Te Iringa is one of the North Island’s best backcountry rides. Here is how it went on an eMTB…
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Te Iringa is an epic adventure that heads into the northern end of the Kaimanawas. It is an out-and-back, so you can literally pick how deep you want to get yourself into the hills. Be aware though, the best bit is the descent on the other side of the first high point, so it is very easy to get sucked right into the back country.
I had a couple of days off and the weather looked incredible (albeit a bit cold being the middle of June) so I packed my bag, left my intentions with my partner and what to do if we had to resort to plan Z. And off I went!
My plan was to go in for the night and stay at Oamaru Hut. This spot is very popular for hunters so be aware and don’t dress like a deer. Oamaru Hut is 20km from Te Iringa Campsite on Clemments Mill Rd. Because I was going at it solo, planning was very important, and there are a couple of key pieces of equipment in there.
A Garmin InReach so that I have communication without cell reception if something doesn’t go to plan. When out riding alone, you should always have appropriate communication incase you need it.
First aid supplies – Simple but well thought out. Things to deal with bleeding, pain, and the cold. Head torch.
Tools and spares – I gave my bike a thorough check before leaving home but I always take the essentials. Multitool with a chain breaker and a quick link, spare gear cable, tube, patches and tire plugs, pump, cable ties, valve core.
Warm gear – expect to have at least one warm layer in reserve just in case. Warm gloves, warm hat, neck gaiter, thermal everything. The backcountry is not a place to be cool, wearing cotton.
The first climb is anything but easy. Ferns obscure your view, logs, ruts, and switchbacks all keep you honest. When you think you have the climbing out of the way, the traverse around the edge of Te Iringa has rocky guts that only people like Danny McKaskall might attempt. But when it gets good, it gets really really good!
Once you drop onto the ridge, the smile grows until it outgrows your face. Flowy beech leaf filled trail with the odd bit of tech and the odd exposed switchback takes you all the way down to a creek. If you are just going for the day, this is where you turn around and head back up the hill. Heading to Oamaru Hut is quite a bit of extra work. From that creek it is about another 10km to the hut which means that it’s about 10km back to that point. It’s not as flat as you’d think from looking at the map. But it is really beautiful, and really techy with a high chance of getting your feet wet or losing your bike in one of the numerous bogs. For the most part though, the track rides really well and is a bit easier than the traverse around Te Iringa.
It is pretty obvious when you are close to the hut. The valley opens out and the trail all of a sudden has more human influence. It’s a pretty good feeling when you get to the grassy flat and moments later, the hut!
I was really testing to see how an eMTB would go on this ride. It is 20km to the hut (40km total) and the weather was clear but cold so I was also interested to see how the 630Wh battery would last. Especially because the second day is the bigger of the two with a couple hundred more meters of climbing.
There is no questioning that this trail is hard work on both a mountain bike and an eMTB. The portages were difficult with the extra weight and the ride will total 40km with some steep climbing which is really taking advantage of the torque in that motor. On the 10km of trail that is by the Kaipo River heading into Oamaru hut, I was taking every opportunity to turn the bike off and just cruise through the stunning forest.
I got to the hut with about 50% and so I kept the same cruisy mentality to get back up the big climb around Te Iringa and just made it to the car on a flashing red battery icon. I had about 1km left in the battery (I know because I tested it once I got home). I have now adjusted one of the profiles on the Shimano E-Tube app specifically for Adventure. Eco just compensates for the extra weight of the bike, Trail is set for fast flats and medium climbs, while boost is literally just some extra torque when needed for the techy steep sections. I can always change between profiles if I just want full-out power!
Te Iringa is a very good adventure. If you haven’t done much like it, we run a tour called the Hero Dirt, where we fly into the Moerangi Track (just to the North in Whirinaki Forest) which is a little less work but still an amazing day out with a good variety of riding! Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about our trips!
At New Zealand Mountain Biking, we run epic mountain biking tours across the scenic North Island, New Zealand. We also help riders build confidence and skills in our MTB and eMTB private lessons on the legendary Rotorua trails. If you race or you want to get into some racing and you want to improve those skills, get in touch for some lessons!
You can learn more about our trips here to book your ride today!
