Macaulay River 4WD Trip - Mid-Winter
The trip started with purchasing a 2008 Landcruiser Troopy with the legendary V8 diesel and a mere 400,000km to its name. The truck was a factory setup with a winch and bar work. From experience, I knew this truck was fully capable for where I was headed. The biggest risk being river crossings (for which I have already experienced a few terrifying situations). I now always take a good walk to check the water levels before doing a crossing.
First flight landed in Nelson where I quickly loaded the truck up before heading into Mackenzie Country. Testing the Landcruiser 4WD capabilities on the way got my confidence in the truck. Mackenzie is a gateway to many 4WD routes with the Southern Alps on its door step, you could easily spend months off-road here. Some of these areas require landowner permission to access the DOC land (which can be difficult and often not granted). I find it easier to hit up areas that have year round unobstructed public access.
I had around 5 days for 4WDing and hunting tahr. The first day was forecasted for a bit of rain followed by fine weather. Little did I know the flooding I would encounter! My first route into Godley River Valley had no passage (and no photos did I take here). I have done this route twice before and never found the river crossings to be this high! Godley Valley is a notorious area which quickly turns into large boulders and rock crawling, it's well worth the venture as you will be rewarded with astounding views and extreme remoteness.
Unfortunately these crossings were unsurpassable - so I back tracked and headed up the Macaulay River. This valley is more favourable with easier tracking. It tends to run the heaviest of water under the rock beds making it quite manageable in even the most factory standard 4wds. The better the suspension and the bigger your wheels, the more comfortable the ride and the faster you’ll drive.
A surprise of heavy snow for two days straight ensued! Always good to be prepared for these situations with warm gear and extra food. Better to be spotting from the truck than stuck reading a book.
With about 30km of riverbed to explore, not including gorges and rivers, you're set for an epic adventure. You can shoot Canadian goose, rabbits and hares all year round, all accessible on route. Great eating and a pest to the area. Tahr populate the mountains. Get your spotter scope out and you'll find numerous amounts of these animals on or near any peak you look at. Rare to this region are deer and chamois, but you can get lucky and spot them.
Remote 4WD routes can be found on public land administered by DOC. The great melted glaciers of the South Island are an awesome place to start. Much of this public land is locked away by landowners who withhold a sliver of private land, making areas only accessible by helicopter. Something I hope will change one day.