I'm heading up the Matiri Valley this Easter and I would like to chat with anyone that has approached The Haystack via the ridge on the east side. We are planning on ascending the creek 30 minutes north of McConchies Hut to reach The Haystack. The DOC information describes this route as arduous. I would like a bit more detail if anyone could help it would be great. Thanks, Mark
"Arduous" would be because of all the rubble and scrub you will need to negotiate below the bushline (a legacy of the Murchison 7 Inungahua earthquakes). Do-able, but time consuming. I dropped in to the Matiri from the old Haystack Hut one time many years ago. That place won't see me again.
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Its a while ago, but I have dropped off point 1326 on the Matiri range straight down to the Matiri Valley track. I don't recall any problems with this route. Reasonably thick bush but you would expect that.
Hi Gazcan, at what point did you drop off? Also often terrain like that is easier uphill than downhill. Got any comments on that? And for both of you, how easy is the ridge travel east of Haystack? And do you have any comments on how easy it is to access point 1377 ENE of the Haystack from the creek to the southeast?
Sorry I can't offer any advice for your trip, but when I visited Hurricane hut I was amused by the entries in the hut book. Several groups had come from Larrikin Creek hut over The Haystack to Hurricane and each group described a slightly different route and each group noted that their route was not recommended. Finally there was an entry that simply said that they had come over from Larrikin via the "not recommended" route!
Hi Mark, from Haystack Hut we dropped off the Matiri Range from point 1333 and followed that small spur then creek down to the main track in the Matiri valley. Lots of boulders in the bush and creek made progress slow and a bit of a grovel if I remember rightly (it was 20 years ago). Interesting country to travel through, tho. Once on the track it was a good fast trip down to McConchies.
sounds a bit like the Upper Otehake Valley at arthurs pass, thats completely covered with boulders from one of the big earthquakes in the 20th century...
thanks guys, sounds like the trip leader (me) might be getting a few robust complaints on day 2. Should be fun. I'll file a trip report when we get back...
