three wire bridges

Met a few cages going down the west coat: Taipo was one between Dillons Hut and Dunns Creek Kokatahi was another just upriver of the confluence with the Crawford (Crawford Junction Hut) There was a 3rd but I forget where. But those 2 give you the 2 styles: hand-pedals on one, and a sort-of dog-legged bar which you slot over the cable, twist so it grabs the cable, and then haul yourself another arm's length along. The latter is worst, as there is no mechanical advantage, and the cable sags in the middle so it's all uphill to the edge: pulling yourself, you pack and a cast-iron cage. The disadvantage of the pedals is there's no clutch, so on the downhill section to the middle, the pedals whizz round like mad and are apt to knock you out or chop off an arm.

Spoil-sport! BTW: the 3-wire on the Hollyford was not necessary when I was there - flood route only.

I have never crossed in a cage. The only occassion when I did consider it was the one across the Olivine in the Pyke Valley. The rest of the party were working this thing out including using most of the trip's butter to grease a ceased pully. While they were doing that I decided to have a closer look at the river which didn't look as formidable close up as it did on the bank. I was soon across the other side with enough time to help everyone out of the cage as they arrived.

Sorry to spoil your fun,i have found a photo of the evil bridge i will put it on soon Lindsay

Photo is on page 1 of the photo section

These a cool looking 3 wire bridge on the cover of the 101 great tramps book. and these a photo of a 2 wire bridge up the Nina valley, might have to do that tramp this winter to see if they are still there.

Hope DoC removes all the three wire bridges (bridges option only) and cableways (cableways option only) and replaces them with the basically walkable ones. Sorry guys those who want "fun" experience. Thanks Lindsay for letting me know there is one on Hollyford Track. Pyke-Big Bay-Hollyford Loop has been in my wishlist You may have the early edition of "101 Great Tramps" with the 3 wire bridge photograph on the cover. Mine is the edition 2004 reprinted in 2005, 2007.

Maybe, mine seems to be from 1993

I lay in bed in Olivine hut for several minutes racking my brains as to what on earth the strange sound coming from outside could be. I'd arrived from the roadend and so hadn't yet met the unoiled, rusted cableway a couple were struggling across.

the Olivine Cage is rather fun...first you have to climb up the steel runged ladder to the top then you can't lock the cage really so you have to get in somehow then you got to wind your way up hill then try get out on the other side and back down onto solid ground! now my Dad does not use them...there is like 8 in the country...another one is at Rocks Ahead Hut(Kawekas) but we avoided that by crossing the river! Many 3 wires in the Hollyford across all the big streams...doing the dusky Christmas several on that. In the Matukituki(the river in Nelson Lakes not Aspring) there was a 3 wire above the gorge but we abandoned that and crossed the river. I'll post a pic in a minute of a deer culler using a 1 Wire Bridge!!! 2 wire I think you just hold onto the top wire and shuffle across!