Zig Zag @ Heaphy (West Coast) Caldervale, South Island, New Zealand
By Biggles and Co - with the support of weenz on 05-Jun-10. Waypoint GC29WVW

The cache appears to be in need of owner intervention. I'm temporarily disabling it, to give the owner an opportunity to check on the cache, and take whatever action is necessary. Please respond to this situation in a timely manner (i.e., within 14 days) to prevent the cache from being archived for non-responsiveness.

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Bit of a shame that the track to this lookout has been so neglected.

Track to cache site no longer present.

Zigzag track ends about 200m from cache, there is no access

That was fun. Love old tracks. Started the rain on the way up so the flax was not so fun. Would be a good project to maintain the track for someone that camps here regularly. After looking around spotted the cache very open and easy place to find. All sweet however, not many venturing up this way. Tftc

The cache is still there; wet, but still there. However, going there is not easy. And the return is worse (this is dangerous). The path is completely covered with fern and other plants, it's hard not to slip. I would not recommend going there. Even if it's worth the view.

I was fortunate enough to be able to squeeze an 11 day holiday out of two leave days!! I headed out west to find some caches, see some sights, and relax before the madness of the semester hits. The weather was unbelievably good, only a bit of a storm over Arthur's Pass on the first day, otherwise hot and sunny. I found a great variety of caches, drive by's, walks, hikes, even a power trail. Thank you to all the CO's for their great hides!!!
Still a bit of time left before the bus leaves to take me to the other end of Heaphy, I headed up this way to look for the cache. I did not read the description, and there was a path on the map when I originally looked, so I never thought that I will not be able to find even the start to it (almost). Found a way to start heading up, and by the time I realised this will be harder than I expected, I was committed - not worth going down now, I am almost up there... Yeah, right! I started to get worried about missing the bus, so had to set a maximum time to start heading down. Luckily the finding was not too difficult once I was at the right level, and the views were amazing. Made it down in time for the bus, but no time to get changed, so I went on the tramp smelly to start with...
Great fun, thank you for dragging me up there, I hope the cache survives for many years to come!!!

Great hike up track got better but hope doesn't disappear altogether! Was going to leave trackable but cache a bit damp. Thanks heaps worth the effort

This was more of a challenge. Thanks for the hint in the logs that suggested going back 15m before starting the climb. Lovely views from the top on such a beautiful sunny day tftc

"Well its only 200 meters from here so you can wait in the camper while I get it" I told my wife..... This certainly deserves the raised terrain rating and is well worth the slog up to it. Easy find after admiring the view and catching a breath or two. Had a play with the panoramic feature on my new phone too. Thanks for putting a cache here. I enjoyed it and will give it a favorite point.

It is realy ashamed that the path is not maintened. After a short time of search we found the wright way to go up. The view up there was great and a wet box was waiting for us. For the nice spot I'll give you a favorite point. Thanks for leading us to this nice spot (without gc I never walked up)

Too bad that this is off no longer maintained .
It's really a beautiful place up here .

After we had visited the Oparara Basin , yet we went to the area for a few caches .

Thanks from Switzerland

Phew...tricky to find...and that was just the path! But we got there in the end, and actually the cache was relatively easy once we got there.
As previous finder said, nice mown path hoes up first couple hundred metres but then stops. Don't carry on from there, go back 10 - 15m then follow tiny trail, which zigs and zags as it should. TFTC.

A visit to Karamea and Kohaihai is never complete without a wander up the zig zag and since we had noticed some DNF's on this cache it was an added incentive. The good news is the cache is where it's meant to be We emptied the container of water and although the log is damp it is still very useable. The other good news is we were told by a DOC member the track to the top is going to be reinstated (but not when). At present the track requires care in several places, especially with wet vegetation.

First 200 m of track looked promising as recently mown but then it got really thick and the rain and the bus was coming so had to abandon the hike unfortunately. Good view before descending to the carpark but so enjoyed walking the whole Heaphy track.

After 4 days on the Heaphy Track I had just enough energy to get up here. The zig zag track is badly overgrown by flax but it is possible to get up there using resilience and some bush bashing. At G Z the beach has toppled over but a few too many choices within the range of the hint. Probably still there but too overgrown to be able to search easily. With transport, colleagues and a beer calling kiwimykl and I gave it away. Sad to be the only DNF but time and undergrowth was too short and long, respectively.
Might deserve another T crank of at least a 1/2 point.

[Purple] What a disappointment, at the end of four days on the Heaphy Track to end it with a DNF.

As we came to the end of our four day adventure, capperz pointed up to where the GZ was... now I understood the T rating. I was keen, Raisinpig and GH6710 weren't so keen but relented. We dropped our packs and made it along the well formed track to a small knob above the carpark, surely this couldn't be it... no, the GPS indicated another 200m and I think the height must have equalled the distance. Not only that, but the track had all but disappeared being overgrown with flax and fern. Raisinpig and GH6710 pulled out at this point and capperz and I made the push to the top. Like Hillary and Tensing, we knocked the illegitimate son off, but despite searching for at least half an hour could not find the cache. The hint wasn't particularly useful as there was no Toi Toi or gorse at the GZ and I wish I had read the description a bit better as it was only when I got home and had another look that I noticed the cache is in a 1.2 litre container, I was definitely looking for something smaller.

Never-mind, you win some and you lose some, I'll put this on my watchlist and see if someone else finds it and one day I might come back.

On a positive note, it is a great view.

The track only goes a little way up - I imagine from the logs that it should go further up the hill but it is well overgrown and we couldn't see where it might have gone. Maybe the owner would like to relocate this cache.

Comment noted but rather than move the cache I've upped the T rating a notch to indicate that it might take a bit of an effort to get to GZ. I think the views there are worth it.

almost gave up on it.....trach really neglected...GPS was all over the place, turned around and there it was

A good climb, a pity the track no longer is being kept clear.

A tough climb even after a leisurely 4 days on the the track but only as I pushed myself as trying to do this quickly so not to hold up the non-geo cachers that I was tramping with . TFTC

very over grown track. tftc

A day spent around Karamea today. Plenty of windstorm damage, including the roads and tracks to the major caching areas. We'll just have to come back. Power out in Karamea most of the day, but when it did come back on the lights stayed off! Followed the obvious elephant trail passed the end of the DOC track. All good, though very damp pusing though the flax and undergrowth. A quick find at GZ. Thanks for the hide.

Shinichi87 and I found this little one on our road trip around the south island. Our beloved Campervan Gimli took us in every single part of the South Island, so we could collect a lot of Caches
We did the Heaphy Track on 3 days and stayed the two nights in huts whiche we had for ourselves. On the next day we made this one. It was really hard, because there is no way anymore....

After KullerKeks90 and I spend the last three days on the Heaphy Track we decided to do today nothing, or nearly nothing. After the breakfast we tramped up to the viewpoint. The sign said 2 min... Someone removed the 0 and minutes later we knew why. The way doesn't exist anymore. Somehow it was very difficult to find the rest of the way between all the plants. The ground is although really slippery. Definitely nothing for children and maybe the T grade has to set now a little bit higher because every month it got be worst. The view as really good up there. TFTC

Ooh. This was a sting in the tail after 90+km in three days, even without the pack on my back. Got to where I thought was high enough to be told that I was still 157M away. That adds up to a lot more zig zagging. Felt like I'd earned my swim in the river once over the finish line. Even wondered if I was now looking down on the Scott's knob saddle from here.
Nice view. Also got to look down on the snail counters arriving in style in their R44. I wonder if they'd finished their beer and wine.
TFTC

Nice warm down after walking the track. Good to drop the pack and nick up for this.
Track is fine....maybe getting back to origonal while currently in use by possom trappers.
Great view.....I had the paper work done for me.
Chopper flew in below while we here, dropping off a team we met at a hut 2 days earlier.....soft!
The two seats are worse for wear up here!
Thanks Biggles for organising this cache.

Take this one on our trip through NZ while honeymooning
TFTC and sorry for late logging but had a lot to do since back in the days

probley not the best time to do this lunch time and a hot sunny still day still the views where great, shame about the track as it being taken over by the flax bushes even found the last one....cache is fine but the seat has seen better days too and the trip back down was great would have loved to gone for a swim...

Sorry Biggles I totally stuffed this one up. Went UP the zig zag track till it ended - great views. Glimpsed at another olg that started saying something about not trusting the zig zag track sign so thought there must be another way. Got back to the carpark and read it all properly and could see I should've carried on. Decided to leave it for another day when I'm back on my own.

Was to much for jak the geo dog
On this track the sign put us wrong
Frist then the track was to much for
My poor old dog when back down
And done a easier cache

Don't trust the sign Zig Zag track two min it's a really nice walk on a well prepared way for two minutes...... but then it becomes to an adventure trip with a lot of flex ( try it you will know what we mean if you reach the cache it's a fantastic view TFTC

Found it!!! What a trip!! It felt like walking in the jungle, try to find our way through grasses and trees, we did not see the path at first!!!! It was quite tricky to find the box though, amazing view! thanks

After that walk really would have loved this cache, but wasn't to be. But hope for the next cacher that it is still there.

This track is certainly aptly named, but we struggled our way to the top for a quick easy find. Although not maintained, the track is quite distinct for the whole way. You just have to brush aside the many flaxes hanging over the track. TFTC

It's a while since I've been up this track and was a bit apprehensive after reading that it was no longer maintained. While there are one or two spots where the foliage is trying to take over it seems there is still enough traffic to keep the path reasonably clear. The flax that had been planted to block the track have suffered from "boot disease" and will likely not survive anyway. It took us as long to find the cache as it did to climb the hill but that was because we made it harder than we needed to. Great views on a clear day. TFTC.

A tricky find, more because we made hard work of it, at a place without connectivity so a late log. This lookout hits the spot and I'm always happy to pay it another visit. People seem to take exception to the "no maintenance" and keep beating a path to the top. TFTC

This one was quite a challenge - not to find it, but to get up on this hill. The flax is growing fast me thinks . Climbed up there for the sunset - spectacular view! But if you do so, always take a lamp with you to find your way back downhill! Don't try this one wearing flip-flops !

Thanks for the cache, added to favourites!

The track is no longer maintained so it was a bit of a push to get to the Cache location

hardess thing about this cache was finding the track. once you find the start of the track above the lookout track was still well worn.

Took 10 minutes up the overgrown track,but still in great shape. geocache safe and sound. Great view. Thanks.

Attempt to find cache but search abandoned. It appears they are trying to close the zigzag as four flax plants had been planted right across the track and the track was fast deteriorating beyond this point.
Carried on for short distance but gave up.

As Kakariki has said, it seems as though someone is trying to stop people going too far up this track. This, combined with tiredness after 4 days on the Heaphy Track, means we abandoned our search. It might be worth the cache owner visiting the spot to check viability of the cache. There is still a path there, but I'm guessing it won't be maintained any more.

looks like we were the last that made it all the way up to the 'top' through all this flax...it was hard work but worthy the views
there is a new vista point just after the stairs and the way is 'closed' with some newly planed flaxes, the rest of the zig zag way is overgrown. thanks anyway for this

[size=1] +-++-++-++-++-++-++-+ |T|N|L|N|B|F|P| +-++-++-++-++-++-++-+
[size=1][font=Impact]Cache.Mike[font=arial][/size]

Hi I'm a young cacher from switzerland and usualy I write my logs by myself in swiss german.
to keep it simple find the detailed log and any required picures of our find in Cache.Mike logs, he is my fahter.
thanks to all owners for all those fun caches we found during our 6 weeks in New Zealand

[size=1][font=Impact] .... [orange]JoshThePirate[/orange][/size][font=arial]

Wow, this one did take me almost all the afternoon:). First I couldn´t find start of the Zig Zag Track. When I have found it and reached the (for public opened) end the GPS showed still lots of meters away. I was going down and try to walk around the hill:). Wrong way! I have returned back and found the route up after the official end of Zig Zag Track. It was nearly dark so I´ve run all the way up (and down) and finally found this cache:) It was great hunt and the views (unfortunately it was quiet dark to see a lot:( ). TFTC!

"Not in gorse or Toi Toi" hahaha! I like your sense of humour Biggles.
Took a little bit of poking around but got it. All is in good condition

Too many seats

Great views up on top today

Quick find.
Thanks for the Cache.
Greets_derft

This entry was edited by derft on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 at 10:42:08 UTC.

Quick find after a hot climb by Son Wan Dag and Father Dag. TFTC.

.

found it with integersmirk during our holiday in Mokihinui thank you

It had been a long hot day but all 5 of us made it up to the cache, a great team effort (and only partly inspired by the need to burn off Xmas dessert overload the day before). TFTC, great spot.

A warm afternoon, set sail upward after Kohaihai, and did not think the spiral would ever finish. Great views up here. Foud the co-ordinates a bit off but found GZ easily enough. Bring a tipple and enjoy the coastal views, especially of the rivermouth. TFTC

A nice walk up the hill on a track were you can zig and zag a number of times and still not get appreciably closer to the destination. It was a beautiful day to be here and even the sandflies seemed to be having a day off. Miss Miester managed to get her hands on this one first and once the formalities were complete we sat and took in the great view before moving on. TFTC

Well this track certainly lived up to it's name!! The views on the way up and at the cache site made it all worthwhile. It was a great spot to take some great photos and sit and take a break at the same time TFTC

With beautiful fine weather we set off up the track and as promised it certainly zigged and zagged lol but a good walk up with great views and many photos taken (after all the rain yesterday it was great to have a good day to appreciate the views !!! ) a short hunt before I approached from the right angle and cache was found - signed log - had a rest at the seat then wandered back to the car - thanks for the cache

The track that never seemed to end....harder find that I anticipated but trusted GPS and quickly found. TFTC

We were just looking for a good spot to drop the Dolphie travelbug. We thought it is a good idea to go down the west coast of the South Island, so started as far north as possible. This was a brilliant day on the west coast with fantastic views. We just hope that Dolphie is going to visit (and survive) Hectors and Dolphin dreams.
Thank you for the nice view down from GZ, it was a stunning day. TFTC

Beautiful fine day. Great view from find location.

Beautiful view! Which rewarded us 4 the climb after HeaphyTrack!! TFTC

Found with NZ pixie after walking 22 kms on the Heaphy ZigZag was just what my legs needed to finish the day off

Not vary far from the bottom in a straight line but the track lives up to its name. You should not count Petesnz log as he only came up to see if there was cellphone reception. Got his priorities all wrong.

Some FTFs dragged me to Karamea, so it would have been rude not to visit. Arrived at dusk and managed to zig my way up. Proud to decline all rest stops and make it to GZ in one burst. At GZ things looked grim. Surely he didn't... Surely he did! Happy to see blue in the 2nd spot I checked. Back down by the last glow of the day to visit the swing bridge. Several fires on the beach. Wonder what they think of someone arriving at dark, walks into the park, stays away for 30 mins and then drives away again! MAD! (Yup). TFTC

We zigged and zagged to the top, signed the log took the geocoin, took in the magnificant view ans zig zagged back down again. TFTC

A very aptly named track, great views from the top.

TFTC

Walked up at dusk, further than I realised! Stunning views.

Beautiful walk to an even more beautiful view! Took our time and sat on the bench to enjoy the view. Cache was spotted quickly. Nobody here, so we could log unseen. Thanks for showing us this great spot!

TFTC!

Sorry for the late log. I've been busy travelling around and now back in Switzerland. Well, well. What a hard climb up this hill after finishing the Heaphy Track. I found the cache after a little search. TFTC.

A bit like the grand old duke of york this one loved the seats and picked up lost lamb TB

With Gpetone - thanks Graeme. Good start to Heaphy Track, even if it left us a half hour behind the others.
TN, left TB (Lili the Lost Lamb - a long way from home!) and an Australian snake (I trust it won't eat any birds' eggs).
Great place for a cache. Thanks, BigglesNZ

On our way to the Heaphy Track, two of us diverted.
Thanks Pete for help and gps.
Great view; lovely day.
TNLE, TFTC

Huffed and puffed up here. Found a Weka family up here. Quite interesting watching one adult hide chicks and the other creating a diversion. The landscape was pretty good too.

tftc... and whe placed a travelbug ... ... su... and have fun...

Quick stroll up for the view.

Cool spot for a cache, I walked up here in the dark to the sound of the crashing waves.

Thanks Bitsprayer

Long way up great views

A lovely stroll up the hill.
Great view.

A great wee walk.
Totally different perspective from up here.
TFTC.

Easy find, this is my 3 time I have been up here.
Great view and a beautiful winters day.
TFTC and the TFT

Published

A nice view point in a very beautiful part of New Zealand. I was with Biggles when he placed this cache and so have written our name in the log but not claiming an FTF as that wouldn't be right. Whoever is first to find this cache you will see the blank FTF space in the book waiting for you. Good luck. +tb

(Edit: Updating log to found now that the FTF has been claimed.)

This entry was edited by Kiwi_Explorer on Wednesday, 07 July 2010 at 13:48:10.

Dropped in a trackable.