Tramping and ADV riding?

[McWild]

This seemed like the most appropriate place for the thread...

I'm getting more into my tramping at the moment (since it seems like the only way to fully explore remote places in NZ) and it seems like it would be fun to take the bike down some of the more rugged access roads, as well as a good reason to ride down one-way routes in the first place.

Does anyone have any experience with leaving bikes and gear in car parks at trailheads? I'd want to ride there in full gear and store it with the bike, but obviously this isn't at all secure. Plus while being up in a hut, someone could feasibly turn up with their trailer or ute and bugger off with the bike.

Any stories / advice to share? Cheers.

[Waihou Thumper]

Yes, that would be your biggest worry.
I reckon the best bet would be to leave all of your gear at the DOC headquarters, hostel or something similar and then ride into the trailhead or hitch a ride, maybe leave the bike with a local farmer..
The last thing you want is the worry whilst tramping and then the long walk back to civilisation!
It was enough of a worry thinking my van, ute or car was still gonna be there after a few days in the bush...

[Tazz]

This has been on my mind again lately. I've only done it once, and I chose a track I could stash the bike in some bushes and put my gear separately a little distance away. It was a bit of a pain in the ass to be honest.

If you're hamfisted about it and a ranger caught you pulling it out again or stashing it you'd probably get a waffle about going off track, possibly a fine? as your plates on the back. Wouldn't let that put you off, but food for thought.

For open terrain car parks, a chain and padlock would be handy and make sure your insurance is up to date...

Also North Island will be worse than South Island. The condition of easier to reach huts N vs S is a testament to that...

[R650R]

I have trouble just turning my back on the DR for 50 metres or so to take a photo!!! Let alone leave it in the bush.
But this is in redneck Hawke's bay with lots of hillbillies on the loose out 'gardening'.

Even if you stash it, people will hear the bike coming in and it would be hard not to leave a trail.
Waihou had good idea about getting a lift in.

I must go camping soon, nearly a years insurance gone and the reason to insure it was so I could camp on remote places/beaches etc and sleep soundly!

[neels]

Sadly, the world is full of arseholes and I wouldn't be happy leaving my bike and gear unattended for any length of time because some prick is likely to steal something, or these days set on fire or otherwise trash it just for fun.

I'm twitchy enough about leaving my car parked if I'm overnighting somewhere, and unfortunately cheap 4wd's has given the fuckwits of this world access to places that once were safe for normal people, like this for instance.....

http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/323238/vandals-shoot-mavora-hut

[haydes55]

Insurance and an AA plus membership. Worry less, most of these trails are in the middle of no where, where undesirables are less likely to chance upon your bike, chain it to a post or something.

[unstuck]

We are going out in the morning, and plan on riding as far in the mountains as we can go, then tramping for a night or 2 to a pretty remote hut. We just leave the bikes in the bush and never had any hassles. But there are not many people that venture into the area we are heading.:headbang::headbang:

[FJRider]

... But there are not many people that venture into the area we are heading.:headbang::headbang:

Therein lies the key to your "Bike Safety" ...

[Waihou Thumper]

We are going out in the morning, and plan on riding as far in the mountains as we can go, then tramping for a night or 2 to a pretty remote hut. We just leave the bikes in the bush and never had any hassles. But there are not many people that venture into the area we are heading.:headbang::headbang:


Where are you going......Huh Huh? :) Promise not to tell...Oh wait this is the Internet..:nya:

[dino3310]

I head in every now and then on the bike and go tramping with a rifle in hand, normally camp with my bike and head out on day walks. pretty awesome when you can mix two passions

[pomgolian]

Interesting thread and something i have thought about over the years which tends to hold you back from enjoying something else you want to do like tramping or fishing in my case, the world is generally a safe place NZ more so and its seems just a voice in your own head telling you not to let go. There are threads on this on the other forum one about leaving camping gear unattended worth a read.

I regularly leave my bike locked, insured, lock wire through jacket, helmet, pants and boots and will walk for hours fishing and never had a problem but always leave it out of sight. If it gets trashed or stolen which is unlikely IMO its going to be a long walk out but insured.

As long as your sensible life is too short to miss the things you enjoy through fear.

[unstuck]

Where are you going......Huh Huh? :) Promise not to tell...Oh wait this is the Internet..:nya:

Island huts. Eyer mountains.:2thumbsup

[unstuck]

As long as your sensible life is too short to miss the things you enjoy through fear.

The best post on KB since ages ago.:yes:

[clint640]

The wire rope type cable locks are good to thread through all your gear if leaving it with the bike.

Cheers
Clint

[Akzle]

MOST places you'd be safe. I hardly ever lock my shit.

but, some not.

take rope. put your bike up a tree. very few people ever look up.

[McWild]

Cheers for all the responses. Looks like full insurance is the way to go.

NZ is generally pretty safe I think, you can never be sure. But as a couple have mentioned, it's a risk worth taking for doing the things you enjoy.


Anyone have any particularly good tramping / access road combination ideas in the Canterbury region? Godley and Macaulay huts look awesome although the river could be a bit of a struggle on the Africa twin..

[Racing Dave]

Cheers for all the responses. Looks like full insurance is the way to go.

NZ is generally pretty safe I think, you can never be sure. But as a couple have mentioned, it's a risk worth taking for doing the things you enjoy.


Anyone have any particularly good tramping / access road combination ideas in the Canterbury region? Godley and Macaulay huts look awesome although the river could be a bit of a struggle on the Africa twin..

This is the Macaulay River in normal flow, near the Lilybank Rd ford, but not the deepest part. Take great care on an Africa Twin!

[Tazz]

Hopkins Valley is wicked, but also has a gnarly crossing (for a bike) after monument hut and you sometimes have to crisscross further up so I'd park up at monument and walk from there. You could throw the bike up the hill behind the hut or in the trees before it.

I've never been up Dobson Valley which is just north of Hopkins, but it looks like it would be better riding (more tussock flat than river work). Private land or private access there.

Poulter River would be a pretty good one? I think you can loop around or go as far as Andrews Hut (I think that's what it's called) and back for a night. There is a 4x4 track sort of thing but I think you're only supposed to drive/ride to where the track hits the river over the hill/longish decent with the slips at the bottom and walk from there. Sorry if that is too specific and descriptive XD

Might be a bit close but does that Pack Horse track up Gebbies have vehicle access up any of it? Unless you're going over the other side it's not a very long track. I've never come from the south side though.


This is the Macaulay River in normal flow, near the Lilybank Rd ford, but not the deepest part. Take great care on an Africa Twin!

Can you go up further on that side to where it is a bit more spread out and cross there?

I'm pretty keen to do a snow trip up the Mcauley once I make some chains. Would that be something you'd be interested in?

Have a trip planned and just waiting for me and a mate to have time off lined up to go around the back of Mt Fyffe too, leave a bike/car at each end.

[R650R]

Cheers for all the responses. Looks like full insurance is the way to go.

NZ is generally pretty safe I think, you can never be sure. But as a couple have mentioned, it's a risk worth taking for doing the things you enjoy.


Anyone have any particularly good tramping / access road combination ideas in the Canterbury region? Godley and Macaulay huts look awesome although the river could be a bit of a struggle on the Africa twin..

Make sure you ask the insurance company on WHERE they cover you as some might not cover a lot of the backroads adv riders go.
I asked mine to make sure I was covered on the DOC 4wd track up to Makehu hotpools and if parked/camped overnight on beach etc.

[R650R]

We are going out in the morning, and plan on riding as far in the mountains as we can go, then tramping for a night or 2 to a pretty remote hut. We just leave the bikes in the bush and never had any hassles. But there are not many people that venture into the area we are heading.:headbang::headbang:

There's usually a reason for that in those type of backwater places... :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yt9R0I3gSk

[Tazz]

Make sure you ask the insurance company on WHERE they cover you as some might not cover a lot of the backroads adv riders go.
I asked mine to make sure I was covered on the DOC 4wd track up to Makehu hotpools and if parked/camped overnight on beach etc.

Either Tower or State will only cover you on public land I found out recently when looking to see what would happen if I started a casual forest fire. Some tracks are through private land. Splitting hairs but good to know for worst case.

[bart]

Either Tower or State will only cover you on public land I found out recently when looking to see what would happen if I started a casual forest fire. Some tracks are through private land. Splitting hairs but good to know for worst case.

I got paid out by State for an accident on a marginal DOC road. It certainly wasn’t a straight forward process, but worked out in the end. I still had to pay a 1k excess.

[clint640]

Anyone have any particularly good tramping / access road combination ideas in the Canterbury region? Godley and Macaulay huts look awesome although the river could be a bit of a struggle on the Africa twin..

The trick with most of those rivers coming off the alps is to hit them on a good day in autumn or winter when there's no snowmelt - levels are much lower. When we went up the Macaulay earlier this year it was a doddle - much lower water than in Dave's pic.

Cheers
Clint

[neels]

Poulter River would be a pretty good one? I think you can loop around or go as far as Andrews Hut (I think that's what it's called) and back for a night.

Might be a bit close but does that Pack Horse track up Gebbies have vehicle access up any of it? Unless you're going over the other side it's not a very long track. I've never come from the south side though.

Think the 4wd track up the Poulter is for DOC use checking on the ducks or whatever, as far as I know it's open for MTB use but not for motorised vehicles.

Access to the Packhorse hut is supposedly on a legal road from Gebbies Pass, but in practice has stiles over fences etc so not very motorbike friendly. Not sure about from the south side from Kaituna valley, and nothing from the Mt Herbert side around Mt Bradley


When we went up the Macaulay earlier this year it was a doddle - much lower water than in Dave's pic.

Likewise, have done the Macaulay hut in a bog standard Nissan Terrano with no issues, shouldn't be a problem if you pick your places to cross.

[Tazz]

Think the 4wd track up the Poulter is for DOC use checking on the ducks or whatever, as far as I know it's open for MTB use but not for motorised vehicles.


That is the track right to the hut though yeah? I haven't been up there for years but it was def public access (vehicle) up to Mt Brown Creek where a bunch of poles mark the beginning of the national park. This is where you'd park up and carry on by foot. I haven't been there for a few years though and have heard about some slips and the need to head up the river instead. Sounds like a bit of an adventure to check it out to me ;) There was a biv just over the river from that point too. It is an alpine river so planing/checking the weather accordingly would be a must if you want to cross, not to tell you how to suck eggs or anything sorry XD


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Poulter/DSC04208.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Poulter/S4200115.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Poulter/S4200117.jpg



Oh, also the St James area, probably from the Rainbow side would be a good trip to bike and tramp.

[neels]

That is the track right to the hut though yeah? I haven't been up there for years but it was def public access (vehicle) up to Mt Brown Creek where a bunch of poles mark the beginning of the national park. This is where you'd park up and carry on by foot. I haven't been there for a few years though and have heard about some slips and the need to head up the river instead. Sounds like a bit of an adventure to check it out to me ;) There was a biv just over the river from that point too. It is an alpine river so planing/checking the weather accordingly would be a must if you want to cross, not to tell you how to suck eggs or anything sorry XD


Would seem here that it is theoretically possible to 4wd to Mt Brown Creek as you mentioned

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/canterbury/north-canterbury-and-arthurs-pass/arthurs-pass-mountain-biking-tracks/

I vaguely recall talking to the DOC guys at Arthurs Pass about heading in there, and they said they can't even get quad bikes through without crossing the river in some places because of slips and washouts. They have not much incentive to fix the tracks, as people in 4wd's tend to head in with mud tyres when it's wet and undo their good work, like in your first photo.

Always check the weather before going anywhere, and tomorrow's weather as well.....I've sat in the Hawdon hut and watched large rocks disappear from view in the river in the space of an hour.


Oh, also the St James area, probably from the Rainbow side would be a good trip to bike and tramp.

There should be some posts on here about Edwards and Malings pass rides, the only places for motorbike riding are on the Hanmer side of the Waiau river, but would be good for a ride in then short tramp to the huts on the St James walkway. It is possible to drive/ride all the way to the huts, but the DOC people tend to come and tell you off....[/QUOTE]

[Tazz]

Would seem here that it is theoretically possible to 4wd to Mt Brown Creek as you mentioned

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/canterbury/north-canterbury-and-arthurs-pass/arthurs-pass-mountain-biking-tracks/

I vaguely recall talking to the DOC guys at Arthurs Pass about heading in there, and they said they can't even get quad bikes through without crossing the river in some places because of slips and washouts. They have not much incentive to fix the tracks, as people in 4wd's tend to head in with mud tyres when it's wet and undo their good work, like in your first photo.

Always check the weather before going anywhere, and tomorrow's weather as well.....I've sat in the Hawdon hut and watched large rocks disappear from view in the river in the space of an hour.



That's cute. Nevermind it was 4x4 guys that were in there with shovels keeping it open a while back :laugh: I take it you've been out sweating on the end of a shovel to keep tracks open then. Have never seen the MTB community, hunters or fishing guys clearing up slips or doing general track maintenance ;) (well that's a lie I know some hunters do to be fair), or for that matter the rain and snow melt that damages the crap out of tracks/land in general gets off lightly :lol:

But yeah doesn't surprise me it's blocked. There was a big slip that was pretty sketchy that trip.

It sounds more and more like it's worth a look. The idea is to ride AND tramp, so an impassable obstacle meaning you have to leg it a bit earlier is not a deal breaker I would have thought.

[unstuck]

A couple of fishermen got upset at us for disturbing their peace and quiet on the weekend, until it was pointed out to them that if it was not for me and my mate repairing the access road into the valley a few years ago, they wouldn't even be in there. :laugh::laugh:


Doc were not going to fix it, so we fixed it ourselves.:niceone:

[Tazz]

A couple of fishermen got upset at us for disturbing their peace and quiet on the weekend, until it was pointed out to them that if it was not for me and my mate repairing the access road into the valley a few years ago, they wouldn't even be in there. :laugh::laugh:


Doc were not going to fix it, so we fixed it ourselves.:niceone:

Case in point! Good bastards!
People go out and get shit done and enjoy it only to have stones throw at them by do gooders who complain about the condition of something they use while never lifting a finger to do anything about it, a lot of the time from their armchair.
They were probably going in there on A/T or highway tread tyres ripping everything up because they had to peg it to get anywhere too :laugh:

[unstuck]

Case in point! Good bastards!
People go out and get shit done and enjoy it only to have stones throw at them by do gooders who complain about the condition of something they use while never lifting a finger to do anything about it, a lot of the time from their armchair.
They were probably going in there on A/T or highway tread tyres ripping everything up because they had to peg it to get anywhere too :laugh:

VW toureg?? on road tires. And would we follow them out to the gravel road in case they couldn't get across the river.:laugh::laugh:

[neels]

Gee, you guys are sensitive souls today. :confused:

There are lots of good people who get on the end of a pick, shovel, saw etc to improve things for the greater good, and just as many who will go and have their fun and fuck it up for everybody else. Sadly the behaviour of the latter group is generally what everyone will be judged on.

Anyway, cheers for pointing me in the direction of that one, certainly worth a look at getting as far as possible by bike and should be a safe place to park up and walk the rest.

[Tazz]

Gee, you guys are sensitive souls today. :confused:

There are lots of good people who get on the end of a pick, shovel, saw etc to improve things for the greater good, and just as many who will go and have their fun and fuck it up for everybody else. Sadly the behaviour of the latter group is generally what everyone will be judged on.

Anyway, cheers for pointing me in the direction of that one, certainly worth a look at getting as far as possible by bike and should be a safe place to park up and walk the rest.

Well it felt like you were taking a dig at me there with the mud tyres in the wet comment and automatically lumped me with the latter group you mentioned so not sure what response you expected :confused:
The place was covered in snow when the date was set the week before that particular trip so I was more disappointed than you it was mud instead on that one hill (the rest is mainly rock/gravel).

Good luck and make sure you post up how it goes. Andrews Shelter is the name of the hut, I got it wrong. You can loop right around as an overnight so you don't retrace your footsteps (coming back to the bike the foot track cuts over then in beside the hill rather than right down to the river and up).

[Tazz]

VW toureg?? on road tires. And would we follow them out to the gravel road in case they couldn't get across the river.:laugh::laugh:

What? You mean those things aren't 'vroom straight through' :laugh: