Lees Valley - Okuku Pass

The Lees Valley - Okuku Pass is a route through the cuff of the High Country foothills that is well worth doing. It holds some fantastic scenery as you wind through 75 km of gravel roads including native forest, wild rivers, gorges, farmland, with the majority of the route exposed to the Southern Alps Mountains as a backdrop. It is a relatively easy and safe route that includes many small stream crossings that are more fun than technically challenging, however the Okuku River does present a crossing dependent on river flows (full details below).

Photo preview

The photo documented trip below starts from the Ashley George Road and Lee's Valley Road intersection heading out through Okuku. Refer to the Google map above for directions

Important river crossing information

The Okuku River normally flows at an average of 1 ½ cm3/sec through the low rainfall months surrounding summer (December to May) making it easy to cross as it is only approximately 1 to 1 ½ feet deep. Through the higher rainfall months surrounding winter the average river flow climbs but still regularly offers low and safe fordable flow rates of 3 to 5 cm3/sec. Be aware that this river can rise at an alarming rate, it frequently floods to 25 cm3/sec+ and in a heavy storm it has been recorded to flow at over 260 cm3/sec! If the flow is up you can often still find shallow paths to cross in some of the braided sections downstream of the ford keeping in mind that floods often change these braided locations and they may not be available all of the time. Admitting defeat and turning back may be your only option in cases when the river unexpectedly rises and/or flood water has removed braids and cut channels too deep to cross. Where to draw the line is entirely dependant on your comfort level of water crossings, here are some rough guidelines for safety:

Rough guidelines for safe crossing

• 1 to 3 cm3/sec : Easy and safe to cross
• 3 to 5 cm3/sec : Safe to cross, may get a little deep/swift in sections
• 5 to 8 cm3/sec : Can be challenging, you may need use braids to get across
• 8 cm3/sec + : Potentially unsafe to cross

The above recommendations may be a little conservative for those that are comfortable with big river crossings, but better to keep this on the safe side.

To find the Okuku flow rates visit the Ecan website and use the Okuku Fox Creek flow report. The flow station is situated at the end of Taaffes Glen Road by the Fox Creek tributary spilling from the Okuku Range.

Other attributes of the Okuku river

• The river base is often lined with large boulders brought down in floods
• When the flow is high it can be discoloured making the bottom hard to see and hard to avoid boulders
• Due to the valley gradient the river can often be quite swift above 5 cm3/sec

Vehicle and Track Information

Access period

The track is open all year but can become impassable due to high Okuku River levels or heavy snow

Access Permission

No permission is required

Access Cost

Access is free to the public

Grade

Grade 2. A well maintained gravel road with numerous small stream crossings. If the river flow is high (but still passable) this track can require good river crossing skills. When there are strong gusty winds it can make things a little interesting navigating the tops but as you drop into the valley it is quite sheltered

Terrain

Gravel track winding through valleys with numerous small stream crossings and one river crossing

Distance

71.23 km

Timeframe

Actual riding time to complete the track one way is approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on riding style

GPS information

Download track

Download track file to your computer

Download 50 point

Download 50 point GPX file to your computer

Download 250 point

Download 250 point GPX file to your computer

GPS disclaimer

The highest level of care and attention has gone into ensure the GPS files are as accurate as possible however please be aware that all GPS files on www.adventureguide.co.nz are made publicly available on the basis of use at your own risk. www.adventureguide.co.nz has no legal responsibility for use or misuse of any GPS files supplied. It is your responsibility to adequately plan, prepare and keep yourself safe

Camping and General Facilities

Camping

Not permitted - Private farm land

Toilet facilities

None

Rubbish disposal

Not serviced for rubbish, please take ALL rubbish with you on departure

Cautions and Safety Information

Flooding

The Okuku will come up quickly and can become very dangerous. It is not recommended in periods after heavy rain and can also be affected by snow melt in winter when snow is present

River flow reports

To find the Okuku flow rates visit the Ecan website and use the Okuku Fox Creek flow report. The flow station is situated at the end of Taaffes Glen Road by the Fox Creek tributary spilling from the Okuku Range

Weather cautions

The weather can turn very quickly in this area. Both night time and daytime temperatures can plummet without warning, make sure you are well prepared with the correct gear. Snow is often a regular occurrence in winter

Weather report

Weather report

Sandflies

Sandflies can be present in low numbers, insect repellent is recommended