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Hokitika / Mungo River to Nogo Creek, V (P)

Wed, 2006-05-17 20:58 — jonathan
0
Hokitika
Info
Portage?: 
Yes
Class: 
V
Level: 
low water in the Hokitika
Gauge: 
visual/local
Length: 
8km
Gradient: 
25m/km
Time: 
6 hours
Put in: 
Poet Creek Hut
Take out: 
Nogo Creek
Shuttle: 
Helicopter section 7B
Maps: 
J34
Character: 
flat sections, steep drops and rapids, awesome gorges!
Hot tip: 
A good day out.
Upstream of: 
Hokitika / Nogo Creek to Kakariki Canyon, V (P)

The Mungo/Hokitika from Poet Creek Hut has been paddled a number of times and it is a very well worthwhile trip for a good team in good conditions. Mungo Gorge is the first up and has two nice rapids at the entrance followed by a blind ledge drop. Catch the eddy, portage the next wee slot on the right, seal launch back in to ferry glide to river left, and portage around a nasty drop into a sieve. Back into your boats and paddle a blind 15-foot drop and another portage. After all this carrying - it has some great read ‘n run IV+ to the Hokitka confluence. This runs out to a flat stretch of gravel beds.

The next gorge is good to go with some tasty ledges but watch for a nasty inconspicuous sieve right at the entrance. Theta Creek is just past here followed by the Frisco and Omatane Canyons. This gorge is fun with a nice class IV rapid at the start. It opens up a bit and then closes in again and carries on for a while with more class IV/IV+ water and then opens again. When it narrows for the second time there is a tight gorge with a class V rapid in it. At some flows there is a big river wide hole at the bottom. It can be portaged on river left but involves a very tight ferry. From here it eases down to the normal put in.

The valley sides in the Hokitika are constantly moving and the yearly changes are phenomenal. If it has been more than a few weeks since anyone has been in, or if there has been a big flood treat any run on the Hoki as a first descent - your family will love you for it.

Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p190
Credits: 
Dave Kwant, JJ, Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p190.

New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006
No incidents reported.

Disclaimer

Canoeing and kayaking are activities with inherent risks. Whitewater NZ takes no responsibility for the accuracy of this guide, nor for any risks or dangers that canoeists or kayakers may encounter. Any users should fully research the current river conditions and ensure they are fully equipped and have the appropriate skills, before embarking on any river trip, per Whitewater NZ Code of Practice. While every effort is made to ensure that details are correct, it is possible that this information is no longer accurate. If you find discrepancies or errors, please let us know at guide@rivers.org.nz.