Day 11 – Rain, Waterfalls and Haast Pass
The forecast of 50 mm of overnight rain turned out to be spot on.
‘Heavy rain and wind hammered the campsite through the night, leaving everything thoroughly soaked. Fortunately, the same forecast suggested the rain would ease around 8 am, and for once the weather gods delivered. It cleared just enough for us to pack up camp and get moving.
We didn’t hang around.
The midges were fierce, which provided plenty of motivation to get on the bikes as quickly as possible.
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We said goodbye to Nicko from Belgium and Tim and Elspeth from Dunedin, who had been great company the night before, and rolled out into a light drizzle.
By mid-morning the weather began to improve, and what started as a grey, damp day turned into something quite spectacular.
The overnight rain had completely transformed the landscape. Every creek and river was full to overflowing, and waterfalls were cascading hundreds of metres down sheer cliffs, sometimes spilling right onto the road.
It made for some of the most memorable riding of the trip so far.
We’ve now moved well and truly out of alpine country and into temperate rainforest — lush, green, wet and surprisingly warm. By the afternoon the temperature had climbed into the mid-20s, making for excellent riding conditions.
The roads, however, were still a bit greasy from the rain, especially on the descents, so it required a bit of care.
Traffic was noticeably lighter, which added to the feeling of being somewhere remote.
The day’s high point was Haast Pass.
Compared to Burke’s, Lindis and the Crown Range, this was definitely the easiest climb so far, but it still felt like a milestone. Climbing it from the other direction, straight up from sea level, would be a very different proposition.
From there it was a steady run down to Haast, where we finished the day back at sea level.
After the mountains, it felt like a completely different world.
We found a great campsite on the edge of town, and with the sun now out and the sky clear, it was hard to believe how wild the conditions had been just a few hours earlier.
Lunch was a well-earned fish and chips, which tasted even better after a long day on wet roads.
It’s interesting that we continue to see many cyclists heading in the opposite direction, working their way south into the mountains we’ve just come through.
The West Coast is clearly a place that sees a lot of rain — the rainforest is proof of that — but we’re buoyed by a very positive forecast for the week ahead. There’s still some rain expected, but nothing like what we experienced overnight.
We’ve been told the West Coast is the best part of New Zealand, and even after just one day here, we’re starting to understand why.
Day Summary
Route: Cameron Flat → Haast
Distance: 69 km
Riding Time: 4 hr 1 min
Climbing: 474 m
Weather: Heavy overnight rain, clearing to warm and sunny
Best moment: Waterfalls in full flow after the rain
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