Macaulay Valley trip?

[Tazz]

Just putting some feelers out to see if anyone else would be interested in heading up.

In the past I've done 2 nights at Macaulay with a trip up to Godley Glacier and back on the 1st day and out and home on the 2nd. Could be done with one night if starting from nearby or maybe a night at Macaulay and a night up at Godley (last bit on foot) or Red Stag hut.
Even one night in there and one up the Hopkins down the road would be doable depending on peoples pace preferences.

Fuel wise the 2 nights at Macaulay is about bang on 200k from a Tekapo bowser start and finish.

It's mostly grade 2-3 and the river crossings are the only potentially tricky parts depending on rain/luck.

Any takers?

[.chris]

was up there over the weekend, river was pretty low and easily forded.

A few of the smaller crossings were more significant.

A great ride all the way up to the glacial lakes.

[Tazz]

Good to hear man. Get any good pictures? I've only ever seen it like this:


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Godley%202011/DSC05968.jpg (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/SpazTazSpaz/media/Godley%202011/DSC05968.jpg.html)

Have you been up the Dobson?

[.chris]

Good to hear man. Get any good pictures? I've only ever seen it like this:



Have you been up the Dobson?

Nah, I am yet to do the Dobson, I did the Hopkins last week, that was bloody nice to visit again.

Will sort out some pics tomorrow.

[Akzle]

keen.
Got a spare gun?

[Tazz]

Nah, I am yet to do the Dobson, I did the Hopkins last week, that was bloody nice to visit again.

Will sort out some pics tomorrow.

Saw your pics on facetube. Few breakdowns by the looks up the Godley? Seems to be the valley for that sort of thing.

Have you been up the Ahuriri? I'd like to do a day trip up the Dobson next time I'm down just for a nose but will have a good crack at the Ahuriri Valley. Only just started looking at it so will ring DOC and check, but it it's like the Hopkins you're allowed to blat up as far as you can physically make it.


keen.
Got a spare gun?

Got a water pistol you could use haha.

Dudes always bought guns for a shot on 4x4 trips but they didn't make it hunting often. One snow trip a young guy grabbed his rifle and made it 30 metres from the hut to spend 30 mins climbing out a hole above his head and heading back to the hut fire :laugh:

[.chris]

Saw your pics on facetube. Few breakdowns by the looks up the Godley? Seems to be the valley for that sort of thing.

Have you been up the Ahuriri? I'd like to do a day trip up the Dobson next time I'm down just for a nose but will have a good crack at the Ahuriri Valley. Only just started looking at it so will ring DOC and check, but it it's like the Hopkins you're allowed to blat up as far as you can physically make it.


Yeah a few bikes had issues, one entirely dead DRZ and a bunch of flat tires (low tire pressure victims), no problems on the KTM tho :eek:

Yes I have been up the Ahuriri, it is a good road but not particularly tracky till after the Birchwood homestead and you can not go very far up the valley before you hit the walkway and locked gates etc. Worth a look tho.

I have pushed a fair distance up the Hopkins you will run into the river at many points and it becomes a very river-bed riding more than track based. I do plan to push pretty far up there at some point but would rather not be solo for that one with the number of crossings one is just tempting fate.

I am planning to return down that way and do a dedicated day pushing up the Macaulay as you can ride as far up there as you dare, my brothers had a good nudge at it on trail bikes and said it would be worth taking a day to do it and push further.

[.chris]

A few more photos can be found here. (http://pics.pixelle.co.nz/Home/album/6111899818000317393?start=60)

[Tazz]

Yeah a few bikes had issues, one entirely dead DRZ and a bunch of flat tires (low tire pressure victims), no problems on the KTM tho :eek:

Yes I have been up the Ahuriri, it is a good road but not particularly tracky till after the Birchwood homestead and you can not go very far up the valley before you hit the walkway and locked gates etc. Worth a look tho.

I have pushed a fair distance up the Hopkins you will run into the river at many points and it becomes a very river-bed riding more than track based. I do plan to push pretty far up there at some point but would rather not be solo for that one with the number of crossings one is just tempting fate.

I am planning to return down that way and do a dedicated day pushing up the Macaulay as you can ride as far up there as you dare, my brothers had a good nudge at it on trail bikes and said it would be worth taking a day to do it and push further.

Awww, dreams shattered haha. Will give it a nose but definitely not the trip that was forming in my mind.

No vehicle access past the hut up the Macaulay. Not sure if it is for wildlife or just because someone decided to make that rule. Some pretty toey people use that hut so just be careful if you bowl up past it anyway.

Hopkins gets really narrow after Dodger Hut but there is a track to the right that runs along the wee ridge :blip:


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Godley%202011/DSC06062.jpg

Same deal with getting that far, there is a track on and off to the right but still a decent amount of boulder bashing, notably picking though some slips and tributaries. Much smoother going when it's covered in snow if you're geared for it, but admittedly I haven't done much on the bike in the snow.

Mate you have some seriously awesome Kodak moments there! Where was this taken from?


https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Ds9rgNmBOaE/VNHVjic9XsI/AAAAAAAA3HE/DZuf2peHVt4/s1920/20150121-IMG_8602.jpg

[Tazz]

Actually just remember now from walking up further the river becomes impassable up the Hopkins. The walking track I mentioned would be the only way past one set of mini waterfalls if I'm recalling correctly. Too deep for a bike never mind the climb.

[.chris]

That pic above this from the Tasman Valley Track.

[Tazz]

Haven't made it up there yet either. Wonder if there is a sneaky route possible to make it right over to the West Coast.

That would be a cool trip.

[DMNTD]

Awww, dreams shattered haha.....

That second pic is just epic!

[Night Falcon]

A few more photos can be found here. (http://pics.pixelle.co.nz/Home/album/6111899818000317393?start=60)

:gob: spectacular shots Chris!

[.chris]

Video from the ride up the godley put together by my brother.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JPCxgeYE94U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

[Box'a'bits]

That looked cool. Dunno about those big rocks up in the Alpine section though.

[.chris]

That looked cool. Dounno about those big rocks up in the Alpine section though.


Yep that section (and a few others) are as tricky as that video shows, pretty hard work on the 690 I could not imagine it being much fun on Gus.