Shoulder seasons can be wicked up there but can also be impassable. We attempted it at the very start of the season in 2022 but couldn't make it through due to the snow. Wicked place any time of year! Cheers man!

Thanks so much! There are so many options for trails down here but I am also keen to get back up north haha

Warbirds from ontop of the range is actually an epic idea! how'd it go?

@@lostsheepadventures the trip was epic, though a bit hectic, esp the first 3 days, went in over the Omarama saddle, we tried to go the big side, but snow was too thick so went down the homestead valley route, next day up over from St Bathans Lauder Stn headed over to the Cluden, epic run up and down, did see planes in the distance, stunning weather the whole trip! stayed on Lake Dunstan for the night, epic again. Sunday we shot down to the Meg, went in there via the permission reg access gate and ascended to the top of the Pisa range, she was low hung cloud about half way up and again epic terrain met the Stn /manager owner who was great, and from there once we got above the clouds I think the trip leader and crew got scenery star struck as we stopped allot for photos! Unfortunately we missed the Airshow by about 2 hours that arvo on the Sunday,. Maybe I was the only one who really wanted to see it and our trip organizer couldn't make the trip sadly and it was a goal of his as well,. Also so lets say some snow also slowed us down which me and the 80s was loving, but we also had some drama where one truck (Nissan 😂)was hanging off an edge of an off camber part of the trail, that was quite a ways before it 1/4 moon shaped back up the other side which was also covered in nice snow, but not off cambered and safe if we could get up! After some coms and plan, we, me as I was behind the GQ, winched the truck and driver safely (quite shaken driver) back onto the track, a discussion was held if we go back or push up! Again another GQ and my 80 debated, if you don't go I am going up, as I'm not going back! Frankly forward seemed the safer option as coming down one of the contributors was the snow packed and became icy as you would be experienced with, combine that with off camber going back with edge on one side and no way on the other side due to steep banks also covered in good snow, so trip leader went for it, made it up no probs until he beached himself out of sight into a snow drift, so more time lost there, wed made a plan to have the strong vehicles in-between the less capable if in case anyone needed to be towed up or supported, most of the rest of us got up no probs and actually that section was super fun! We carried on, but by the time, we got to the Queensberry side of the Pisa, it would have ben 4.30pm and we still had a big descent, plus a few confusing turn offs didn't help, but we got there! We dropped down to Luggate, aired up, we to camp on the other side, You'd know the reserve near Maori road end, great camping, (people please don't litter, leave no trace) we stayed at the Wanaka end on the river, good fire good food and banter for the night! most headed back to CH on Monday, but I had the week off and another truck also had time off so we decided to finish of doing this run also, Old Woman onto Old Man to Obelisk see more snow, maybe push to Piano flats if we could! Long and short of it, wetter than what you guys had, Snow on the Obelisk side, we did camp at Boundary Hut end, but not at the Hut, what a nightmare to just walk to cant drive down to it, haha, lest its safe from vandals! Saw a stag up there, good RAM on a rock in the morning and plenty of Hare's. Was a cold night but a goodie. amazing what you see up there in those clear skies, but what happens in the field stays in the field or in this case the skies! Def recommend camping up there, its an experience! Too many rush those routes and don't enjoy the journey! we got many great shots along the whole trip, but some great shots obviously at the Obelisk, the big rocks before it too, just amazing place really, as said not my first time, but it gets me every time! Later we headed for piano flats, some Adventure bike boys on KLMS pretty seriously decked out had gone ahead of us, we came to the big long straight section and the snow was like 3-4 feet deep, I pushed through for a couple hundred meters and could have kept going but it was sketchy. I had a bum front shock, (turned out it was the shock but had more than one issues, so good call) The Patrol was only on 33s and time was closing in so with Ks of snow ahead and probably some high risk in breakages and winching, we turned back, headed down to Fruitland's to Alexandra, so that was another couple of days of awesome wheeling, certainly gave the rigs a workout. Epic trip overall! 80 now has some temp new shocks (which are actually pretty good or says how bad my 5yr old Dobbis were getting! )Still some more servicing to be done! before the next trip, though, bummed the Airshow got away! But reason to come back again which is not in doubt! Cheers, ps sorry for long winded report, trust me my club trip report was pages long, that got cut off before the end of the first day at the club meeting haha. That whole loop Id highly recommend, for any group to do, good tires, a must, MT 2" lift helpful, we had a stock 120 Prado with MTs, stock suspension, do it pretty well. DC Utes no probs, but same thing applies, good to have some LC 80s or Patrols along in case though, no replacement for displacement🤪 If going Easter or still while able at that time of year, carry a set of chains, air down properly your suspension and underneath gets a workout. I broke a sway bar mount bracket at the front, just one side no biggie, removed it in 2minutes! One of my front steering stabilizer bolts came loose and definitely would have lost it, without my morning ritual checks, trust your instincts if you feel something isn't right, check everything! I felt this go weird at Geraldine, thought it was tire pressure too inflated, let air out to 36psi was good, lucky I checked that, . Some one else lost a Radius arm bolt, so again check ya vehicle everyday, everything, 4- 8 days of constant workout can take its toll, anyways. Fantastic loop and could do it any way, obviously need to get permission for the Lauder stn side its locked no access! Pisa same, so respect the rules and enjoy! cheers🤘

@@maverick2242 Definitely sounds like an adventure! Snow wheeling can be a lot of fun but can be tough going without chains or the wrong type of snow. Glad you were able to get out of the sketchy situations the trucks fell into. Old Woman and Man ranges is probably some of, if not the most favorite place to explore. Just amazing landscape and skies in there. The adventure sounds awesome though and glad you had a wicked time with it. Reading just makes me want to get back out there again! And reminded me about the caliper bolt that fell out yesterday... I will have to sort that haha Cheers!

It's a wicked track and one of my favorites, you'll love it!

We can up via the Nevis Road and Duffers Saddle, crossing over the tops

That is really about it! I will generally keep a can of Silicon spray in the cab and give the distributor a spray over before heading into water. Have had to take the cap off a couple times to clean out little drops that get in there but for the most part. No real issue.

Some of the areas have been irreversibly damaged by 4WDs. It is a small part of a wider community that unfortunately brings a bad name to us all. There are many eager, enthusiastic and passionate members of the 4wd community who are doing their best though to teach, show and care for these places so that they may remain open for you to enjoy with you bike for years to come.

Turbo 3RZ-FE, very few in the country

Spartan Locker from Amazon.com

@@lostsheepadventures awesome cheers do you find it affects the steering I’m thinking about putting on in the front of my ln106

@@jamiejohnston7021 on road, you don't notice as it isn't 'connected'. Offroad though, you definitely can find it wants to pull you straight a lot and can be difficult to maneuver at times. Overall, the traction gain for me out weights downsides of having it locked all the time.

Nice vid 👌 No sitting on the limiter needed for the landy 😅

I see people are hating on the limiter bashing but its 1st gear, I'm not even breaking traction there. The water crossing has a rocky bottom too, I wouldn't say I'm wrecking tracks here.

Scrubbing through, there might be 1 muddy section where excessive wheel spin arises. Reason being is it was a hole I have seen other vehicles commonly stuck in. I'm not testing any of these sections before heading in, I'm just driving them. The entire track though was dryer than I thought it would be. And where I'm on the limiter, I'm not even breaking traction there in 1st gear.

There is always someone who complains lol