16 Aug Gary/Okuku Rivers, Canty

[fweddy]

Plans are to meet on the road side at the normal Rangiora domain meeting point (on your right just before the Ashley river bridge) at 10am Sunday 16 Aug.

Will leave there by 10:15-20 and head up to the Gary River. (Over Ashley river, follow road into Loburn, turn into the Ashley Gorge road, cross Okuku river and just after the Mt Thomas turn off drop into the river on the left.) This is about a 10-15 min drive)

Its a great trip to go down the Gary, along the Ashley and up the Okuku, to the white rock bridge or even push through up to Paringa hills. Its not a real rugged trip but a sense of adventure helps.

There are lots of crossings of the Gary, and some driving along it (between the trees), but last time I was there it was generally ankle to shin deep with a variety of deeper holes in places with some interesting and challenging bits. We most likely will have to cross the Ashley a few times and there are one or two crossings of the Okuku to get to the road bridge and quite a few crossings of it from there up to the Whiterock road.

There are a few exits/entrances along the way for people who want to / have to pull out part way. First is near the Gary/Ashley confluence (Garrymere Road). Another from the Ashley near Bullock Creek. Next is Okuku river bridge (that will have already passed over on way up). And then the Whiterock road bridge.

I've only been once before and haven't been there for a few months so thinking of doing a rekki before (takers?), if not it will be a bit of a see as we go casual adventure. Each responsible for their own. Tow hooks and snorkel recommend. No doubt will be using UHF PRS Channel 19.

If rivers are high we'll aim for the next sunday.

[mike]

that is an awesome trip, did it with leithfield a long time ago. bits of it was like being in the jungle

[tallsam66]

sounds great....im in & no kids that weekend so even better

[yeti]

im in

[zookfest]

if the trucks in 1 piece and i havnt started any mods then ill be there

[Xr246]

Im in

i only have UHF PRS Channels 9 to12

[VX Scotty]

Yep I'm keen. Its me Mum's birthday, but Ill pop over Sat night and see her! Might have a couple of other trucks keen also.

[pressy]

sounds like a good idea fingers crossed i will be there.

pressy

[aroma]

what sort of trip lift and 33 as min or navara ute on muddy 30'S ok have normal recovery gear and snorkle??
could be keen if truck ok

[Jezza]

I might see if I can make it

[wjw]

Kids ok?

[yeti]

I'm going

[fweddy]

what sort of trip lift and 33 as min or navara ute on muddy 30'S ok have normal recovery gear and snorkle??
could be keen if truck ok

I'm std heights and 33s, 30s should be fine I think, but each one knows the ability of their vehicle. I would recommend snorkel for extra engine safety sake, you never know. Expect perhaps a bit of bush rub, as Mike says its a bit like the jungle in places winding between trees etc quite nice, although the willows won't be in leaf for the 'bush canopy'.

Hoping to head up there tomorrow to have a check over so will have better idea then. Also hopeing for some one else with a decent winch too, be a good to have a few winches between us.

Kids ok?

Don't see why not. I'm thinking a fairly easy going type trip with a stop for lunch/run-around all together when we find a suitable spot around 12:30-1:00, bring your cooker & billy if you please!

[red-devil]

IM thiking that lili and jono wil be there, and the winch is working.
wot time would we be finshin the run.

jono

[cruzerboy]

Id take at least 1 chainsaw theres uselly a few trees blow over down the gary me and a mate cut all the wind blow of the track but that was bout 8-9months ago

[fweddy]

Well two trucks went and followed the route today. Good trip. Took 4 hours with a bit of stopping for checking things and finding better ways and a couple of recoveries and some work.

Id take at least 1 chainsaw theres uselly a few trees blow over down the gary me and a mate cut all the wind blow of the track but that was bout 8-9months ago

Can see evidence of trimming been done. I took a saw and used it once, managed to push other things out of the way by hand or bull bar.

Do expect bush rub on this trip, willow and broom, there are a few low branches, our trucks are about 2m high give or take a bit and that was tight in places but things can be modified to suit

Definitely recommend a snorkel. Here's some photos to give an idea.

Gary at start


Then it narrows down



Then it leaves the river and winds through the trees




Ashley was softish after being high so a few tricky banks, and had to push through some scrub to get around places



There, not often you get the photos before you go!

[muddyplumber]

nice photos looks like itil be a fun trip

[mud_slinger]

yea does look like a fun trip havent bn there for few years now. hopefuly truck is sweet

[Aza]

Im in! . . . unless i get too boozed on saturday night

[yeti]

just found out i got a two week wait for front wheel bearing...pissed cause this looks like a good trip....

[tallsam66]

just found out i got a two week wait for front wheel bearing...pissed cause this looks like a good trip....

2 weeks good grief.....i guess Jeep Service & parts supplies suck eh.

[fweddy]

just found out i got a two week wait for front wheel bearing...pissed cause this looks like a good trip....

A bit of grease on the old bearings and slap them back in for a week or so? Or is it too much of a mission to get back in to replace them again?

[yeti]

just found out i got a two week wait for front wheel bearing...pissed cause this looks like a good trip....

A bit of grease on the old bearings and slap them back in for a week or so? Or is it too much of a mission to get back in to replace them again?

no bearing, no wof, no wof no reg.....

[fweddy]

River has dropped nicely over the last two weeks, river crossing should be easier now, hopefully no heavy rain over next few days, looks like some is predicted for Thurs and Sat.

To make it clear of the meeting point, its on Milton ave about 50m before it meets Cones road and goes over the bridge.
Type -43.284425,172.587001 into Google maps and you'll find the spot, on the road side by the domain entrance and BMX track.

Then we travel to -43.225157,172.34789 on the road to the start point - about 11kms

Total trip will end at -43.199132,172.468157

with exits at -43.251542,172.387133
and -43.24579,172.465582
and there is one at -43.250289,172.435434 but not so easy to find.

[yeti]

just found out i got a two week wait for front wheel bearing...pissed cause this looks like a good trip....

2 weeks good grief.....i guess Jeep Service & parts supplies suck eh.

na just don't want Chinese one , so have to wait for it to come from the states,all good

[flexy]

hi guys im thinking about coming on this trip aswell sounds like fun. we own some land on the ashley river so have done some playing around the area its at summer hill on google earth -43.264300, 172.378235 and thea is a good gravel road running out of the river back to cust if anyone has to leave early... theas a pretty cool muddy valley that runs up onto our land out of the river aswell that would be fun/challange to try get a truck up (has been done before but in summer) if anyone wanted to have a go it would be quite muddy and steep

cheers ash

[red-devil]

hope to be there with lili an one other .

hows the rivers doing

[fweddy]

hope to be there with lili an one other .

hows the rivers doing

Has risen slightly over the last 24 hours but still a drop over the week and down on when we went through 2 weeks ago.
http://www.ecan.govt.nz/Our%20Environment/Water/Rivers/RiverFlows/river-flows.html?site_no=66214&location=N&StageFlow=S

I normally put the Ashley into a few categories when it comes to crossing it

1 Impassable - flood
2 Brown water - Do-able only if you are brave/stupid
3 Passable if you carefully choose your path
4 No real problem if you sensibly choose the best crossing
5 Barge on in, no problem just avoid the silly risky places
6 What water?

At the moment its about at 4

[fweddy]

If some one wants to go but doesn't have a suitable truck, there is a good chance that there will be a spare seat in some one elses - Mine is full but if some one has a spare seat leave a note. I know I've been doing trips by myself before and its sometimes nice to have a passenger and its a good way to learn if you aren't confident to drive yourself.

[fweddy]

Good day - thanks to every one that attended.

19 Trucks
11 Toyotas
9 Landcruisers (50%)
1 surf and 1 hilux
4 Nissans
3 Isuzus
1 Zooky

Was that right?

Few pics here from my camera










And Since I didn't get a chance to tow anyone all day I went and accidentally stumbled upon a girl who was being taught how to drive by an Asian fellow and had ended up in a mud hole on the side of the road in a Corolla. I had to cut down Yaxleys Road back to near the Okuku bridge to drop off my nephew and found them. Not sure how long they have been there but its a long quiet road (prob good for learning to drive) and they were well stuck. He looked relieved to see me but was most worried that he didn't have a rope.