Maratoto Track Summer 2010/2011

[Fergy]

Went up to the gate at Maratoto on the weekend but it was closed. Had a chat to one of the locals who thinks it usually opens Labour Weekend.
Is DOC in charge of this?
How can i find out when they plan to open it?
Would be keen to help out in a Working bee for the track

Cheers.

[jeremy]

Email access at nzfwda.org.nz for info

There used to be phone number you could call to get a pre-recorded message saying whether the track was open/closed, but not sure if that's still running?

[mudlva]

a group of us were up there doing track maintance last weekend with a digger being sorted to do more of the heavier stuff,
Peter V. will then be in a suitation were he will be able to inform us of a time the gate will be opened.

Cheers Rohan

[PeterVahry]

It's still closed with the aim of getting a digger up the trail to fix water damage etc from the past 2 years. It may yet be another month. The phone number to check is 027 5242132

There have been attacks on the gate by people with 4x4's, which is annoying DOC. Please be patient.

[PeterVahry]

The Maratoto trail remains closed after a rock blasting exercise a couple of weeks ago to reduce a side slope that was unsafe to negotiate with a digger. There is maintenance to do in order to comply with the conditions set out by DOC and Environment Waikato.
The good news is that a digger has been organised with funding from the NZFWDA and the work is planned to start on 6 Dec. It is expected to take at least a week to do the required work, if conditions are good.
Once the maintenance is complete and conditions permit, the gate will be opened. Remember that there is a phone number with a message about the gate status. 027 5242132

[Jerry]

Maybe worth adding info about this track here

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Tracks

[PeterVahry]

An update on maintenance progress.. after a week of digger work there is still a bit left to do, so some extra digger time is being negotiated. With rain forecast it is aimed to have the machine out by Wed 15 Dec. (it takes a day to walk it back to the road)

As soon as the conditions allow, the gate will be opened but it may not be this weekend. Check 027 5242132 for confirmation of the gate being open.

[lincooln]

I wouldn't hold your breath on the rain, I doubt it will. It will be good to have the track open, is it coming in on budget as such?

Lincoln

[Fergy]

Been told the track is open

[PeterVahry]

The Maratoto is not yet open. The digger struck a problem, losing a track on a rocky section about 700m from the gate. A bulldozer with a winch has had to go in to assist the extraction and the bills are climbing!

The track will stay closed for at least another week unfortunately. It should be good around the New Year but use the phone number 027 5242132 to get verification of whether the gate is open,

[PeterVahry]

Finally it's been possible to open the gate at Maratoto. A lot of work has been done to meet environmental requirements for water run-off management and to minimise mud hole formation.
There is a $10 donation to use a 4x4 on the trail to help fund the cost of the ongoing maintenance. Drop your payment into the yellow box on the corner of Wires and Maratoto Roads.

The Loop is still unmaintained and tough with the high probability of panel damage as a minimum.

Enjoy the challenges along the Maratoto trails but please stay on the trail and look after the environment.