Big River and Lake Hotshitter

[XF650]

Not many pics from me, the others can fill in the gaps.
Big River - nothings changed, still a fantastic place to be on a bike.

[XF650]

Bush bashing up the Waitahu Track

[XF650]

These are from the Notown area. I invite captions for the 2nd pic - needless to say they can't read......
3rd pic shows how the forestry tracks split & divide - real easy to get lost or go in circles without a GPS.

[XF650]

Visa's expired so evicted from our digs.

Thanks guys for the great company. Hopefully they will have more pics of the actual riding.
We will return......

Footnote: Reefton Motors now stock trail bike consumables incl specific oils, air filters, chain lubes, chains, sprockets, tyres, tubes etc. All very handy if your riding in the area.

[NordieBoy]

Bush bashing up the Waitahu Track

Quite overgrown now...

[XF650]

Wasn't this sposed to be a work trip Struan?

Managed to combine work & play quite well this week, I'v been jet boating today too.
A Central Districts group were passing through on their way to Hollyford & I convinced them to take a run in the Ashburton River.
Adventure biking / adventure boating - it's all very similar.

[mattsdakar]

Quite overgrown now...

Local cop was up the Waitahu on Wednesday?? with his chain saw clearing trees, apparently quite a few had come down and were blocking access to Montgomery Hut
As an aside, if you haven't done it before about 1km before Montgomery Huit there is a place to ford the river and opposite it is a very knarly access road to the back of the Garveys Creek mine. It's an awesome 4x4 track but very steep and fording river is also pretty challenging so probably not suitable for heavier bikes, I did it last year on DR350's with a mate and he drowned his bike in the river due large rocks and water flow

[NordieBoy]

Anyone done the Waitahu River Road - Kirwins Track loop on a bike?

[NordieBoy]

Local cop was up the Waitahu on Wednesday?? with his chain saw clearing trees, apparently quite a few had come down and were blocking access to Montgomery Hut
As an aside, if you haven't done it before about 1km before Montgomery Huit there is a place to ford the river and opposite it is a very knarly access road to the back of the Garveys Creek mine. It's an awesome 4x4 track but very steep and fording river is also pretty challenging so probably not suitable for heavier bikes, I did it last year on DR350's with a mate and he drowned his bike in the river due large rocks and water flow

Where are those huts?

[Transalper]

Anyone done the Waitahu River Road - Kirwins Track loop on a bike?

We wemt up Waitahu River Road toward Kirwins Track with the North Island invaders last year but got blocked by big boulder fields, washouts and trees. Pretty cool on the CRF230.
Didn't think it was supposed to be a loop... unless you are walking or on a MTB.
Weren't you there?

[Transalper]

Bush bashing up the Waitahu Track...

Looks like we need to start throwing a chain saw in our tool kits.
That wont take up too much room surely.
Stick it on the KLR.

[XF650]

We wemt up Waitahu River Road toward Kirwins Track with the North Island invaders last year but got blocked by big boulder fields, washouts and trees. Pretty cool on the CRF230.
Didn't think it was supposed to be a loop... unless you are walking or on a MTB.
Weren't you there?

Mark & Andy got further this time (while I was de-drowning the DT) but they reported even bigger boulders & deep bogs well before the hut - not KLR friendly.

[Genie]

Cheers for sharing, love the pics. These are sights I'd most likely not see and they are tuely amazing veiws. Thanks and keep having fun and keep posting.

[NordieBoy]

We wemt up Waitahu River Road toward Kirwins Track with the North Island invaders last year but got blocked by big boulder fields, washouts and trees. Pretty cool on the CRF230.
Didn't think it was supposed to be a loop... unless you are walking or on a MTB.
Weren't you there?

Of course I was there...



Just wondering if it was possible to do the loop.
GE shows Kirwins Track joining up with Waitahu River Road...

But it may be CRF230 with a trials rear tyre territory.

[CrazyFrog]

Anyone done the Waitahu River Road - Kirwins Track loop on a bike?

Waitahu River Rd is do-able on trail bikes, but Kirwans is a no go, walking and MTB access only.
A bunch of guys from work got a chopper ride (that's helicopter, not a Harley) up to the top there last year and MTB'd down, said the track is awesome.