Haast 23-28th 2011

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

Well a bunch of us Christchurch boys just got home from a great trip down the coast to Haast.
We left Wednesday 23rd to travel down to Haast a good 7.5 hour drive, but awesome weather so didn't seem to take that long.
Thursday morning we parked our tow vehicles up and went down the cascade and into Barn Bay.
Great track in some panel damage done and a couple of minor repairs on the way but quickly sorted.
We camped on the coast at Barn bay and sat around the fire on the beach watching the sunset which was an awesome sight.
We venture back out on Friday, and a couple of us had a play in some other tracks on the way out and gave the winches a work out.
Saturday we done the Jackson's track, The recoveries started early due to the river being very deep due to rain over night and my 40 going for a swim.
Some good challenges along the way with some big fallen trees and was outs but we all got through OK.
Sunday was pouring with rain but we still decided to do copper mine track, which was great fun in the mud done a lot of winching some more panel damage to the trucks.
Overall the weather was fantastic, great bunch of guys and i hope you all enjoyed the trip and thanks for the great week.
My cameras just drying out after going for a swim so pics still to come but I'm sure the other guys will post pics soon too.
Cheers Jason

[albundy]

Good to see you guuys getting access, how much did they charge you to go to barn bay. That is a very special part of the world. Been there three times now. I evny you all, who went in the end?
Al

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

It was $30 a truck, yea awesome bit of country alrite.
Ive been three times now also.
Mylux, Nibz, KBJJ, Myself, Tom, Graham

[mylux]

Had an awesome time , thanks Jase for a ripper trip .
At least I had a bit less gear on the way home (tents are over rated I reckon )

[mylux]

Some pics here.
http://s778.photobucket.com/albums/yy66 ... 0%20Haast/
or this

[niblik]

loaded ready to go...


beaut day on the cascade..




gettin to the bay...




a happy camper..


some major track clearin was needed on a few occasions..


and a few bush repairs to different trucks..
kbjj gettin set to weld toms truck..


tom under his rig..


i'll let kbjj expand on this pic of a bush repair...


at the bay..


awoke in the morning to a pair of these cheeky fella's pickin at my tyres..


i was rapt with how the 40 performed.. on the bay trip it was sweet gettin some decent seat time. jacksons went well with a dip in the river to help fellow wheelers and progressed into another sweet day.. then the final day was the copper creek show with mud and winching for all.. great time and plenty of muddy smiles..

sorry there arent more pics but was driving and didnt want to wreck the good cameras.. do have vid and kbjj has my camera i think, so have got to get those back and sift through footage. hope to post more later..

eeling was fun and the campfire antics went off with a bang.. donuts were abundant and everyone was crack up.. was a really great trip all round. thanks to jason of classic cruiser fame for puttin it together for us..

[albundy]

Looks like you guys had a shit load of fun. Tell you the truth, all of the trips I have been on in there were uneventful in terms of repairs, looks like fun none the less, if not an excuse for a beer or two
Al

[niblik]

still waitin on other photos and vid..

[DieselBoy]

Shhhhhhh, you'l get the entire Auckland "Lets go to Woodhill again this weekend" brigade + friends, wanting to come and tear this place up

[hilux81]

Great photos!!! ive been to those three tracks twice now heading there again at queens birthday weekend. Definetly a place worth doing for the 4wding and spectacular scenery.

[kbjj]

Great trip, cheers Jason, except for bloody mossies, I got nailed by the buggars.
10 minutes into barn bay track, my clutch pedal stayed on the floor. I had a split in the slave cylinder seal. Cleaned it with brake cleaner then glued it. Held on for the next 3 days of abuse and started to let go on way home, so a wee detour into Greymouth for a new one.
Jackson river was the deepest river I've crossed, and quite wide. Had to do it 3 times, initial crossing, then recover a dead petrol (sorry but I had to say that), then towed said vehicle across as it was clear it didnt want to run underwater.
Once again, great trip, cheers all.

[mylux]

Jackson river was the deepest river I've crossed, and quite wide. Had to do it 3 times, initial crossing, then recover a dead petrol (sorry but I had to say that), then towed said vehicle across as it was clear it didnt want to run underwater.
Once again, great trip, cheers all.

Mate you spent more time in that river than the eels
I think you crossed it about 6 times.
Gotta love those Petrols

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

Jackson river was the deepest river I've crossed, and quite wide. Had to do it 3 times, initial crossing, then recover a dead petrol (sorry but I had to say that), then towed said vehicle across as it was clear it didnt want to run underwater.

I must run on petrol too then I did'nt like being in the water up to my arm pits that early in the morning either

But the petrol truck did repay the favour the next day after spending an hour and a half winching a deisel Nissan out of copper creek.

[niblik]

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

[NJV6]

Looks great. The hope river looks like it was nice to you, it is a barstard of a crossing when the river is high!

[niblik]

a few vids.. honestly all i got though..

[kbjj]

Jackson river was the deepest river I've crossed, and quite wide. Had to do it 3 times, initial crossing, then recover a dead petrol (sorry but I had to say that), then towed said vehicle across as it was clear it didnt want to run underwater.

I must run on petrol too then I did'nt like being in the water up to my arm pits that early in the morning either

But the petrol truck did repay the favour the next day after spending an hour and a half winching a deisel Nissan out of copper creek.

True... I do like those pto winches. I think that be the hole I tweeked my chassis when doing the triple line pull. All good, fixable.