Offroad-Express

DieselBoy wrote: to go back into the track to salvage the four remaining vehicles from the rock garden,

What the I had to sleep the night in my tent waiting in a traffic jam of nissan's and toyota's on the rock garden

When the next big ORE trip anyhow diesel boy? Keen to show off the blue zuk again with her new shoes (simex's)

Hold on man, I'm trying to get my zook done as fas5t as i can so we can do a wires loop rematch in the other direction

That and a huge trip in the 42nd traverse area following random tracks is in the pipe line, just trying to get maps off my ex who works for Doc monitoring kiwi chicks in there. She reckons there are only a couple places that Doc would have a problem with us going

Peter, your ex may know the 42 Traverse area well but the DOC rules for the Tongariro Forest only allow 4WD use on the 42 Traverse track. It took the NZFWDA and the local group TFAG 5 years to get that agreed to and it's working well.
It will be very hard for DOC to argue that 4x4 use destroys everything the next time the CMS is reviewed (in about 3 years).

If they can show however that four wheelers just go where they wish anyway then our credibility will vanish. As a NZFWDA affilated group, the ORE Association would be expected to conform with the agreement we have with DOC, which is to stay on the 42 Traverse.

Sorry about that but the future must be considered too.

Peter Vahry
NZFWDA northern public relations

Thanks, i am well aware of that. My previous post may have made lite of some serious planning and negotiation that is currently being undertaken with the possible eventuality of us being able to undertake such a trip.

zuky wrote:

DieselBoy wrote: to go back into the track to salvage the four remaining vehicles from the rock garden,

What the I had to sleep the night in my tent waiting in a traffic jam of nissan's and toyota's on the rock garden

When the next big ORE trip anyhow diesel boy? Keen to show off the blue zuk again with her new shoes (simex's)

you could have gotten around them im sure

Comment from John Wilton. the TFAG secretary and a key person behind getting 42 Traverse access.....

"DOC Kiwi monitoring teams have in the past complained loudly that some 4 wheelers have not respected DOC rules in this area. The DOC rules are: the Traverse itself is open to 4WD's (Dec to April) but the surrounding tracks are not. This has been widely publicised many times in the past and a number of notices on access ways to the Forest repeat this message.

Unfortunately a few (and only a very few) have not followed that in the past and have put the whole access arrangements in Tongariro Forest in jeopardy by straying from the Traverse itself and going off on some of the side tracks. We want to retain access to this area and who knows we may be able to extend that access in the future. While DOC fully appreciate that by far the majority of 4 Wheelers respect the rules it is unfortunate that comments like the writer's and the actions of very few people undermine the good work being done to retain access."

Not to worry, plans for the trip were scrapped a couple of weeks ago following your concern and after talkin it over with DOC staff

They decided in the end that while they didn't have a problem with a select small group doing specific tracks with supervision, it wouldn't be fair on other users if we were able to get access to these areas, and would more than likely lead to members of the public following the fresh tracks and creating havoc. Or something to that affect

Its certainly been interesting testing the waters in this thread

Maybe one day, we will be alowed back in

i still want supervision co-pilot ! ! ! you promised ! ! !

:throws toys out of cot:

Unfortunately a significant hole has developed on the Maratoto Trail
that will require attention with a digger. The gate has been closed from March 19 until further notice.

This is a great pity as it is little over a month since it reopened. If we can find the money to get a digger into the trail in the next month we will try to get the problem fixed. There are reports of up to 10 4x4's each day in the weekends but very little donated money in the honesty box.

Peter Vahry

PeterVahry wrote:Unfortunately a significant hole has developed on the Maratoto Trail
that will require attention with a digger. The gate has been closed from March 19 until further notice.

This is a great pity as it is little over a month since it reopened. If we can find the money to get a digger into the trail in the next month we will try to get the problem fixed. There are reports of up to 10 4x4's each day in the weekends but very little donated money in the honesty box.

Peter Vahry

thats just shit house ! people that use and abuse the track and not put money towards the maintanence of the place need a kick in the balls,that pisses me off. on a constructive note, i think the box placement and size could do with attention,i do recall the first time i ever went there i couldnt even find the bloody thing,was looking around the start of the track etc where the gate is. maybe if it was moved closer to the road on the corner where it is and made bigger and brighter etc this would make people more aware of its presence ? with a sign on it reading....

if you use the track and dont donate wopass will kick you in the balls ! !

might work

wopass wrote: with a sign on it reading....

if you use the track and dont donate wopass will kick you in the balls ! !

might work

Hear Hear

3rd'd


(we'll be there for moral support aye Furgus )

What is involved with getting a digger in there? What size digger is needed, what is access like etc? Timeframe for transporter to get to and from hamilton would be??

I'm sure Peter will have some better info, but according to smaps:
http://www.smaps.co.nz/nz/hauraki/paeroa+rural/maratoto+road/
Its about 60-70 km from Htown. Just up the road from your favourite play spot - Thompsons.

If you're offering a digger, I'm offering to come and help lean on a shovel.


Ben

Just going back to the 42nd Traverse, why can you have very limited access to public property on the basis of damage caused by 4x4's but 1 millions cubic meters of shit flowing down hill is good news to DOC.It's got me fucked.

Im not offering at this stage Benny. If it were scaffolding, id have it there in a shot, but that kinda plant is "owned" by another manager. I am however, attempting to ascertain wether a little 1.5 tonner may do the job required, or if a 4.5 jobbie is needed...... just curious...... if a little un could do it, then im sure something could be wangled, upon consultation with the cheeses. If something bigger is needed, that needed to be trucked out, then that may be a little more difficult.... but not impossible....

We'll wait for word from uncle Pete then....

At our club meeting tonite we talked about this with Peter,Peter is going to contact Ces who lives just down the road and arrange for him to take his digger up and repair the track ,The Aucland club has aggreed to underwrite the costs in the meantime,Will prob cost around $1000 to repair,Hopefully repairs can be completed in the next couple of weeks depending on Ces"s workload...Steve

The last update was spot on. The arrangement we have with DOC has them recognising Ces as a valid operator. If we bring in other machine operators, they will have to provide Health and Safety stuff and the whole nine yards. (and remember that it can take around 4 hours just to walk a digger up to the repair site)

There will be a delay as Ces can't get up there until the middle of April due to other commitments. The cost estimate is just under $1000 +GST

It is hoped that the NZFWDA northern zone will again cough up the money as Auckland 4WD only undertook to underwrite the cost so an approach could be made quickly to Ces.

If the weather is in our favour and repairs are made, there may well be another working bee a few weeks later to add rock reinforcing and attend to some vegetation a bit further along.

The old phone message number will be discontinued in 2 weeks time. Please note down that the new number is 027 5242132

Peter

hows the track looking for next years traffic Peter ? any working bees planned for the track in the near future ?

The work has been delayed by weather and DOC consultation but they've approved the program. so if it stays dry for a week we might get it done.

There will be a cutting back working bee once the work has stabilised. Can't guess a date at this time but it probably won't be until August now.

Peter

hey Peter, i hear that there is going to be a working bee up the track on the 14th ?

can you confirm please.

if so there is at least me and pete keen to come help out,hopefully more if you can give us a bit of info and we can muster a few more of the boys. i imagine that XJ and DIXIE might be keen to come and lend a hand also....

cheers

Mate, i'm either at a stag do in Taupo the night of the 13th, or in Auckland for the night at a show, which means i'll not be dragging myself out of a thai restauarant until about 4am.......... cant say i'll be in any state to be helping anyone do anything.....

Yes, the intention is to go into Maratoto on Oct 14 and do some cutting back. The digger has still not managed to get in and with this continued wet weather it may not be in by Oct 14. That might mean having to leave vehicles at the hole by ABC rock and walking for 30 minutes with cutting gear.

Start time at the river ford...9.30 am

Peter

thanks Peter. Let us know if there is any change of plans.

WHO ELSE IS KEEN TO COME HELP ?

sunday week yeah i am keen have to see if i can find a digging implement

Hanging out to use my chain saw, so yeah, will be there some how or other. Got a spare seat anyone??

The mention of a chainsaw reminded me that we need to use as much care as possible to ensure there are no injuries. If this was strictly a DOC project, we'd need to require operator "tickets" but I don't know what they look like.

I will require chainsaw people to wear long trousers and strong footwear at least, along with hearing protection please.

Peter

Hmmm sounds good to me.....but some notice would be good, let me no what we can use,dont often get to sweat outside the office at the mo!

For cutting back vegetation you can use what you wish, as long as it's safe.

One thing that we do need to be careful of, is what's left by things like slashers and that's usually a nice sharp and pointed bit of wood sticking up ready to skewer tyres or people.

Pruning loppers and hand saws can work well. Even petrol powered hedge cutters are practical for clearing the ever present overhanging fern.

Not everyone needs to cut as we need to have crews clearing the cut material from the trail and gloves are practical.