Rimutaka Hill/Featherston Pylon Track ride Mon 29/12?

[Paladin]

Any of you guys in the Welly area fancy a ride up over the Rimutaka Hill to have a ride up on the pylon tracks at the bottom of the north side of the Hill/south of Featherston tomorrow (Monday 29/12)?

I've gotta drop my kids somewhere around 9am ish but could gear up and head out after that; certainly 11am at the Rimutaka Caltex should be a safe bet.

Any takers?

[marks]

Hi Dave

I would be keen to come but I spent all day trail riding and I will be a walking wreck tomorrow

would certainly be keen to go another time though

I think everyone else is away.....

if you do go take lots of photos or the ride doesn't count.

cheers


Mark

[Aslan]

sorry Dave I'm committed with family visiting from Aus till after the DB. cheers S

[Paladin]

Hi Dave

I would be keen to come but I spent all day trail riding and I will be a walking wreck tomorrow

would certainly be keen to go another time though

I think everyone else is away.....

if you do go take lots of photos or the ride doesn't count.

cheers


Mark

sorry Dave I'm committed with family visiting from Aus till after the DB. cheers S

Thanks for replying guys, shame you can't make it but I'm sure we'll all be up that way another time soon!

Yes Mark, I'll take a few pics if I go! Cheeky!!

[Paladin]

OK so I decided to head off to the pylon tracks on my own today. I know Marks and Buggs have both said it's very stoney and rutted up there but I just thought I'd go for it - the only way to stop being an offroad novice is to try stuff, right?!

For those not sure exactly where this access is: coming down off the north side of the Rimutka Hill when near the bottom you will take a swinging left hander over a bridge, then in front of you is a "MoreFM" sign and a "55kph" yellow caution road sign. Immediately before those 2 signs on the LHS are the concrete blocks just after the bridge.

The little KLX loved the climb up the tracks and handled the rocks, stones and ruts just fine on the D605's; it was great fun climbing up that stuff! The track is easy for maybe a quarter-third of the way, then you come to a junction with 3 tracks in front of you. If you take the right hand track you then start climbing the gnarly stuff - much bigger rocks and ruts from here to the top! Once you get to the top though it's a pleasant surprise as all of a sudden you are running under the trees in the shade on a really nice track. This was a godsend today as it was hot as hell! There's some fun up & downs and turns before finally hitting the locked gate. The track then ends about 100m further on at pylon 151 up on top of the ridge line if you go left past the locked gate. You can see the track behind the locked gate snaking away down to the valley below, which I guess is the Kaitoke Regional Park area(?). It looks like fun, shame you can't get down there - the gap at the side of the gate isn't even wide enough to sneak through even if you wanted to wing it!
Explored a couple of side tracks on the return trip - both dead ended at pylons - shame, was hoping to find a super nice easy track back down LOL! So back down the gnarly stuff it had to be, pretty challenging for me until getting to the triple track junction. Definitely a few clenching moments! Not too proud to admit I bulldogged some of the more challenging stuff on the decent, but heh I got down unscathed with no damage to me or the bike and no dropping of the bike, which was great for my confidence I guess. I was however soaked with sweat, man it was hot going!!!

So all in all the climb up and the track along the ridge line are great fun but it's pretty challenging coming down the top section on the return trip!

Here's some pics (just for Mark!!!!)

1. Here's the access, sneak around the concrete blocks on the LHS.
2. The easy part is now finished - head right at this junction!
3. The track is getting more interesting & gnarlier now!
4. But the views are improving - Rimutaka Hill road and Lake Wairarapa!

[Paladin]

And some more pics:

1. Heading into the tree cover on the ridge line - shade !!!
2. Locked gate!
3. View SW towards Cook Strait & SI from the top!
4. The end of the road - pylon 151.

[Paladin]

And the last few piccies on the return trip!

1. Heading back that way along ridge to the lovely cool shaded area!
2. This right hand turn dead ends at a pylon.
3. Heaven help me! The decent into the gnarly section is beginning! :

Sorry for no pics at the very start of the track after the concrete blocks but the track was so much fun I just forgot to stop!

[Balrog]

Nice pics Dave
That track along the top is great, I spooked a deer going along there last time.
I think its private land at the end of the gate, not 100% sure though.

Jim

[Paladin]

Nice pics Dave
That track along the top is great, I spooked a deer going along there last time.
I think its private land at the end of the gate, not 100% sure though.

Jim

Thx Jim! Yeah I loved the ride along the top section, god that shade felt nice after the climb up! How'd you like the ride back down on the Beemer?

[Aslan]

nice pics and account Dave - good onya for tackling the track - c u in 2009

[marks]

great pics

glad you got down in one piece - binning on those stones could be painful

you certainly weren't the only one to do a bit of clenching going down.

you wanna do Oldins Rd sometime over the next couple of days?

[Paladin]

nice pics and account Dave - good onya for tackling the track - c u in 2009

Thx mate, c u soon!

[Eddieb]

Sweet pics Dave. I've been up there but not that far. The Kaitoke side comes down on private farm land, I've been to see the farmer in person but he's not interested in allowing access.

[Paladin]

Sweet pics Dave. I've been up there but not that far. The Kaitoke side comes down on private farm land, I've been to see the farmer in person but he's not interested in allowing access.

Cheers Eddie! Shame on that farmer, how dare he!!! That track looks like fun too! Plus it would be SO nice to head up there from the Featherston side and out on a loop on the Kaitoke side! Ya never know maybe things will change down the road!

[Paladin]

great pics

glad you got down in one piece - binning on those stones could be painful

you certainly weren't the only one to do a bit of clenching going down.

you wanna do Oldins Rd sometime over the next couple of days?

Cheers Mark! Yeah rather glad I didn't bin it on the sections with those ruts and big stones - ouch!

I'd love to go up Odlins Road sometime but I can't do next couple of days, am on kiddie duties I'm afraid! Appreciate the offer though!