everyone had to behave themselves :lol:

Sounds like a good day out to me.:niceone:

T.W.R

21st March 2014, 09:13

Sounds like a good day out to me.:niceone:

Club runs used to be entertaining, overnighters & weekend runs were fairly well behaved but there were a couple of guys who'd always attack anything that looked like a challenge. Local day runs were a laugh when a few of the competition vehicles would be brought along and used. :clap:

unstuck

21st March 2014, 09:19

but there were a couple of guys who'd always attack anything that looked like a challenge. :clap:

Sounds familiar.:whistle:

Winston001

21st March 2014, 14:02

Done the side trip out to gem lake????
Thats a goodun in the wet.:msn-wink:

Interesting thread. Didn't know about Gem Lake. The local 4wd club went to Blue Lake once which is to the west. Locked gate so not normally accessible. I've often thought of riding my trail bike from Piano Flat over the Old Man Range through to Duffers Saddle then down the Carricktown track to Bannockburn. Or even walking it.

unstuck

21st March 2014, 14:48

Interesting thread. Didn't know about Gem Lake. The local 4wd club went to Blue Lake once which is to the west. Locked gate so not normally accessible. I've often thought of riding my trail bike from Piano Flat over the Old Man Range through to Duffers Saddle then down the Carricktown track to Bannockburn. Or even walking it.

Walk it first, then decide. You can get to Gorge creek when walking, which meets up with the new track heading into roxburgh along the lake .:2thumbsup
Even on a bike it is a good idea to have 2 or more. Lot of bikes get left up there for the scavengers. Thats why I go to the Eyers same terrain, without the boghole problem.

BMWST?

21st March 2014, 19:05

Turns out that this part of the trip is part of another group trip

FJRider

21st March 2014, 19:56

I know what the track is like and the associated side tracks....drove it many years ago when part of the MC4WDA & NZ4WDA in the 90s :bleh:

If the last time you were up there was in the nineties ... expect a few surprises then if you travel it again. I was up there last month.

The guy that has the farm at the start of the Waikaia Bush road runs these up the tops ...

https://maps.google.co.nz/?ll=-45.426655,169.300762&spn=0.006024,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=-45.426655,169.300762&panoid=13AeUhJaMyb30VOMiLLcgQ&cbp=12,133.08,,0,7.11

The mail box at the left is the start of the Waikaia bush road.

FJRider

21st March 2014, 20:36

I've often thought of riding my trail bike from Piano Flat over the Old Man Range through to Duffers Saddle then down the Carricktown track to Bannockburn. Or even walking it.

It's a long walk down from the tops ... and it snowed up there (a dam good dump) two weeks ago. Not a good and safe place to be walking.

There are tracks from the Old Man range over to the Old Woman range ... via thru DOC controlled areas ... with some restrictions.
If you take a trail bike ... take bolt cutters for boundary fences and padlocks.

And spare fuel. There's not many gas stations up there.

T.W.R

21st March 2014, 21:57

If the last time you were up there was in the nineties ... expect a few surprises then if you travel it again. I was up there last month.

Not involved with the 4wd clubs these days and don't travel 100s of kms to get my kicks off road anymore, did a lot of the must do tracks back then (all in a beefed up 40series cruiser). And now the current cruiser is used soley for chasing Salmon around the Rakaia.
Gets too expensive chopping out big feet on tarseal & doing suspension rebuilds in short time in the pursuit of playgrounds, better to keep the toy ready & set for a purpose.

unstuck

22nd March 2014, 05:05

If the last time you were up there was in the nineties ... expect a few surprises then if you travel it again. I was up there last month.

The guy that has the farm at the start of the Waikaia Bush road runs these up the tops ...

https://maps.google.co.nz/?ll=-45.426655,169.300762&spn=0.006024,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=-45.426655,169.300762&panoid=13AeUhJaMyb30VOMiLLcgQ&cbp=12,133.08,,0,7.11

The mail box at the left is the start of the Waikaia bush road.

Does he even still run the snowcats? They seem to spend an awful lot of time sitting next to the road, a mate of mine ran one for him years ago, but gave it up because of the back problems they can cause. I destroyed a track on a landrover based snowcat model up there some years ago, and had to walk back to piano flat as we hadn't gotten around to putting the radio in it, and the hand held didn't want to work. Tis a tough place, and those early fellas were a tough bunch of bastards to be crossing shit like that on foot.

FJRider

22nd March 2014, 05:40

Does he even still run the snowcats? They seem to spend an awful lot of time sitting next to the road, a mate of mine ran one for him years ago, but gave it up because of the back problems they can cause. I destroyed a track on a landrover based snowcat model up there some years ago, and had to walk back to piano flat as we hadn't gotten around to putting the radio in it, and the hand held didn't want to work. Tis a tough place, and those early fellas were a tough bunch of bastards to be crossing shit like that on foot.

I think mostly he does(did ??) tourist trips in the winter. He kept them "up the hill" a bit. And brings them down in the summer.

I think a few of the early fellas didn't make it over. Tough only gets you so far up there ...

FJRider

22nd March 2014, 05:51

Not involved with the 4wd clubs these days and don't travel 100s of kms to get my kicks off road anymore, did a lot of the must do tracks back then (all in a beefed up 40series cruiser). And now the current cruiser is used soley for chasing Salmon around the Rakaia.
Gets too expensive chopping out big feet on tarseal & doing suspension rebuilds in short time in the pursuit of playgrounds, better to keep the toy ready & set for a purpose.

It can be an expensive pastime for sure. A local (young) guy spent $10,000 (on top of the purchase price) adding all the "good" accessories onto/into his cruiser ... and rolled it into a gully on the first trip out in it. Ended up with the winch (and front of the cruiser) buried in a hole in the creek. Getting it out was a mission ... apparently ...

The roll bars did their job. But no insurance ...

I don't think he got it fixed ... or got another one. I can't think why ... :laugh:

T.W.R

22nd March 2014, 08:31

It can be an expensive pastime for sure. A local (young) guy spent $10,000 (on top of the purchase price) adding all the "good" accessories onto/into his cruiser ... and rolled it into a gully on the first trip out in it. Ended up with the winch (and front of the cruiser) buried in a hole in the creek. Getting it out was a mission ... apparently ...

The roll bars did their job. But no insurance ...

I don't think he got it fixed ... or got another one. I can't think why ... :laugh:

Wouldn't want to be setting up a 4x4 these days for serious off-roading, $10k is easily blown without even getting halfway through a truck; My 40series had close to that spent on tyres, rims, & suspension alone.
But in saying that I've seen big budget vehicles made to look completely stupid by humble wee low-cost 4x4s especially Lada nivas/cossacks & suzuki sj410/413s

unstuck

22nd March 2014, 09:10

Wouldn't want to be setting up a 4x4 these days for serious off-roading, $10k is easily blown without even getting halfway through a truck; My 40series had close to that spent on tyres, rims, & suspension alone.
But in saying that I've seen big budget vehicles made to look completely stupid by humble wee low-cost 4x4s especially Lada nivas/cossacks & suzuki sj410/413s

My old 2 stroke suzuki lj80 made a fully pimped nissan patrol look silly in the Nevis once, oh how we laughed. Poor git.:lol::lol::lol:

T.W.R

22nd March 2014, 10:38

My old 2 stroke suzuki lj80 made a fully pimped nissan patrol look silly in the Nevis once, oh how we laughed. Poor git.:lol::lol::lol:

:niceone: seen that sort of thing happen a few times, as good as patrols & safaris are they're heavy big tanks...built like brick shithouses but heavy as buggery; pea shingle is a good trap for them :lol: hopeless unless they're running 33s

BMWST?

29th March 2014, 19:16

Turned out this was.a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the first vehicular crossing of this "road" ,by a 1933 willys 33 in 1934. There were about 40 trucks I think most of the first 5 or 6 trucks needed towing two or 3 times,turned out a nice day There were two or three bog holes that were over the bonnet of the first trucks.

pete376403

29th March 2014, 20:35

Number 1 son had an Isuzu Bighorn V6. His mate had a Bighorn diesel (IIRC). Both got stuck in a swamp. Number 2 son pulled them out (1 at a time of course) with a Suzuki Escudo. All the power in the world doesn't help if there's no traction.

FJRider

29th March 2014, 20:51

Turned out this was.a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the first vehicular crossing of this "road" ,by a 1933 willys 33 in 1934.

Our local paper said it was a Willys 77 ... ???

http://www.jeeppartsguide.com/conquering_new_zealand_in_a_jeep_willy/

unstuck

30th March 2014, 05:37

There were two or three bog holes that were over the bonnet of the first trucks.

Must of taken the easy track then.:2thumbsup

BMWST?

30th March 2014, 06:30

Our local paper said it was a Willys 77 ... ???

http://www.jeeppartsguide.com/conquering_new_zealand_in_a_jeep_willy/

Yes sorry I stand corrected

BMWST?

30th March 2014, 06:34

Must of taken the easy track then.:2thumbsup

Apparently towards the end of the season most of the holes have been cleaned out a lot.Yesterday you could see that after the first few trucks had gone through (ussually a tow involved),the following ones make it through
There were about 4 or 5 holes that stopped the leaders