Manganui-a-te-ao top gorge run
Submitted by gareth.wood on Mon, 2009-09-07 18:12.
We just ran Manganui-a-te-ao near Ohakune the other day and the guide book says 3+-4- but this run is very mellow. More like 2+ with a couple of 3s. I really only suggest running it in high flow. The positives was the scenery and the high numbers of blue ducks.
Ran it high water September last year. No rocks showing at put in....water was maybe 1ft up over grass/shrub bank. It was just a fast wave train with trees, a few munchie holes and small log jams until the tri confluence. After the confluence all the rapids consist of big features (one or two river wide) and huge wall action below each rapid. Watch for undercuts, caves and spanky holes. There are some awesome play features in this section. You would want to be paddling solid class 4 and be happy to just read as you run... There is nowhere to get out and few places to stop. It took us 2 hours minus 20min for a rescue.
Did 2night - water 20cm above band on pillar at Ruatititi Bridge. Much nicer than 2 weeks ago - river became a less technical G3 run.
thanks boyd good info to know
Did on Saturday with some mild rain on and off in preceding 12 hours. water 10cm under metal band/ledge of pillar at ruatiti bridge. Anything above this it would get better. Other indicators
Mangawhero river at Ohakune Junction at average winter height - NOT LOW
Whanganui at pipiriki flow 100cm
Mangawhero at pakihi rd bridge 3.5cm (horizons)
Whanganui below piriaka 19 cm
Tongariro @ turangi 30 cm (genesis tongariro)
We got in at the Hoihenga bridge and out at, I think, the Ruatiti Bridge above were the slalom course is set up. I'm not down that way too often, stuck in Auckland. Will chuck something up here if I get that way again anytime soon though. Really want to do the Makatote too
Pete did you get out at Hoihenga Bridge or Ruatiti Bridge?
If you keen to do it again give me an email. Thx.
I ran it 15/7/09 best indicator would probably be the bridge at the take out there isn't much up top to go off.
at the put in there was a big rocky beach and the first rapid was 20m downstream bit of bouncy rocks pretty shallow hard to give an accurate gauge because we got out before the take out sorry mate
Can you please give a date that you guys ran it. What were the indicators like at the put in...I am in kune and have yet to run it. I am waiting for a good rainy weekend.
Fair call. Shuttle is a bit of a mish. Wouldn't recommend doing it any lower then we did and more water the better I think. Just look out for wood there was a bit when we were there.
haha we ditched halfway through so we didnt have to run such a big shutle, it was super low though, scrapey as
What level was it running at? I did it a while back when the water level was just at the step in the concrete pillar of the take out bridge and thought it was a grade 3.