Chamberlain CreekThe legendary Chamberlain Creek is one of the toughest adventures in the Tararua Adventure Guide. It’s gnarly and beautiful, raw and exciting, isolated and scary. The ‘way of the creek’ involves abseiling down waterfalls, swimming through deep green pools and jumping off cliffs. If you’re looking for a ‘lost world’ type adventure, this trip is for you! Extra recommended gear: wetsuit (short arms), helmet, 50-m rope, harness, abseiling equipment and dry bags. A full route description is provided in the book. Here's a slide show from Jonathan's trip - one of the toughest in the Tararua's.
NotesDon’t start the trip if there are any fronts forecast to hit the Tararua Ranges. If it rains, Chamberlain Creek becomes impossible to travel up or down. The Ruamahanga has been known to rise 2 m in 10 mins! Plan your escape routes in advance. A wetsuit provides good flotation, extra warmth and protection from hitting rocks. A 3 mm wetsuit is recommended, even on a hot summer’s day. I used to think this was the sort of rugged place you only went
once until I met Clive Jones who has done it five times because, “It’s a great adventure”. (Clive has also climbed Mt Everest.) Jonathan Kennett
|