Righto, just got off the phone with the Maitai Caretaker, Trevor. He's the one doing the repairs on the Track, and also fencing Linton Hill.
The track is closed for 12 months while they fix & stabilize the road, he reiterated they don't want anyone in there. However, he does not have a problem with motorcycles as they don't damage the road! There is a makeshift bypass around the western gate near his cottage; he said it is steep on the bank but if we have difficulty with it, pop up to the house and see him, he will unlock the gate. We should be able to drag bikes under the cable at the eastern end (the summit).
So... the Maungatapu is open for bikes
He puts the bulk of the trouble-makers in the "young guys with cheap 4wds" category - making new tracks, felling native trees & saplings, ripping up the track.
Linton Hill update; he's been busy there putting in new gates and fences. I did a recce there on the weekend. The single-track going directly up the spur to the power pylon will be cut off by a fence. There is a new gate at the Maitai Rd, and another across the track at the bottom of the climb. Both gates have spring-loaded pedestrian/motorcycle gates on the side of the main locked gates. They don't want to stop motorcycles getting in to Hira Forest, but they know ppl do leave gates open, so have put auto-closers on them. Do these guys rock or what? The NCC boundary is the firebreak and the track, so the pines uphill from the track are Hancock forests... I think. Doesn't matter much, I s'pose.
One area suggested by the NCC staffer is a no go, as I thought it would be - tramping access only. But at least he was throwing ideas out there rather than being obstructive. There's another lead I'm following up with him.
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