Jackson's Canyon, Taramakau River, West Coast

Whilst everyone else was focussed on the start of the two day 'Speights Coast to Coast' multisport event, Toine, Grant and I snuck into the Taramakau valley for a canyoning 1st descent.

After 30 minutes of gravel travel from SH73, It was a relatively easy 1hr bush bash up the true right of the stream, gaining 350m of vertical.

The canyon was made of semi-layered biotite Schist. I'd looked on the Geology map and tried to pick an area that had the same rock as the Haast Canyons, but sadly Jackson's Canyon never really turned into a slot.

It was more of a steep bedrock chute, with lots of slippery boulders to downclimb between the beautiful pitches.

There was plenty of water to keep us honest, and even a couple of sections that narrowed up a bit. About 3.5hrs worth of descent.

Toine checks out the 2nd drop

Grant about to get pummelled on R2

Downclimbing on a meat anchor

Toine scrambles down slippery boulder gardens

Into the short 'slot' section

Chucky contemplates where all the water is going...

Toine on that same drop

Hiding under a table sized schist flake

Plenty of water

"Look at that nasty Hydraulic"

On the true right, the recirculation heads upstream

and into a nasty undercut.. not a nice place to end up...