Arthurs Pass tracks

[RonK]

If crossing the Canterbury Plains to Tekapo, take the Tekapo Canal road and join up with the Alps2Ocean bike route through to Lake Ohua. The ride over the Hakataramea and Danseys Pass are very worthy but if forced to choose the vistas along the shore of Lake Pukaki are stunning, and there is an opportunity for a side trip in to Mt Cook/Aoraki.


Looking across Lake Pukaki to Mt Cook/Aoraki. That is the Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail (then under construction) in the foreground near the lake shore.

Then across the Omarama Saddle/West Manuherikia Track to St Bathans and on to the Otago Rail Trail. Other options from here would be to take the Thompsons Gorge Road to Tarras and Wanaka then the Crown Range road to Queenstown, or it might be possible to take the Motatapu Track but I'm not sure if the route is open to public access by bike other than on race day, but you might be able to get permission from the property owners to pass through.

Last visit the Von Road was quite soft for a few kilometers near Walter Peak Station and the Mavora Road near the Mossburn-Te Anau Highway for quite some distance due to recent grading. It made for tough cycling with skinny tyres. If planning to travel on any of the gravel roads you would best choose at least 2" wide tyres.

Although I've already done some of them, I'm going to ride all these roads including the Nevis next visit, starting in Dunedin and taking the Taieri Gorge train to Middlemarch.

[madpom]

All our high country seasonal roads here in Otago open labour weekend - and many of them are well up over the 1000m mark, as well as being much further south. Barring a spell of heavy rain it's hard to imagine Rainbow being impassable in November ... more likely to be a question of whether the landholder wants you in there.

[Stroller]

Thanks for recent ideas. It will take a while to digest.

Meanwhile i have counted the kms of my northern route and believe its quite doable in the time i've got.

I've just got hold of a copy of Paul Theroux on his Oceania trip book. He is pretty funny about New Zealand but loved his Routeburn track trip. He's also pretty funny about Australia but some of his details seem over-researched and therefore out of date - notably tales about vocabulary. Still i do love his sadistic/mean streak. You should have seen what he said to the poor Pakistani cabbie who made the mistake of opining that Salman Rushdie must be killed. - this was in 1992. He said, Why do you think All australians don't want to kill Salman Rushdie. Because they are not fanatics! Yikes. Of course its true but he bated him from go to woe.

[wayno]

[madpom]

@ronk - The Otago Central railtrail from Middlemarch is popular, easy, flat, has great accommodation and food, and has some nice bits of scenery.

If you want something more challenging with tops travel there is also the option of the Old Dunstan Road - once a coach road, now a 4WD road - from Clark's Junction (half-way between Dunedin and Middlemarch) over the Lammerlaw tops to Paerau (Styx valley), Up and over to Poolburn (Ida valley) via the Poolburn Dam, then up and over to Alexandra via the Galloway Road. Three good climbs, if that's what you're into. If that's not what you're into, then definitely stick to the railtrail.

Not sure about accommodation on the Dunstan Rd. The Elliott's fisherman's farmstay (shearer's quarters) at Paerau that we used to use burnt down a few years back. The Moa Creek Hotel at Poolburn is basic but well equipped, but might only open for groups. It's the only hotel I've ever stayed at where I woke to find my boots frozen solid beside my bed. Had to boil a jug and pour water over them to get them flexible enough to get my feet in. But that was mid-winter!

==

The other one that's worth a look if you're thinking of a loop back to Dunedin is the Waikaia Bush Road from Waikaia (Southland, north of Gore) to Roxburgh. Nice public huts to stay in at Potters No 2 mine site and some interesting history. You can then follow the goldfields cycle trail to Lawrence and the 2WD Waipori Road back to Dunedin. Lovely routes, all of them.

[RonK]

Thanks, I have ridden parts of the Otago Central Rail Trail on previous visits and is indeed an easy ride. But I'd rather get onto the back roads.

There are so many possibilities in these parts. I've spent hours pouring over maps try to put together a rational route (i.e. without too much backtracking) that starts in Dunedin, or at the airport, and incorporates the Waipori Falls Road, the top of the Waikaia Bush Road onto the Old Man Range, and the Old Dunstan Road into a larger loop that includes Dansey's Pass, Hakatarmea Pass, the Omarama Saddle, Thompsons Gorge Road, the Crown Range or other backroads options from Wanaka to Queenstown, Mavora Lakes and the Nevis.

[RonK]

Meanwhile i have counted the kms of my northern route and believe its quite doable in the time i've got.

Yes, I did a somewhat similar norther route in 30 days. I generally plan to ride around 70-80 km per day, but inevitably there is the odd day up 125km, some as short as 30-40km, and some days with no riding at all.

If you did 30 riding days you only need average 50km per day to cover 1500km. It's not too difficult.

[wayno]

south island brevet 2016 went through that area

http://trackme.kiwi/event/publicview/57

[RonK]

Yeah, it was the 2011 Great Southern Brevet route that first drew my attention to the possibilities there and inspired parts of the route I took in 2012.

My bike wasn't suitable for some of the rougher legs. I'm in the process of building a bikepacking bike to tackle some more of them in a future visit.

[Stroller]

Ron have you thought plottin all those recommended routes on a google map in crazyguyonabike. Then we could easily what you are talking about. Its not easy to just find roads on google maps. You have to have a bit of a clue where they are. Madpom could put his on in a differnet colour.

I can't show you my map yet because I need to keep my trip diary closed for some time longer. ...I think.

[RonK]

I used to put my stuff on crazyguyonabike but the owner is a pita, that is why I moved my journals to my own blog.

Unfortunately many of these minor back roads are not recognised by Google Maps or the other mapping tools so it's not possible to generate a route. Sometimes I just have to resort to NZTopo.

All my journals have a map. I'll see if I can make one showing the roads we have been talking about and post it here.

[Stroller]

What's a pita?

[RonK]

What's a pita?

a pain in the *rse

[north-north-west]

What's a pita?

a pain in the *rse

Oh. I thought it might be like a weta or a kea or a tui or something like that.

[wayno]

What's a pita?

a pain in the *rse

Oh. I thought it might be like a weta or a kea or a tui or something like that.

yeah, a kea or a weka....

[Stroller]

I've got a new itinerary worked out. Would you like to take a look and give your feedback. This is the hardest itinerary i've ever had to figure out. Don't

EAST SIDE heading NORTH

Day 1. -Christchurch - A whole day.

Day 2 and 3 bus -to Kaikoura and Ohau maybe. - Here I want to see baby seals if possible at the Ohau waterfall, swim with dolphins and snorkel with seals. (Can i fit all this in in two days? I'm hoping to take the bus all the way to the Ohau waterfall. or something like that to save some time. - any tips on how to organise all these activities or just deal with it when i get there?

Day 4 and 5 -Ride to Hanmer Springs on the Inland Road.- visit the hot springs. (i'm taking some short cuts probably on private property i might have to ask. It won't save me many kms but every km saved counts.

Day 6, 7 and 8 -Ride up to and around the St James bike Trail.

Day 9 and 10 - Ride the Rainbow Road to St Arnaud.

Day 11 and 12 - Ride St Arnaud to Westport on the Highway via Murchison (i don't trust my loaded bike to the old ghost trail and I think the denniston route takes an extra day so i'm skipping that option too)

WEST COAST heading SOUTH

Day 13 and 14 -Westport and Cape Foulwind (Seal colony) - REST DAYS

Day 15 - Ride to Punakaiki via the Highway - pancake rocks

Day 16 and 17 -Ride to Greymouth and on to Karangarua River - with side trips to Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers. (can i fit all this in in two days?)

Day 18 and 19 - Hike the Copeland Track in the Mt Cook National Park - hot springs (i read a good report on this)

Day 20 -Ride to Haast

THE SOUTH heading eastwards

Day 21 and 22 - Ride to Wanaka and on to a beach campsite on the Mt Aspiring Road.

**I'll probably cut this next one out but have to check it with someone else first.** Ride up the Mt Aspiring road and back to Glendo 2 days

Day 23 - Ride a back route to Arrowtown from Glendo (near Wanaka) this route leads roughly parallel to the highway. No traffic so could be much nicer if steeper.

Day 24 - Arrowtown REST DAY

Day 25 - Ride to Queenstown REST DAY

Day 26 - Queenstown and bus to Glenorchy REST DAY (to save time and get more rest - i tire easily)

Day 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32- Hike the Rees-Dart Track over the Cascade Saddle - big hike! since its too hard to organise the routeburn track.

Day 33 - Ride to Mt Nicholson (on the south side of the lake)

Day 34 and 35 - Ride the trail road to Te Anau

Day 36 - Bus to Milford Sound ( i believe the road in the tunnel slopes up east to west so i figure riding back might be better)

Day 37 - Kayaking Milford Sound (organised from Te Anau i think)

Day 38 and 39 Ride back to Te Anau

Day 40 Bus to either Queenstown for more or on to Mt Cook or on to Christchurch.

…

Day 45 leave from christchurch

Have you any suggestions how to spend the last few days. If i'm tired i could bus back to christchurh and then do the ride to Akaroa which sounds nice on the christchurch penninsula. 2 days.

I read about the flexible bus passes. I thought i could buy 30 0r 35 hours to get me to the places mentioned. Costs about NZ $230 i think.

[RonK]

I've got a new itinerary worked out. Would you like to take a look and give your feedback. This is the hardest itinerary i've ever had to figure out. Don't

EAST SIDE heading NORTH

Day 1. -Christchurch - A whole day.

Day 2 and 3 bus -to Kaikoura and Ohau maybe. - Here I want to see baby seals if possible at the Ohau waterfall, swim with dolphins and snorkel with seals. (Can i fit all this in in two days? I'm hoping to take the bus all the way to the Ohau waterfall. or something like that to save some time. - any tips on how to organise all these activities or just deal with it when i get there?
Check the breeding season - I think the seal pups are born in November so there may not be any there when you are. I dunno about the bus dropping you off there, you can only ask . But it's an all day 60km round trip visit if you ride there, so two days not enough. Probably better to get off at Kaikoura and and join an excursion.

Day 4 and 5 -Ride to Hanmer Springs on the Inland Road.- visit the hot springs. (i'm taking some short cuts probably on private property i might have to ask. It won't save me many kms but every km saved counts.
It's only a two day ride by road.

Day 6, 7 and 8 -Ride up to and around the St James bike Trail.
"The central section comprises difficult and remote Advanced grade riding, with river crossings and bike carrying in places. Riders need to be fit and experienced to do the full trail."
Can you handle this carrying your luggage? Can your bike handle it? Tip: you can get a shuttle up Jack's Pass with the Quad Bike Express if you don't want to ride it.

Day 9 and 10 - Ride the Rainbow Road to St Arnaud.
Not open until 26 December. it would be wise have an alternative itinerary in case you can't get permission or the road is impassable due to the weather. I reckon your chances of going this way are less than 50:50.

Day 11 and 12 - Ride St Arnaud to Westport on the Highway via Murchison (i don't trust my loaded bike to the old ghost trail and I think the denniston route takes an extra day so i'm skipping that option too)
This is a great ride and will be mostly downhill.

WEST COAST heading SOUTH
Day 13 and 14 -Westport and Cape Foulwind (Seal colony) - REST DAYS
I found Westport dull and boring.

Day 15 - Ride to Punakaiki via the Highway - pancake rocks
At Charleston just south of Westport you can go rafting through a glowworm cave. I didn't do it but it looked interesting.
There is a lot of up and down before Punakaiki - ride is harder than it looks on paper.

Day 16 and 17 -Ride to Greymouth and on to Karangarua River - with side trips to Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers. (can i fit all this in in two days?)
That is almost 300kms - can you ride that in two days and visit the glaciers? It took me 4 days. I'd pass over Greymouth and continue on to Hokitika. Be warned also that there are three big hills between the glaciers.

Day 18 and 19 - Hike the Copeland Track in the Mt Cook National Park - hot springs (i read a good report on this)

Day 20 -Ride to Haast
You probably need to plan to loose at least one day due to rain along the west coast. Make sure you have Bushmans and an antiseptic cream such as Paraderm Plus for the sandflies.

THE SOUTH heading eastwards

Day 21 and 22 - Ride to Wanaka and on to a beach campsite on the Mt Aspiring Road.

**I'll probably cut this next one out but have to check it with someone else first.** Ride up the Mt Aspiring road and back to Glendo 2 days
You can do a nice day walk at the end of the road, but it would probably take three days by the time you ride in and out.

Day 23 - Ride a back route to Arrowtown from Glendo (near Wanaka) this route leads roughly parallel to the highway. No traffic so could be much nicer if steeper.
Doubtful you can go this way - I'm pretty sure the road route passes through three private properties, and the walkway is too rough for bicycles. But anyway the ride up the highway through Cardrona across the Crown Range is fantastic and the traffic is not heavy.

Day 24 - Arrowtown REST DAY

Day 25 - Ride to Queenstown REST DAY

Day 26 - Queenstown and bus to Glenorchy REST DAY (to save time and get more rest - i tire easily)

Day 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32- Hike the Rees-Dart Track over the Cascade Saddle - big hike! since its too hard to organise the routeburn track.

Day 33 - Ride to Mt Nicholson (on the south side of the lake)
Are you going to attempt the track from Greenstone? Otherwise you need to get the steamer or water taxi across the lake to Mt Nicholas or Walter Peak Station. Also Mt Nicholson Station is private property - no camping. But it's a fairly easy day ride along the Von Road to Mavora Lakes from Walter Peak Station. You will get your feet wet.

Day 34 and 35 - Ride the trail road to Te Anau

Day 36 - Bus to Milford Sound ( i believe the road in the tunnel slopes up east to west so i figure riding back might be better)
Actually if I recall correctly it's the other way round. Watch out for keas. Personally I'd just take a day excursion by bus from Te Anau.

Day 37 - Kayaking Milford Sound (organised from Te Anau i think)

Day 38 and 39 Ride back to Te Anau

Day 40 Bus to either Queenstown for more or on to Mt Cook or on to Christchurch.

…

Day 45 leave from christchurch

Have you any suggestions how to spend the last few days. If i'm tired i could bus back to christchurh and then do the ride to Akaroa which sounds nice on the christchurch penninsula. 2 days.
Yeah, Akaroa is well worth a visit. But it's a steep climb by bike into and out of the volcano.

I read about the flexible bus passes. I thought i could buy 30 0r 35 hours to get me to the places mentioned. Costs about NZ $230 i think.

[Stroller]

Thanks for all that. I'll have to process it all. I'm a bit stunned you reckon its 300km from greymouth to K river. I made a big mistake in my calculations.

Did you ride the milford sound road? I'll recheck what i can about the tunnel. I thought i read it right. Oh well. I guess i will ride up becuase i did see that all the traffic is only one way but i'll see.

[madpom]

Homer tunnel is 820m at west end, 920m at east end.

http://mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=15&x=12024 ... opo%202009

Assuming your route from glendhu to arrowtown is the Motutapu farm road you will not get permission. That track is only open to the public to ride one day a year. The cardrona pass is good fun though.

The track from Greenstone stn to Mt Nicholas Stn on the west shore of Lake Wakatipu is private and you'd need permission from both landowners to use it. Never been along it so can't comment on the condition. The alternative is the TSS Earnslaw from Queenstown.

Overall it looks like a great trip though ... hope to hear you go ahead with it.

[RonK]

Thanks for all that. I'll have to process it all. I'm a bit stunned you reckon its 300km from greymouth to K river. I made a big mistake in my calculations.

Did you ride the milford sound road? I'll recheck what i can about the tunnel. I thought i read it right. Oh well. I guess i will ride up becuase i did see that all the traffic is only one way but i'll see.

According to Google Maps it is 268 km from Punakaiki to K river.
In your itinerary you are going to do this on days 16 and 17, including glacier visits.
From what you are saying, perhaps you didn't include the 45km section from Punakaiki to Greymouth? Even so, Greymouth to K river is 223km.

No, I didn't ride the Milford Sound road - I've been there before and know what the road is like. Very hilly and heavy traffic with lots of tour coaches. Also I was concerned that I might not make it through the tunnel on a green light on the uphill return ride. Would not like to meet oncoming traffic in there.

Instead I took an excursion to Doubtful Sound since I hadn't seen it before.

BTW, while in Te Anau it's a nice day walk up the Kepler Track to Luxmore hut.

[RonK]

Day 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32- Hike the Rees-Dart Track over the Cascade Saddle - big hike! since its too hard to organise the routeburn track.

This has been puzzling me. Accessing the Rees-Dart Track via the Cascade saddle - you do this from the Wanaka side.

Also, there is a current alert that the Dart Track is impassable and closed, so a loop walk is not possible The aim is to reopen it in November, but...

Rees-Dart-track-brochure.

Also the brochure advises that a number of bridges are removed during winter and may not be replaced until December. Note also the warning about fatalities on the Cascade Saddle route.

[Stroller]

This has been puzzling me. Accessing the Rees-Dart Track via the Cascade saddle - you do this from the Wanaka side.

That's good I won't have to do it then!

Also, there is a current alert that the Dart Track is impassable and closed, so a loop walk is not possible The aim is to reopen it in November, but…

I'll keep my fingers crossed. I will be visiting the visitors centres along my route to discuss my plans.

Also the brochure advises that a number of bridges are removed during winter and may not be replaced until December.

If that turns out to be the case, I guess I'll do another walk. There seem to be a lot in the area.