Molesworth and Rainbow

[cooneyr]

OK, silly question, but is that purely from a safety perspective wrt the weather? Not that I'm looking to get cold and wet, but on a clear winters day how bad is the snow? with a set of MT21s and my little yellow bike I reckon I might head up there for a geez before she gets too much colder.

A safely and minimising impact on others thing when they have to come and pick you up. The track is the highest public access point I know of in the South Island at 1696m. If the snow is down I doubt you will be able to get much above 800/1000m. Snow or not be well prepared with warm and wet weather gear and food. If there is no snow then go for it but still be prepared for the cold.

If you are not use to snow it is hard work walking through soft snow and if it is more than ankle deep it is very very hard work. I once spent about 6 hours travelling what would normally take around 2 hours cause of knee deep snow. Just keep that in mind before you push too far up the hill. We tried riding in snow last year around Hanmer and while it was fun it was hard work. Once the snow gets about as deep as the skip plate (or not soft enough to push though) the bike doesnt like to go forward very well. If the snow is compacted and hard you slide around all over the place. Transalper's video of it here.

I'm not saying dont go just be bloody sensible as everything is a lot more serious and tiring and if things go wrong your a long way from help.

Cheers R

P.S. Just seen Jatz's comment and I disagree. The bush line is generally around the 800/1000m mark and as I mentioned this is 1696m high.

[JATZ]

A safely and minimising impact on others thing when they have to come and pick you up. The track is the highest public access point I know of in the South Island at 1696m. If the snow is down I doubt you will be able to get much above 800/1000m. Snow or not be well prepared with warm and wet weather gear and food. If there is no snow then go for it but still be prepared for the cold.

If you are not use to snow it is hard work walking through soft snow and if it is more than ankle deep it is very very hard work. I once spent about 6 hours travelling what would normally take around 2 hours cause of knee deep snow. Just keep that in mind before you push too far up the hill. We tried riding in snow last year around Hanmer and while it was fun it was hard work. Once the snow gets about as deep as the skip plate (or not soft enough to push though) the bike doesnt like to go forward very well. If the snow is compacted and hard you slide around all over the place. Transalper's video of it here.

I'm not saying dont go just be bloody sensible as everything is a lot more serious and tiring and if things go wrong your a long way from help.

Cheers R

P.S. Just seen Jatz's comment and I disagree. The bush line is generally around the 800/1000m mark and as I mentioned this is 1696m high.

It didn't seem that far when I was up there, however my reality can be a little hazzy sometimes

[buggsubique]

A safely and minimising impact on others thing when they have to come and pick you up. The track is the highest public access point I know of in the South Island at 1696m. If the snow is down I doubt you will be able to get much above 800/1000m. Snow or not be well prepared with warm and wet weather gear and food. If there is no snow then go for it but still be prepared for the cold.

Shit, that's pretty high. I've only been up to about 1300m up north, snow and all that. I always take enough to stay overnight and always have a comms plan / report times. Prob wouldn't be going there alone in the white stuff though. Cheers for the heads up.

[timpel_800]

COol pic! Be happy to join you by the way!

[timpel_800]

A Transalper's video of it here.

.

Cool vid !!! looks indeed pretty rough. think my bike is a bit to heavy for this. But maybe with some good tyres...

[NordieBoy]

no worries, got a Olympus MJU725. Is supposed to be water and shock proof

But is it Guzzi proof

[NordieBoy]

OK, silly question, but is that purely from a safety perspective wrt the weather? Not that I'm looking to get cold and wet, but on a clear winters day how bad is the snow? with a set of MT21s and my little yellow bike I reckon I might head up there for a geez before she gets too much colder.

20th October on a nice fine day...
Howling wind, sleet, snow, rain at 1400m
That was as far as TransAlper and I could get.
It was just skidplate surfing in the drifts and the tyres had problems touching the road.
Not icey at all though.

And fine back down the bottom.

So when are we doing it?

[cooneyr]

Shit, that's pretty high. I've only been up to about 1300m up north, snow and all that. I always take enough to stay overnight and always have a comms plan / report times. Prob wouldn't be going there alone in the white stuff though. Cheers for the heads up.

Seems you know whats up. Sorry if my post was a little over bearing. It's a bit frustrating when people head into the hills (especially an alpine environment) and get into trouble because they are unprepared and don't know how to deal with it.

I'm actually quite keen to get up there myself if the snow is nice and soft.

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

I think it'd be good up there around the time of the first snows when it's still warm(ish) down below.

[buggsubique]

hell, no probs Cooneyr! Lets keep the idea in the back of our mind as it cools down a bit and look at a ride up there at some point? Looks like Nordie's keen. By then our local (Blenheim) Adv club should be up and running and it might be something we can host - bit of a dash and a frolic in the white stuff followed by a cookup and hot brews.

In the meantime I'd better replace / refit my roadkit from the Waiau trail ride the other weekend...note to self: take all road gear off and change to MX tyres next time!

[buggsubique]

COol pic! Be happy to join you by the way!

Let me get my bike sorted over the next week and I'll PM you for a ride. Think I might gear my bike up a bit more for the road again...

[timpel_800]

But is it Guzzi proof

Well it has bin send out for repair twice allready. But the last time i started reading the manual, and found out that i had to clean it

[timpel_800]

hell, no probs Cooneyr! Lets keep the idea in the back of our mind as it cools down a bit and look at a ride up there at some point? Looks like Nordie's keen. By then our local (Blenheim) Adv club should be up and running and it might be something we can host - bit of a dash and a frolic in the white stuff followed by a cookup and hot brews.

Were you the guy in the Sun or the marlborough midweek the otherday?

[buggsubique]

Nah, that was Julian (Julz). He's on a Yammie and is head honch in setting up the club.

[timpel_800]

Hi Guys!

Last weekend I went all the way up to farwell spit. But the only gravel I did on that trip was the Pigeon Valley and the Wharariki Beach road Not very challenging, but, cool though!

For the anzac weekend im planning on going to the west coast. I saw this long route on the map from New Creek to Waimangaroa, but I read in the 4wd book that that is probably a bit to much! The Bouler gorge is probably cool enough.

Did any of you guys did a trip like that above 4wd track at all on a bike? Looks so cool to me to do that with a group of people! Maybe with a backup truck and some ropes though!

My plan so far is, Blenheim, westport, hokatika, from there take the Old CHCH road to St highway 73, go up through Te Kinga, to Still water, Reefton and then back home over Murchinson.

This is only a rough tought. I leave on thursday afternoon and then have till sunday night. This should give me some time i reckon.

Any spots along this route, or a differente route recommended, that i really should not mis?

Tha!

Tim

Ps, frigging cold in a tent last saturday in Kaiteriteri allright!