surpintine

[dangerous]

Hey all... looking at heading into surpintine via millers flat at Xmas...
whos been there done that and has some tips?

[NJV6]

Yes its a local track, and its Serpentine . There are 3 was to get to it, but the one from Millers Flat is a bit rougher, probably pay to take a 2nd vehicle.

[stealth]

Going thru with a few trucks 10th Nov, will advise what its like then...

[dangerous]

Yes its a local track, and its Serpentine . There are 3 was to get to it, but the one from Millers Flat is a bit rougher, probably pay to take a 2nd vehicle.

Rough as in rocky steep or as in swampy and muddy? Im a safari and am looking at doing it alone... what ya reckon if weather has been good?

[dangerous]

Going thru with a few trucks 10th Nov, will advise what its like then...

that be good, tho likely to change between your trip and mine... let me know ya route in and out ta

[NJV6]

Its boggy in places, if you can't see the bottom of some of the waterholes perhaps best avoid them - they have decent ruts in the bottom. Id go through on my own cautiously but then again I know the track.

[dangerous]

Its boggy in places, if you can't see the bottom of some of the waterholes perhaps best avoid them - they have decent ruts in the bottom. Id go through on my own cautiously but then again I know the track.

true that... I have a bit of gear inc winch etc so if the weathers been good... she be right mate...
tho... ill repost closer to the time to see if anyone local is keen for the drive.

[stealth]

Hey Guys,

Will it still be passable after all this rain... weather repost showing its still raining, are there any river crossing etc that will be well up?

We are still thinking of going tomorrow so wondering how bad it could be.

CHeers

[wjw]

Been a decade since I've been up there, but from memory with this amount of rain there will be long sections under water and you wont be able to tell where the bog holes used to be. I would be prepared for some longer distance recoveries, pretty sure last time I went in with Central Otago club, that was the track we had to join 40 meters of rope to have someone pulling from out of the water.

[wjw]

I mark where we turn going to these places and the closest one I have seems to be on the junction of deep creek road & Linnburn Runs Road.

[stealth]

We are meeting at millars flat, so wherever the nearest start point to there is.... I guess that's the way we are going.

[NJV6]

There is one deep swift crossing which I suspect will be impassable around lake Onslow before the Serpentine turnoff. I won’t say you won’t get through as you may well do but just a heads up.

See screenshot below.

[NJV6]

I mark where we turn going to these places and the closest one I have seems to be on the junction of deep creek road & Linnburn Runs Road.

Yes that’s coming from the old Dunstan trail end or Pataeroa / Paerau end, the road from millers flat is the lake Onslow road that turns into deep creek road.

[stealth]

Yesterday we went in from the millers flat side with 6 trucks and 4 went thru to the church, the waterways were well up due to recent rain, anywhere that would hold water was full. The 1st crossing wasn't too bad about bonnet height and slow moving, the 2nd one in was very fast flowing and deeper, a couple of trucks got a bit floaty but everyone who attempted it made it thru, both had reasonably good solid bases, the track from there was really hit or miss, we wouldn't tell what it was like under the water or how deep, there was a bit of snatching to get everyone thru, i got stuck on the same spot on the way in and out on a little muddy step up/step down that the 80 just couldn't get over (bellied both times lol)

Quite a lot of ruts had really good gravely bases and if there was a lot less water i think the going would be easy as able to you could pick the dryer lines, i would expect this to be easily passable with a stock standard 4x4 around xmas barring a few days of heavy rain.

[stealth]

I have a few photos but how dont know how to put them on here...

[dangerous]

I have a few photos but how dont know how to put them on here...

bloody good Stealth ta... as far as posting pics if they are on ya puter just hit the button below + attachments should all flow from there as long as they arnt to large

[stealth]

ok I see it now, after work ill throw some photos up and upload the vids to YouTube and share that link as well

[stealth]

for some reason the attachment button isnt working... here is a couple vids from the 2nd water crossing.

https://youtu.be/pEc8ZO3oygA

https://youtu.be/GLVgOFlXU_I

[stealth]

photo attempt # 1 - it worked but no idea how to flip them to the correct orientation.. sorry

[wjw]

That looks like the exact section I was talking about

[stealth]

where the maroon land cruiser is stuck, there is a little step, i got stuck 3 times trying to get up the track and even managed to get stuck on it on the way out...lol

[dangerous]

for some reason the attachment button isnt working... here is a couple vids from the 2nd water crossing.

https://youtu.be/pEc8ZO3oygA

https://youtu.be/GLVgOFlXU_I

ohhh dear LOL... is that area avoidable or shallower in summer?

[stealth]

I would suspect both the river crossing would be a lot easier in summer, same with the deep ruts it wold be possible to wander your way along the top rather than slipping into them.

[wjw]

for some reason the attachment button isnt working... here is a couple vids from the 2nd water crossing.

https://youtu.be/pEc8ZO3oygA

https://youtu.be/GLVgOFlXU_I

ohhh dear LOL... is that area avoidable or shallower in summer?

You can't go round the section along the fence line as its very soft, but the bottom is firm, so as mentioned you could drive the top of the ruts.