Steve Kirk-Burnnand battles flood damage and snow in an epic South Island adventure
After that trip was done and dusted a bad case of the post-holiday blues set in, I found myself making plans for a return trip in winter. Unfortunately, I was the only one who could make it but since I survived the first time, I figured I’d be ok. If not, then it’d make for a good story.
My background is 10 years as a mechanic and an avid tinkerer with cars. I’ve built and raced a couple of them in motorsport, so I know my way around a vehicle. The Toyota Surf was chosen as it’s the era that I know best, I’d owned one almost 15 years previously and I like the body style. I couldn’t believe how much I had to pay for it this time, but it’s been as reliable as expected and I couldn’t ask for more. Original plans were to use a roof top tent but unfortunately the Surf roof racks didn’t inspire me with confidence as they flexed the roof with the added weight. It gave me zero confidence in mounting up a heavy tent. The next best thing that turned out to be the best thing was to sleep inside. It’s cheap, warm, doesn’t upset the balance, requires no set-up at the end of the day and your guaranteed to stay dry. Travelling by myself I opted for building a set of drawers on one side while I slept on the other. I’m well over six foot so having the full height inside was a priority and I love the current set-up. After that first trip I added a few of game changers that made a huge difference.
First was a fridge, battery pack and small inverter. I decided against solar as I had a decent amount of driving, so It’s charged through a cheap voltage sensitive relay. Secondly, I installed a Glind hot water shower system as I’m not a fan of going feral for days at a time. Set up is super easy, waters recirculated through a heat exchanger that’s been mounted in the engine bay via an onboard 12v pump. The few minutes it takes to set up the shower tent gives the time required for the engine to heat up a bucket of water. Jump in the tent, stap up the shower head and you’re ready to go. It’s super easy to use and honestly, it makes you feel like a human again. The last thing I installed was a Spartan locker for the front diff.
Budget wise, I think it’s a great compromise when compared to something like an air locker. I broke one of my own rules here and installed it within a few days of leaving and it almost cost me the trip. Long story short, one of the CV shafts didn’t sit correctly in place and was pulling away from the oil seal. This resulted in me having to top up the oil daily and replace it once due to water ingress from river crossings. Not ideal but easy enough for me to do on the go. After a lot of investigating post trip, it’s now fixed and working perfectly. The difference the locker made is night and day, the Surf is far more capable in tricky terrain and sections can be approached at a much slower speed making it more comfortable and much easier on the car. I wouldn’t use one of these lockers in the rear as they are click and bang when under load. It was ok for the front diff as the front wheels are disconnected from each other as standard when in 2WD. If I could afford an air locker for the rear I would jump at the chance.
Travelling solo I made sure I had the required safety gear such as a PLB, a proper first aid kit, warm clothes and a makeshift shelter packed into a “grab bag”. This sat in the passenger seat the whole trip ready to go. It may sound excessive, but I work for an emergency service I’ve seen how quickly things can turn from the best day out to the worst day. I also carried a large selection of tools to ensure I was self-sufficient and beyond the recovery basics I carried a 1.6-ton Tirfor winch.
The trip:
There were so many awesome spots and highlights, the following are a small selection Firstly, I got into a very dark, windy, rain soaked Picton at 3am after a delayed ferry. Not surprisingly all the local DOC campsites were inaccessible after massive flooding and slips in the region’s biggest weather event in recent memory. I ended curling into bed in a truck stop just out of Picton and grabbed a few hours of sleep before heading back out in the morning. Denniston and Mt Rochfort was the day’s goal but after failing to complete the New Creek to Denniston track due to a very washed out Mackley River, I turned tail and arrived via the easier route from Westport. This whole area has some amazing old mining sites and the most incredible cliff views over the valley below.
Big River out by Reefton is an easy track that took me a few hours as I kept stopping at old mine sites and abandoned wrecks. Make sure you stop at the mine marked as “A1 Adit”, about 20 meters in it was full of crystal-clear water and old wooden beams, it made for one of my favourite memories of the area. At the end of Big River track there’s an old mining town and if you push on a little further, you’ll came across Big Rivers main attraction, the old winding engine. This thing is seriously impressive, I spent about an hour looking over it. This is also where I came across my first fellow travellers in four days. A couple of older guys covered in mud struggling on motorbikes, smiling from ear to ear and living the dream.
The next day I was keen to tackle Napoleon Hill but after talking to the local farmer I decided against it as no one had been through there in months and it was likely washed out beyond my capability. After trying and failing at a couple of local tracks that were too overgrown for my precious little Toyota, I ended up making a beeline for Wanaka with a brief stop-off at the Tatare Tunnels walk in Franz Josef. I won’t spoil the surprise but last time I visited with good friends we went off the beaten track and popped up to discover the most amazing little spot. You’ll know it if you find it as it’s incredible.
Macetown
I was pretty excited about this one and thought the river levels maybe too high, but surprisingly I felt it was well within my ability. I made it without any issues so was a happy camper. Next was Carricktown, Cromwell and up to Duffers saddle for my first high altitude drive. Once up there the plans were to either tackle Old Woman Range for the full mountain pass experience or take the Nevis Valley Road out west as the easier option. I was aware people have died up there in winter, but I considered myself pretty sensible, well prepared and happy to turn around before it got too tough. I rang both the local council and DOC and they both politely said I shouldn’t go! I decided to at least poke my nose up there and see what it was like. I’m super glad that I did as it was an adventure and a learning curve.
I had no idea fresh snow and dirt tracks didn’t mix too well. Clearly, I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was shocked at how slippery the track became once the snow was compacted under the tyres. It took several attempts of skidding and sliding my way up to Carricktown and eventually made it to the 1200-metre mark before it was clear it would be a real mistake to continue on my own. There was no way I was going to make it to the local hut let alone get over Old Woman Range as parts of it sit well over 1700-metres. By this time, it was pitch black and I had to be careful backing down the hill. Honestly, I love learning curves like this and I really enjoyed the experience. I’d be so keen to get back out into similar conditions but with someone who has the skills to do so.
Thompson Gorge track was another epic experience as cloud had rolled in making the drive up eerie. The old stone hut and the Come in Time Battery were well worth the small side trips. I took an awesome side route up towards Mt Apiti, but again only made it to a plateau just over 1200m due to snow and mud holes. This wasn’t a smart place to get stuck. The previous section was rocky and steep, I loved the slow crawl up the hill and the new front locker really came into play. I’d love to come back here in summer to give it another crack. That same day I tackled Blackforest Road that starts over the Benmore dam, it’s not a challenge at all but has nice views. I decided to cross the Pukaki River and try and find an exit up towards Twizel but every track I tried was washed out. Rather than admit defeat I spent the next three hours driving around the riverbed looking for an exit while probably looking like a fool to the locals! Needless to say, I was very happy to find my way out a further 20km up the Pukaki river.
Macaulay Valley
I struggle how to relay how amazing this place is. It has the most impressive well-maintained hut tucked into a big valley that winds its way down to the head of Lake Tekapo. It’s an epic spot and was amazing in summer so it was a must to see in its winter glory. All the recent rain and flooding made the first river crossing the most challenging of the whole trip. Like a lot of others it was washed out. After looking for a new track to take and a spot to cross I almost decided to call it quits as I couldn’t find one, the river was really following making me nervous. The sign at the start makes it clear that if you get stuck the farmers aren’t going to help and I don’t blame them as It must be a common issue for them. I kept on looking for another 15 minutes and eventually found what I thought was an ok spot. After going backwards and forwards in my head while checking and double checking the rain forecast, I decided to go for it. Turns out the Surf pushed through without any issues, and I was on my way with a huge smile in tow.
It’s easy to lose the main track while on the way up to the hut but I kept sticking left and that seemed to do the trick. I’d hate to think how many suspension joints have been lost to this track overtime because it’s a slow, bouncy ride up. Having a GPS app like “NZ Topo50” and logging your driving route was invaluable this trip and no more so that on this track. It made it far easier on the return trip.
Three hours later after driving up over fresh snow-covered boulders, I arrived with all my suspension intact. I’d almost had every campsite to myself up to this point and Macaulay didn’t disappoint. The snow-covered valley complemented by my favourite hut and trusty Toyota. I couldn’t be happier! The only thing missing were my mates who I was up here with six months previously, I wish they could have been there with me as they would have loved it. I got the fireplace roaring, used it to cook the ultimate steak, cracked a cold one and slept inside for the first time in two weeks. life was perfect.
