 Paul I
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Posted: 7 March 2007, 5:04 AM
MT ASPIRING: Open Mature beech forest with nice contours and rock features. Discovered by Svend, photogrammetry done.
WESTERN BAYS OF TAUPO: Several areas spotted on high level arial photography that I have. One looks like Pine forest planted on flat,super fast farm land, with some gullies. Several square km's in size, off Karangahape Rd.
Another block I saw in this region a few years ago was pines planted on a farm with interesting contour and rock off Hingarae Rd. By now the trees should be big. Posted by Paul I.
TIHOI: (western bays of Taupo) Many moons ago we looked around the tiny settlement of Tihoi. There are some small but nice blocks of plantation forest as well as some native by memory, and the surrounding farmland is a bit rocky and interesting too. May be worth looking into one day.
Paul I.
PUREORA: In behind the freezing works along SH 30 there's some interesting looking farmland with lots of patches native bush. Some of you may have seen it while travelling from Poi Poi to Taupo at Waitangi. I seem to remember seeing some runnable fir tree's round the back in towards the lodge. Paul I.
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onemanfanclub
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Posted: 7 March 2007, 7:12 AM
WESTERN TAUPO: Bad news is that large areas of the pines along the western lake road (around Karangahape Road) were coming down last few times I've been along that road. However there's still plenty of pointy rocky hills in a mix of farmland and forest.
PUREORA: The native blocks are generally more runnable than the exotic blocks! I've spent a lot of time tracking stoats in and around the Waimanoa block - imagine "mixed" runnability native forest with interesting terrain - small to moderate sized isolated ridges and hills with rocky bits (spat out of Lake Taupo over the years).
KAAHU: those who came to the Waitangi MD race from the north (ie Whakamaru) passed through a rolling farmland area with lots of rock piles and outcrops (more Taupo-spit no doubt) immediately north of the forest. Ever been mapped?
AHURIRI: (McKenzie Country) One small and one moderate size patch of beech forest (linked together with surroundind grazed and ungrazed tussock enough for at least a MD race?) on the valley floor. "Vague" terrain - could be a real challenge, or just plain impossible to find enough control features to set courses... More of the same further up, but not road accessible! Another part of the valley that caught my eye was mostly one big grazed terrace, but surrounded in all directions by various interesting terrain types - a candidate for an attempt at the world k-rate record?
ELSEWHERE IN THE MCKENZIE: (Take note, those behind Oceania 2009, if you are looking to the high country) Best looking area is Rhoboro Downs (opposite side of Lake Pukaki to the '02 NZ long champs) - another Acheron?? Understand that it was investigated in past and access not granted. Some of the area is now in Ruataniwha conservation park, but whether that would change anything...? Lake Ruataniwha has potential as a sprint venue, or Twizel itself (though not so good).
Nic G.
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fraser
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Posted: 7 March 2007, 5:03 PM
Hi guys, I have set up a page with a map that you can add markers on to describe the area. Anyone can add their own markers with info on potential maps or existing maps. Will be interesting to see what you guys put on. I have started with the closest map to me, just one block away.
Check it at www.maptalk.co.nz/maps
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addison
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Posted: 7 March 2007, 11:49 PM
Fraser you are the man.
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mick finn
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 12:19 AM
Legendary! How about making it global? Go galactic
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addison
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 2:37 AM
There already is one set up on World of O.
Fraser, perhaps it might be good to have one for ACTUAL maps which is the one that has been started and one for POTENTIAL maps where people post areas they have found, photos of the area (if taken) etc.
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Paul I
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 6:53 AM
KARANGAHAPE RD: Onemanfanclub, yeah the western bays forests have been felled, but this block I saw was on a farm off K road (no not THAT K road). It is nearer the lake towards the Whareroa river. Might be worth Taupo Club investigating ??
KAAHU: The Kaahu farmland does look interesting but I have mapped a lot of these farms (not O-maps) and they are very steep. There are some more interesting spots, as you say, further down the Western Access Rd.
199 GULLIES: I never got to run on this awesome looking area, what a bummer!
KIANGAROA: Remember some of the original Kaiangaroa Forest maps made by Terry Brighouse etc, (now showing my age). Weren't they just fantastic. I guess most of the forest is second generation now but you would think there could be something hidden in that huge area, we need a keen O'er to go undercover as a forestry security officer.
GOOGLE EARTH: It's a pretty useful tool alright, has anyone else checked out The western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, where the JWOC sprint will be, or am I the only obsessed orienteering freak with enough idle time for such unproductive past times.
I'll add my Potential maps to Fraser's map page sometime, but I also think this type of page has the benefit of being able to discuss an area with others.
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AlanHorn
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 8:07 AM
has anyone checked all the rocky farmland around the Alexandra area?
there must be some potential?
bits of it looked quite nice on Lord of the Rings.
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Greg
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 9:25 AM
Dont need to be an undercover forestry securit officer, just faster and more cunning than one, how do you think we re-discovered Kaahu and Kaahu~Iti! There has been talk of a stealth mission to see if raroa still exists (well before my time sorry Paul)
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Southernman
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 11:40 AM
The areas near Alexandra tend to have alot of Deer fences but there might be some areas just off the main road. There is an old map just out of Alex, not quite sure where.
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mark
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 1:03 PM
i thought you were tripping for a minute there.
But then I realised that I have an Alexandra orienteering map in my box of maps.
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Tane Cambridge
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 2:56 PM
Elephant rocks??? Near Earnscleugh...maybe?
DOC were talking of mapping that a while back (or re-mapping?)
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onemanfanclub
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Posted: 8 March 2007, 3:45 PM
Funnily enough, I was in Alexandra today... I'll be buying shares in Strapping tape manufacturing and black and grey ink manufacturing companies if maps start popping up round there.
(which might happen....)
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Bryan
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Posted: 9 March 2007, 2:57 AM
What I've found is that there are plenty of maps out there if you just look for them. I would recommend that
clubs concentrate on getting more maps near the urban areas and map the more remote areas for bigger multi-day
events.
I remember the days when I could whip up a map in a few days but now it seems like a major exercise and cost to create a map which is why clubs are reusing and remapping areas over and over.
Areas in Wellington City:
- Tanera park/George Denton Park (bush is open in parts - I have walked up many streams)
- Wright's Hill - many tracks, connect to Kaori Mountain bike park map
- Karori Park / Skyline Reserve including about 1sq km of open pine forest north of park and adjacent to Makara Road (a bit steep
but contains some lovely runnable forest - Wellington City council may have 5m contours)
- Johnston Hill/cemetery/Iain Galloway park/Wilton Bush up to Skyline track - (many interesting features
including open pine forest and open bush - Wilton Bush may be offlimits apart from tracks - Wellington city council have 5m contour
orthophotos)
- Trelissick Park (maybe connect to Huntleigh park)
- Ngauranga SH 1 interchange (very small steep pine forest - I've never been in it - may be useful for a summer
series event)
- Victoria and Massey universities
- Hawkins Hill - Te Kopahou (rogaine only - I have already mapped all the tracks on a 1:50000 map)
Kapiti area
- steep pine forest adjacent to SH1 between Mackay's Crossing and Paekakariki
Manawatu
- several maps in Santoft forest (some with photogrammetry available)
Wanganui
- South of Whangaehu River
- Lake Wiritoa map - open boxthorn area - a complex vegetation area
- Lismore (probably too steep)
- Waverley sanddune area (Waiinu Beach)
Wairarapa
- Birthday Hill/Ngaumu headquarters - rock detail, lots of forest now runnable again
- Several areas out near Te Wharau - steepish but mostly in runnable pine
- Hikorangi / Glen Strae - rocky bush area
- Pakarakas - close to Masterton - some pine forest, lots of open bush
- Cavelands Rd - extensive areas of runnable bush
- Black Rock Rd - farmland/bush close to Masterton
- Suphur Wells near Whangaehu - lots of open bush, some pines
- Admiral Hill - rock/limestone detail, some pines, lots of open bush
- Pine forest adjacent to new Wairarapa club Hapua map (close to Masterton, near Tauweru)
Auckland
- When I lived here a few years ago, I always thought that there was several potential maps of new areas still in Woodhill.
There was definitely one or two near Wounded Knee which we have the contours for. Other areas near the headquarters.
- I found a lovely gully spur open pine forest adjacent to the school camp map Ahuriri which I asked the North West club to get permission for but they couldn't
- Bethell's Beach - a potential lovely area containing a bit of everything - sand dunes, sand dunes in bush,
some pines, some open sanddune bush areas, a two way cave, lakes
- Goldie Bush including open pine forest on Caton Road - another lovely area
- Tawharanui and Regional Park - some open pine forest (contours and detailed maps exist for all Auckland regional parks)
- Wenderholm Regional Park
Waikato
- My brother Bill told me of a better area than Piopio but he never told me where it was
Dargaville
- there are several potential maps near Poutu
Northland
- Ninety Mile Beach - potential for several forest sand dune maps here
- Tauranga (anyone checked out Matakana Island?)
This list is not exhaustive - if I sat down and thought about it, I would probably come up with many more.
If a potential maps page was set up I could place markers where all these areas are but at the moment it would probably just clutter up the actual maps - can you do this Fraser?
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AlanHorn
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Posted: 9 March 2007, 4:45 AM
Bryans list: WOC have looked at, or got plans for some of those -
Areas in Wellington City:
- Tanera park/George Denton Park : WCC are about to do an upgrade in the area - Will investigate once its done.
- Karori Park / Skyline Reserve : Plan to map this once WCC have finished upgrading Karori park. We have the contours from the Council.
- Johnston Hill/cemetery/Iain Galloway park/Wilton Bush: We used to have a map of Wilton Bush. No go off track these days. But the rest we have an eye to do something with.
- Trelissick Park : When we convert the Ngaio map to ocad we'll add it on
- Ngauranga SH 1 interchange : VERY STEEP
- Victoria and Massey universities : Vic is currently being mapped. Massey has already been mapped (and used for an event)
Kapiti area
- steep pine forest adjacent to SH1 between Mackay's Crossing and Paekakariki : yep - but Ive heard its owned by lots of investors who each own small bits of it.
Wanganui
- South of Whangaehu River : Ive noticed that. But couldnt figure out how to get to the pines without driving 5km across farm tracks.
Wairarapa
- Several areas out near Te Wharau : Nationals 2008 will use the nicer bits
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fraser
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Posted: 9 March 2007, 5:23 AM
Simon, Bryan, as requested a map for potential locations has now been set up here: www.maptalk.co.nz/maps/potential.cfm
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