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Helicopter

Lake Stanley to Forks Hut

Tue, 2009-11-24 19:57 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
IV-IV+
Portage?: 
Yes
Level: 

Needs extra water

Gauge: 

If Waingaro is in very good flow

Length: 
4.5km
Time: 
2-5 hours
Put in: 
Helicopter to start of gorge below Lake Stanley.
Take out: 
At the Waingaro confluence.
Shuttle: 
Helicopter
Character: 
Tight, steep boulder gardens
Hot tip: 
Great addition to a weekend Waingaro trip
Upstream of: 
Forks Hut to Hamama Road

The Stanley is a little done addition to the Waingaro helicopter trip. When we did it in 2008 the helo pilot reckoned we were only the second group in, but who knows? There needs to be a reasonable amount of water around for the Stanley to be on. It is a very small creek, and as your second day will likely be on the Waingaro you need water to hang around for the second day as well.

Fill: 
76%
Credits: 
Andrew Goodger
No incidents reported.

Big River to Coast

Mon, 2008-11-17 22:02 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
IV-IV+
Portage?: 
Yes
Gauge: 
Visual
Gradient: 
30m/km
Time: 
1-2 days
Put in: 
Where you can
Take out: 
Lagoon on West Coast
Character: 
Steep, narrow gorges with granite boulders

Write up of first descent in CUMEC Magazine #6, p34-37 by Ben Robson.

Fill: 
62%
History: 
First descent by Nick Gordon, Ben Robson, Ben Cullen and Jono Hay on 19-20 October 2007.
No incidents reported.

Styx Saddle to Third Gorge

Fri, 2007-11-23 00:14 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
III+
Portage?: 
No
Put in: 
Styx saddle
Upstream of: 
Arahura Gorges
Fill: 
50%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p175
Credits: 
Graham Charles
History: 
Bruce Barnes and Mick Hopkinson, 1984.

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p175.

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

Grassy Flats Hut to Styx Bridge

Mon, 2007-10-15 19:30 — Guido
Alternate Name: 
Upper Styx
Info
Class: 
IV+-V
Portage?: 
No
Level: 
If the lower Styx is at medium or higher.
Gauge: 
visual
Length: 
12.5km
Gradient: 
40m/km
Time: 
3-5hours
Put in: 
Grassy Flats Hut
Take out: 
At the cars or continue 300 m to the top Styx bridge.
Shuttle: 
Helicopter section 7B
Maps: 
J33
Character: 
Very tight, steep, even gradient.
Hot tip: 
Surprisingly good fun.
Upstream of: 
Tyndall Stream to Styx bridge

The Upper Styx makes for a great day out and can handle quite a lot of water. Recent seasons and increasing fuel costs have seen it become one of the more popular runs because the helicopter shuttle is so short.

Fill: 
80%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p180
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p180.

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

Stony

Thu, 2007-05-10 13:49 — tonywh
Info
Class: 
IV
Level: 

When Blackball Creek is runnable

Length: 
17km
Put in: 
Kynnerlsey Creek junction
Take out: 
Perseverance Rd
Fill: 
33%
No incidents reported.

Barrowman Flat to old SH6 bridge

Wed, 2006-05-17 21:59 — jonathan
Alternate Name: 
Lower Whataroa
Info
Class: 
III+ (IV)
Portage?: 
No
Level: 
40-120 cumecs (roughly 60 per cent the flow from the WRC gauge)
Gauge: 
visual, or WRC flow phone for the Whataroa River 083 225 495
Length: 
13km
Gradient: 
8m/km
Time: 
3-5 hours
Put in: 
Barrowman Flat
Take out: 
Old SH6 bridge site.
Shuttle: 
helicopter section 7B or 7C
Maps: 
I35
Character: 
Big boulder gardens, big water feel.
Hot tip: 
Some of the most stunning gorges you’ll ever see.
Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p205
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p205.

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

Butler Hut to Barrowman Flat

Wed, 2006-05-17 21:59 — jonathan
Alternate Name: 
Upper Whataroa
Info
Class: 
IV+ (V)
Portage?: 
No
Level: 
40-120 cumecs (roughly 60 per cent the flow from the WRC gauge)
Gauge: 
visual, or WRC flow phone for the Whataroa River 083 225 495
Length: 
16.8km
Gradient: 
28.5m/km
Time: 
3.5-6 hours
Put in: 
Butler Hut
Take out: 
Old SH6 bridge site.
Shuttle: 
helicopter section 7B or 7C
Maps: 
I35
Character: 
Big boulder gardens, big water feel.
Hot tip: 
Be ready for some big pushy water.
Upstream of: 
Barrowman Flat to old SH6 bridge

The huge north face of Mount Elie de Beaumont provides a stunning backdrop for the first couple of kilometres of the upper Whataroa, the only problem is there’s not much opportunity to stop and look at anything except the next difficult rapid. Once landed at Butler Hut it is possible to walk upstream and get a kilometre of steep water on the Butler. Otherwise walk downstream of the hut on the track and get out to the river wherever you can. Expect a gradient of 28.5m/km for the first 3 kilometres, and 8m/km from there.

Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p204
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p204.

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

Cropp River to Hokitika River

Wed, 2006-05-17 21:59 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
IV+ (V)
Portage?: 
No
Level: 
class IV+ (V): 20-100 cumecs class V: >100 cumecs
Gauge: 
Visual at the take out (allow for the Hokitika flow in here as well, approx 1/4)
Length: 
12.5km
Gradient: 
14m/km
Time: 
4-5 hours
Put in: 
Cropp River Junction
Take out: 
Second cableway in the Hokitika
Shuttle: 
Helicopter section 7B
Maps: 
J34
Character: 
Big boulder gardens with a big water feel, especially in Colliers Gorge.
Hot tip: 
Never turn down a trip on the Whitcombe.

The Whitcombe is one the most popular trips on the Coast. The record to date is 47 paddlers flying to the Cropp put in during a busy day in early 1999. It carries more water than your average Coast steep creek so feels like a ‘real’ river.

Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p188
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p188.

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

Cave Camp to Cropp River

Wed, 2006-05-17 21:59 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
IV-VI
Portage?: 
Yes
Level: 
low/medium
Gauge: 
visual/local
Length: 
26.5km
Gradient: 
45m/km
Time: 
8 hours, both days
Put in: 
Cave Camp
Take out: 
Second cableway, Hokitika River
Shuttle: 
Helicopter section?
Maps: 
J34
Character: 
Awesomely steep rapids with many big waterfalls
Hot tip: 
Make sure you get plenty of whisky flown to Prices Hut—you’ll need it
Upstream of: 
Cropp River to Hokitika River

If Henry Whitcombe and Douglas Lauper could be transmogrified through time to anywhere in the Whitcombe River on a summers day they would not believe their eyes (I guess a helicopter would be enough to do the trick). This river of hell, which took them fourteen long days to descend in 1865, is now the home of two classic kayak runs. The upper section from Cave Camp to the Cropp River confluence was added to the list during the 98/99 season by Arnd Schaeftlein, Andi Uhl, Mike Abbot, Andy Phillips and Allan Ellard.

Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p184
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p184.

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

Lower Wanganui

Wed, 2006-05-17 21:59 — jonathan
Info
Class: 
III (IV+)
Portage?: 
No
Level: 
30-80 cumecs
Gauge: 
visual at the take out
Length: 
7km
Gradient: 
9.5m/km
Time: 
2-4 hours
Put in: 
Hunter Hut (Wanganui/Lambers Confluence)
Take out: 
Gravel road end 3km up from SH6 (right hand side)
Shuttle: 
helicopter section 7B or 7C
Maps: 
I34 and J34
Character: 
Moderate water
Hot tip: 
Great for a first fly in.

The character of the Wanganui is different from other West Coast rivers, dropping sharply out of the Alps, but easing off without flowing through any gorges.

From just above the Lambert/Wanganui junction is a great class III intermediate trip and an excellent proposition for a first helicopter trip. The gradient drops right off to 9.5m/km and enjoyable class III water, except for one class IV-V rapid. This rapid (Slip Rapid) is about 4 kilometres from the Lambert/Wanganui junction and is easy to spot from above. Run the rapid or portage on the right side.

Fill: 
89%
NZ Whitewater 4th Edition 2006: 
p201
Credits: 
Graham Charles

This section appears in New Zealand Whitewater, 4th edition, 2006 on p201.

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