Anyone been down the Cascade- Jackson River road (Haast) to the road end?

[CrazyFrog]

Was watching a doco on Sky last night about some crazy-ass big wave surfers chasing storms around the southern tip of NZ lookin for epic waves, and I was in awe of the grandeur of the place down there.
Yeah, I know you southern blokes probably get used to mountain vistas and crystal clear rivers, and we all know Nelson is good, but down there it's a level better, simply stunning.
I dunno if it is much of an "ADV" ride, prolly just a good gravel route, but the river road looks magic. I've talked to a couple of blokes who hunt down there occasionally, and they reckon the sandflies aren't even too savage there. Could be a primo spot to camp out with the onset of some warmer weather.
So, anyone been there? Apparently you need to talk to the farmer nicely to cross his land to get to the road end, but is is a legal road after all.

[clint640]

It's quite a nice trip down to the road end. Lots of nice places to camp along the river there too.

I've been right down to Barn Bay in the 4x4 a few years back. Cool trip. At the road end you go onto the farm, the track does not follow the legal road in the first section hence the need to ask permission. Big river crossing over the Cascade early on so it would be dry weather, low river, several riders required to do it on bikes. Then a quite a few rough & boggy sections & more river & stream crossings to get out to Barn Bay. It may have changed now but from memory I reckon it would be easly doable on midsize adv bikes. We didn't go down to the Cascade mouth.

Cheers
Clint

[jim.cox]

Big river crossing over the Cascade

Clint's right, the road into the Cascade is great, but crossing the river would be a BIG mission.

I've done it tramping, but would not want to do it on a bike, although might be better closer to the sriver mouth.

But yes, the road in is great, well worthwhile

[clint640]

I've done it tramping, but would not want to do it on a bike, although might be better closer to the sriver mouth.

I've been most of the way down to the mouth in a jetboat & it didn't look good for crossing down there, muddy vs rocky.

Cheers
Clint

[Monstaman]

Road to the farm is shingle and great condition and permission is needed to get to the Cascade as above.

To cross the Cascade you would want a very very dry time on a bike and a heap of blokes and preferably a raft or a nice guy from Wanaka with a trailer.

The track now from the Cascade through to the Hope River is pretty easy and for the most I can now do it is two wheel drive hi range in the truck, still be a cool adventure ride though.

The Hope river which feeds into Barn Bay is the bigger problem now, there are big rocks and the water would be approx 800 to 1000 deep and flowing right in at the entry off the bank so you can't get a clean sweep entry and momentum.

Any rain brings the Hope up fast and the return climb out of the river would be a big ask to be honest, far easier in a truck and even then we have to pick our way around the rocks.

Hope this helps, if it where me I would ride to the Cascade and call it the trip unless you wonna get into big river crossings etc.

[clint640]

The Hope river which feeds into Barn Bay is the bigger problem now, there are big rocks and the water would be approx 800 to 1000 deep and flowing right in at the entry off the bank so you can't get a clean sweep entry and momentum.
.

I remember there was an ATV track bypassing the gnarly crossings of the Hope when we went down, is that still there?

Cheers
Clint

[CrazyFrog]

Sweet, thanks for the advice. My hunter mates said the river crossing would be no-go on bikes unless you had a nice raft set-up going on, most get across in a boat. Or a good high 4wd with flat deck and snorkel setup.

[Underground]

I've been thinking of making up something along the lines of this

[jim.cox]

I've been thinking of making up something along the lines of this

Might work in the swamps

But in a fast flowing NZ river like the Cascade, I'd be worried about having the bike ripped out of my hands and losing it downstream.

[clint640]

I've been thinking of making up something along the lines of this

No doubt you have also seen the crazy polish dudes version:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...239330&page=58

I think they found it tricky in the fast flowing rivers.

[Monstaman]

I remember there was an ATV track bypassing the gnarly crossings of the Hope when we went down, is that still there?

Cheers
Clint

Yeap, it got ripped out by mum nature but it was re cut, pretty roughly tho.

[JATZ]

Yeap, it got ripped out by mum nature but it was re cut, pretty roughly tho.

We went down over Easter this year, but due to it pissin down we didn't get far past the farm house, about 6 fords within a couple of hundy meters and they were just getting deeper, Farmer seemed a good sort, but reakoned we would struggle to get to Barn bay even when it was dry. Real nice place though, even in the rain. Lotsa seal to get there though but it's still a majic place to ride.
Pics over here >>>http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/al...p?albumid=3418

[CrazyFrog]

Cheers Jatz, will have a chat with you soon.
I've got the farmers name and number now, so may even be able to arrange a lift across the river with him. Good bugger I hear, and partial to bribes....

[richyrich]

just so happens,three of us are looking at having a shot at riding out to barn bay in a couple of weeks if organizer gets his shit together

[NordieBoy]

No doubt you have also seen the crazy polish dudes version:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...239330&page=58

I think they found it tricky in the fast flowing rivers.

The doom machine!