Waitaha / Above Moonbeam Hut to Waitaha Valley Road, IV-IV+ (P)
One of the best runs on the coast and thus one of the best in the country and is a step up from the Arahura and Whitcombe Rivers - it even has a lovely wander through lush forest near the end.
The normal put in is just above Moonbeam Hut. A short warm up and class IV boulder gardens lead down to ‘the big drop’, an obvious slot between two giant boulders and HUGE hole at the bottom. Good luck and keep ropes handy. Clear of this some more boulders take you into an easy gorge and chance to relax and enjoy the scenery. The tunnel section is next up and has three big rapids in a row culminating in The Tunnel. This is a fabulous stretch of water and is all portageable if needs be. The river takes a break for a while and pushes through a couple of gorges. You’ll come to an obvious rapid which runs hard into a wall and then turns hard right through a very small gap. Either run the rapid or portage on the right and seal launch off the obvious break in the cliff into the run out of the rapid. Things ease after this down to the portage. Once down to Morgan Gorge find the track on the left and get amongst it. It is a hard work portage no matter who you are. If it is your first time it is a good idea to stick together as it is very easy to wander off the track and waste time trying to find each other. Put back in where ever you feel the urge. There is still some solid class IV boating (which feels harder because you’ll be knackered) before the gradient eases right off to the shingle fan and walk up to the cars.
‘Don’t go into Morgan Gorge’ the Hot Tip said, I should know I wrote it. I must’ve forgotten as we sat at the entrance to the gorge in January 2002. We had run the river in four hours and arrived at the portage around the gorge in the early afternoon. Flying the gorge it had looked like some good lines existed and some portages around the impossible stuff. Like moths to a flame we were all drawn to the excitement of the unknown. The anxiousness was laughable as we ran the entrance drops and all took a pounding of some sort. Like a lost world the twisting corners kept things hidden, some hard drops, some mandatory portages and we were in up to our armpits. Over half way through before we met our nemesis. A rapid no one wanted to attempt, no way back, no way around. We left the boats and began the climb up the only possible break in the vertical moss walls. We made the cars that night after seven hours of walking and bush crashing. The boats took a further nine hours the next day after we abseiled in and hoisted them out and carried upstream and eventually around the gorge. A great trip - the Hot Tip gets upgraded to a Very Hot Tip.
To get to the take out: Phone the farmer for permission (03 755 4931). Drive south from Hokitika to the Waitaha Valley Road on the Hokitika side of the river (about 600 past the Kakapotahi Road). Drive about 12 kilometres up this road to a farm house and gate. Continue past the small conical hill to the road end before the obvious shingle fan. Make sure to check with the helicopter pilot you are going to the same place.
This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p199.
