Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

trail conditions and trip writeups.
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zukmeista
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Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

NOTE

These are ULR's. Unformed LEGAL Roads. As such anyone is permitted to access them at any time. However, one should be respectful of surrounding land owners and if possible inform them of your plan to travel the road as many of these roads run through farmer's paddocks and they appreciate people informing them so they know who is passing through. Also the roads should be treated with respect, i.e. don't go tearing the shit out of the grass on the sides of the roads and also ensure you remain on the road at all times because if you stray off the road you could be prosecuted for tresspassing. I would prefer that the names/location of these roads was not put out in public to avoid the access being ruined by the muppet brigade i.e. the ones who go up Thompsons track and leave rubbish everywhere and act like idiots. If you would like to know where they are send me a PM and I can show you where they are.

The first one is short but has 2 steep and slippery hills at one end. I wouldn't recommend attempting it on MT tyres unless it hasn't rained for 2 weeks. Starting from the bottom of the first hill:
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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

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muddymatt1973
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by muddymatt1973 »

Nice track. I'll PM ya later... :D
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

The second is quite a bit longer. The start of it is a liitle confusing as it's not obvious which side of the fence it runs on. The left side is very wet and swampy and would be a hard slog. The right side is through a paddock but is very firm and would be the better option but not sure where the road legally runs. I didn't drive this section as I came from the other side but couldn't get through so walked the rest of the way.
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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

At this point the road forks into two directions, the left road goes along the ridgeline and wouldn't be too difficult. The road on the right goes around the side of the hill and would be very challenging as it is extremely wet. Again not sure which is the legal road. I walked the top track first.
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Looking back up the hill in the previous picture:
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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

This is the bottom track, calf-deep mud all the way, deeper in places.
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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

This is where the two roads join into one again.
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Unfortunately not all my pics are working, but this is where the first slip in the road is, there is room to the side to cut a bypass around it.
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This is the showstopper, it is wide enough to fit a truck through but I would be very concerned about the possibility of a further slip occuring if one was to try and cross it. There is no way to cut a bypass track around it, the only way to sort it would be to get a digger in and cut the banck away to make it wider.
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From where I am standing to where my truck is is pure swamp, there is no way to drive through without destroying the track, but you could winch through it. It could possibly be fixed by digging drainage ditches.
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Another swampy area, I tried not to damage the road too much.
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At this point the road crosses over a saddle.
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I would like to see and be involved in reparing this road, but I am not sure about the legalities as it is a puplic road and the council may need to be involved? :?
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Thats enough for today, will post the rest tomorrow. :mrgreen:
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Mehrts
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by Mehrts »

Looks like a good area to clear up
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shortylux
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by shortylux »

Good work on that wee scouting mission. Looks like it has potential.
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FORGE1
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by FORGE1 »

Good pics man. Where u got to the swampy bit by the land slip is as far as I got and got stuck in the bighorn ages ago. The farmer told me there is a spring in there hence the water logged track. I would be keen to go once the hilux is up and running as the safari would be to big for the track at the moment.
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DieselBoy
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by DieselBoy »

Good to see some adventurous spirit on ORE :D :D :D

Did these roads also check out as being public roads on wams.co.nz??

Good work 8) 8)
lax2wlg wrote:Is that like saying 'she's hot, for a crackwhore??
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Thanks guys. But wait there's more! :D This one is close to the one above, and it's a mudfest from start to finish! I didn't drive it as I was travelling solo and didn't want to risk stuckage. :wink:
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zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Forgot to mention... No locked gates anywhere! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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FORGE1
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by FORGE1 »

The last bit looks like its boggy but I went through the start on a rainy day snapped my PRS aerial on a goarse bush and thought it would be to boggy but drove striaght through. Brother n law went in on AT's no problem I think its got a hard base but walking it was a mission.

Good work walking it.

When you get back towards the other end it goes to a gravel type track. As we were exploring it I slipped off the main track and into a ditch. Took ages to get out lol. I have pics somewhere will post up what I have from the road later tonight if I can find them as it was a little while ago.
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Pooke
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by Pooke »

Ahh yes, I remember this place.
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Was a bit bored yesterday so went for a cruise, over the last couple of months a bit of spadework has the track widened in the slipped areas, my Rugger fits through easy but will need a bit more work to get a Safari through. The spring in the middle of the track with the slips was still quite wet, did a few 'depth test runs' :wink: and there is a firmish bottom underneath which my 33's just reached. There are a few other muddy bits but nothing major. Oh and not really a shiny track as there is a bit of gorse around, anybody keen to have a look?
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Went for a drive again today to see if the recent rain had made things interesting but was still quite dry, decided not to attempt the swamp part as I got stuck last time, only had 31" mts on then but. Only about 40kms from central whangarei so not far to drive.
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Armz
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by Armz »

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I recognise that tree. So many memories, I hit it with my Surf, my Terrano, and the old man's Suzuki many times, just a few km's from my parents old farm, the photo doesnt do that hill justice as to how steep it is.

That second track, is that the one out Waiotira, and cross over a hill will a railway tunnel running through it at the southern end? - If so, the photos look even better than what I thought the truck would be like, and now I'm even more pissed I knew there was a paper road with good neighbours there for so long but never explored it before I left
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Yeah that hill is pretty steep and gets real slippery in the rain. Nah doesn't go over a railway tunnel maybe another one around somewhere?
zukmeista
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Re: Whangarei Paper Roads / 4WD tracks 100+ pics

Post by zukmeista »

Decided to make use of the recent rain and go play in some mud. :D Was very slippery and most muddy spots required 3rd low and full noise to get anywhere, was throwing some decent rooster tails! :twisted:
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