**TEMPORARY CLOSURE**
Oteao Falls access crosses private land.
Unfortunately the access is temporarily closed, whilst the local canyoning community liaises with the land owner to come up with a solution.
Please respect this closure: if we refrain from visiting this canyon until things are sorted, we might be able to enjoy Oteao again. If we ruin a relationship, then the access might remain closed permanently.
Please inform your friends and canyoning buddies and watch this space for updates:
Dan Clearwater NZCA President & Brad Schimanski NZCA Local area rep
Dan Clearwater NZCA President & Brad Schiamanski local area liaison
Highest drop 30m (1x30m + 1x50m for pull cord recommended)
5h45m total (45m approach, 4h descent, 1h return)
Private access: available without specific permission – see notes in the topo.
Combining terraced waterfalls, jumps, slides, a sump dive, a giant floating log and a diving board
this is a true canyon playground.
IMPORTANT: the access track crosses private land – we currently have a good relationship with the land owners, lets keep it that way! Be respectful and stick to the track, do not drive up the private
road way, foot traffic only.
First descent: Brad Schimanski, Tim Bailey, Nick Lynch, Saki Ito Jan 2019
Thanks to Brad and Shanan Fraser for the Topo. Photos courtesy of Facebook, by Shanan, Pete Smith and Brad.
Great trip, easy to find the way in and out
15/1/2022
A few notes:
• Road in is easy to follow but very narrow and quite rough – you’ll want a vehicle with decent ground clearance
• The beehives aren’t there anymore but there is a clearing / turn-around area which is pretty obvious and the track is easy to find.
• Anchors in good condition
• There was a dead pig up on the gravel bank after the pool with the plank which was a little smelly but it’s well out of the water.
• The sump dive appears to be blocked by a piece of driftwood
water is warm and high, alot of power under the first abseil, fun, cruisey trip enjoying the sun
last bolts replaced in the canyon replaced, ( traverse line bolts after R4 were “temporarily” removed for almost a year as we were changing them to glue ins and the drill ran out of battery)
A couple dead pigs in the river/on the river banks, I wouldn’t suggest drinking the water
Farm manger sometime does not communicate with the land owner (his father) who has given his permission for canyoners to cross the land, so if you meet on the property kindly explain where you are going and all will be well.
Some local neighbours are on the look out at the moment as there as been some thefts down the road recently, be nice.
Realy nice canyon! we had an awsome day!
A few small notes, The Beehives are moved by the landowner, but there is still a little ‘green grass’ clearing 20 meters after the place were you enter the track that leads you to the canyon. The track is well marked with pink and orange tape.
The canyon is really good qualitiy and fun. all the jumps and slides were good and the pools were deep enough. This can ofcourse change with high floods, so always check:)
After R4 we stayed on the TL of the canyon. Reaching the TR bolts for the Handline seemed to risky because of high water flow and really slipery rock. wen you stay on the TL after R4 your can downclimb and than climb safely to the anker of R5.
The condition of the ankers was perfect, no flood damage.