Joined: Jun 08, 2003 Posts: 4,753 Location: Wellitrack
Posted: Mon 22/Mar/04 12:07pm Post subject: Waiwarapa Xc Ride Query
I am intending to do the Waiwarapa ride that was reviewed in Spoke a few issues back, the one that uses an old logging tramway.
Archaeological activity around the house has uncovered a number of treasures, but not the required copy of Spoke.
Does anyone have any details on this ride.
What is this ride called?
Where is it? (Road name?)
Is this ride written up in the Kennets book?
I remember it being a "there and back ride". What end is best starting at?
When I sort out a day for the ride I'll post it up in the Vaguely Oranganised Rides forum. April 4th is looking quite hopeful at this stage.
I've done part of it basic how to find instructions are..
go form Masterton to wards mount bruce on SH1, turn left probly sign posted "Mikimiki or Kiriwhakapapa" about I'd guess 10 Kms from Masterton (the outskirts) theres a school there, I would assume its "Mikimiki or Kiriwhakapapa" school but no promises, follow your nose down this road till you get to car park.
I know nothing about where it comes out, but you should be able to figure it out if you look at a map, maybe even on the Linz website,
Joined: Jun 08, 2003 Posts: 4,753 Location: Wellitrack
Posted: Thu 25/Mar/04 2:37pm Post subject:
Cheers Ben - Now that I have some place names I should be sweet for sorting out a ride.
I'll be in the Waiwarapa without my bike this week-end (Family camping trip / hot air balloon watching) so I may take a drive and do a gentle bush walk for a kilometre or two if there is enough support from mum and the kids.
April 4th is still looking good for me if there is anyone who wants to join us.
Joined: Dec 25, 2001 Posts: 32,087 Location: Liberty City
Posted: Thu 25/Mar/04 5:12pm Post subject:
Tama in Spoke wrote:
New Zealand has many hidden singletrack treasures, and I can testify to what a pleasurable activity it is to go and hunt ‘em out. One such piece of juicy singletrack goodness known as “Kiriwhakapapa” is nestled at the foot of the Blue Range on the Wairapa side of the Tararua Forest Park. I’ve been through about 5 times in the last 10 years and recently had the pleasure of revisiting the track.
Around 10 kilometre North of Masterton you will see “Kiriwhakapapa Rd” turning off to the West (there’s a little school on the corner.) Go down Kiriwhakapapa Road to the road end and you’ll be greated with a damn fine picnic/ camping area, complete with toilets, shelter, babbling stream, and sandflies (curse them.) If you’re feeling particularly organised take BBQ style food, and have a big nosh-up after the ride using the shelters open fire. Paper, matches, some marshmallows and insect repellent would also be a good call. If you want to stay the night campground has nice soft ground and the whole ambience gets 4 stars (5 if it wasn’t for the damn sandflies.)
The actual singletrack is around 7½ kilometres long and goes up and over a 200 metre saddle. There is a number of ways to ride it - Kiriwhakapapa to Mikimiki (and then around the road to Kiriwhakapapa) – Mikimiki to Kiriwhakapapa (and again back by the road loop) or there and back for singletrack maximization. I’d recommend the later two options, with a firm preference for there and back (15 kilometres of singletrack and two decent downhills.) The road loop will add about 20 kilometres of gravel/ sealed road to the ride, which is cool if that’s what you’re into.
For arguments sake I’ll go through the track from the Mikimiki end. The Mikimiki roadend turns into grass covered farm track, it’s quite a pretty valley so you can just cruise for a couple of kilometres and enjoy the view. As the farm track dis-integrates into grassy singletrack with the occasional boggy stream crossing, you’ll ride past the site of an old forestry nursery. Judging from the massive stand of closely clumped pine trees the nursery hasn’t been used in decades – more about the forestry later.
The track stays deceptively easy for a couple of hundred metres before crossing and bridge and then diving down a small gully, in theory you could ride this gully the whole way but some trials skills and really grippy tires would be needed. Another couple of hundred metres later the track drops down into a river and scrambles out the other side, you’ll definitely need to shoulder your bike for the brief descent and ascent.
From now on the track is 99% rideable singletrack, a perfect hit for the singletrack junkies among us (no I’m not dribbling at the memory, honest.) The forest is re-generating native forest, with lush fern undergrowth, but only small to medium sized trees due to the forestry activities up until mid last century. Before you can properly curse the lumberjacks you’re front tire will have bumped over a horizontal wooden runner lying across the track – what the hey?
Trams baby, it’s all about trams. When the lumberjacks were cutting down all the lovely big trees they built a tramline to get the logs out, and this is what you’ll ride over for most of the track. The harsh truth is that the rotting tramlines have left some primo singletrack, and it wouldn’t be such a kick ass ride if it wasn’t for those pesky lumberjacks.
The track follows the tramline on an excessively tame gradient up the valley. The last ride of Kiriwhakapapa was in a sunny spell after a night of hard rain and the steam rising from the river, ferns and bush gave the whole place a “back in Nam” feel to it. That said I don’t think this area ever dries out, the forest has a particular moist feeling about it which suggests 365 days a year of wetness.
Another couple of river crossing and the gradient will noticeably steepen, especially if you’re the sort of person who’s runs 1.2 kilogram DH tyres. A reasonably fit rider with good technical skills will be able to clean the whole climb with out dismounting (there’s a challenge.) Mere mortals may like to take the occasional break / bike pushing session. If you take the “there and back again” approach this climb translates into a wicked railing downhill, with little gotchas and slippery rocky sections to keep the heart thumping.
After shedding a bit of sweat you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of more native bush. Sorry folks, but in the scheme of things the saddle that the track passes over is kinda on the low side. At around the 525 metre mark it’s easily overshadowed by the 1100 metre Te Mara peak to the North. However, there are a couple of strapping big trees that the lumberjacks have left, and it’s a nice little glade as far as forest glades go. Very importantly, make sure you’re nice and rested.
Righty ho – time for some singletrack downhill, which is almost totally rideable. There’s one insanely sharp switchback half way down which has foiled even the most technically skilled of my mates. But apart from that it’s all good - a nicely flowing track with some rooty sections, culvert crossings and some small steep sections thrown in. The Kiriwhakapapa side of the saddle is definitely steeper, translating into a shorter, looser, and slightly dodgier downhill compared to the Mikimiki side.
Savour the steep while you can because the track will soon dump you out on the river valley floor. But the best is yet to come - it’s about 1½ kilometres to the campsite from here and you’re going to be grinning all the way. The lumberjacks put in a tramway at this end as well and the tramline’s passing has left a section of pleasure zone tingling fun.
Pump those pedals like a mad thing ‘cos the track you’ll be flying down is punctuated with some big slushy bogs. With the right moxie and a bit of faith in yourself you can skim across the top of each bog with hardly any speed loss. The best fun is had with a handful of mates who may or may not be out to pass / splash you with mud at the closest opportunity.
Keep to the South side of the main river and you’ll be back at the road end before you can say “that was fun, let’s do it again.” If you’re still after some singletrack action there’s a couple of bridges leading off to the “Loop Track” on the North side of the valley, which will give you a minor diversion.
There we have it – Kiriwhakapapa - an excellent combination of stonking singletrack combined with picturesque native bush. Mentally file it away under “must ride sometime” - it’s well worth the detour.
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