Styx / Tyndall Stream to Styx bridge, IV+

The Styx has become one of the most run rivers on the coast. It’s proximity to Hokitika and quality of whitewater gained by a good honest walk make it the ‘after work’ run of choice for locals.

The Styx was first run by Bruce Barnes in 1985 and is a great opportunity to test and perfect your boat-carrying system. The run, fortunately, is good enough to encourage even the most ardent portage hater to get off the couch and into the mud and it can be run with a wide range of flows - some extra water is best though.

From the top put in, the Styx profile is an almost perfect concave curve so folk who don’t want the class IV+/V can just put in where that stops. The first few moves and drops are class IV+, then it eases to class IV for a while, then to class III, and finally to class II with some fun little hydraulics down to the take out. The walk in will have you nicely warmed-up for the first few moves.

To get to the put in: Drive out to Kokatahi from Hokitika. Follow the road past the pub. About 11km further on you will cross the Styx River twice. Shortly after, the road turns to gravel and there is a gate on the right signposted ‘Access to Styx Valley’. Park at the gate, shoulder boats and follow the 4WD track to its end. The walking track is obvious from here. Head up this until you get to a steep descent into a small side creek with obvious views up the river. Clamber up the other side and go another 150m where you will find the well worn route down to a little pool (if you want more walking you can go as far as you want). This gives some good chunky drops to start the trip. Luckily you are warmed up from the 1.5 hours of walking.

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p181.