Cannon Point "New" Route

Not really "new" as the tracks used have been there for quite some time, and most of them I have done at some point or other. But this was the first time I strung them together in this order to go up and over Cannon Point.

Took the Regional Council's upgraded track on the True Right of the Hutt River down towards the Whakatiki River. Thankfully they haven't upgraded the whole track, and once it gets into the bush it is still an undulating muddy delight! From the Whakatiki River it is up a small zig-zag to gain the terrace where a house must have once been. Last time I went up here there was no track, and this looks like the work of a private citizen, perhaps a mountain biker.

Pick one of three tracks ... I seemed to pick the "adventure option", clambering over a few fall trees, then out to Three Skulls Rd. A few hundred metres of sealed road, then turn right onto the clay pylon access road. This road is not marked on topo maps, but has been in existence for many years. That said, this is the first time that I have used this road. Follow that road up until it eventually ends in a T intersection with a gravel road.

Straight across the intersection and jump the ditch so a shirt scramble up into the bush. This is one of my favourite tracks - rooty and gnarly and poorly marked (i.e., not at all). That track exits out on to the clay MTB/walking track that leads up to the Trig. From there it was a cruise down the zig zag track to the carpark and then run the streets to home. 1h:04:55.