HAAST PASS ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23334, 28 October 1937, Page 7

HAAST PASS ROAD

COOD PROGRESS MAINTAINED ATTRACTION FOR SUMMER MOTORISTS A SCENIC WONDERLAND Although the Haasit Pass road, linking Otago with the West Coast, will not be completed for several years, excellent progress is being: made in the construction of the roadway on the Otago side of the saddle, and motorists before the end of this summer will be able to drive along a first-class highway to Kiwi Flat. From this point, it is only an hour and a-halfs walk through extremely picturesque scenery to,the saddle. Magnificent views are obtainable on this walk, whether looking down the turbulent Makarora River as it races to its destination in the blue waters of Lake Wanaka or following the capricious waters of, the Haast River as it carves its way through rugged gorges to the Tasman Sea. From this vantages point the sightseer may obtain an excellent conception of the vast Eotentialities of this great national ighway through the lowest gateway of the Alps: The Proposed Route Throughout the long winter, work on the Haast road has been proceeding apace, and in rain, sunshine, or in snow the engineers, surveyors, and workmen continue to carve out this highway to the coast. Up to the present time an excellent motoring road has been formed as far as Cameron's Flat, a distance of 10 miles from Makarora and 36 miles from Lake House, Hawea. Two miles further on is Kiwi Flat, and just past this point the Makarora River is crossed before reaching Davis's Flat, the site of the present main works settlement, where over 100 men are stationed. The next two miles and a-quarter from Davis's Flat to the saddle will involve heavy constructional work entailing difficult roock-cutting and the erection of a substantial bridges over the Fish River. Bush-felling on this section is now in progress, and a temporary bridge over the Fish River will facilitate the earthwork construction work ahead without the men having to await the completion of the permanent structure. The resulting road should be an excellent motoring one, as in this distance the highway rises only 600 feet on a good alignment to the summit. The pass itself is something of a Surprise to anyone who is familiar with Arthur's Pass or other alpine passes. It is an almost level > area.. of many acres. shrouded in heavy birch forest. The route from the saddle follows the upper reaches of the Haast River on comparatively easy, going for four miles to Mule Flat. For the next five miles the river falls sharply down an extremely rough ■ bed in a precipitous gorge to the Burke River, and it is this section that presents, perhaps, the greatest difficulty in road construction on the route. This portion, on the other hand, provides the tourist with some of the most magnificent scenery on mthe route. Enormous masses of rock las big as houses break up the beauti'ful blue-green water of the Haast /'into pools and cataracts, and majestic mountain peaks. make a beautiful background. A bridge will have to be erected across the Haast below the Wills junction, for the ' road will cross from the left to the ■Tight bank of the turbulent river. ■ At the Burke River the character of the country and bush changes, as this part of the road is only about 350 feet above sea level. Below this section the projected road-line follows the south bank of the Haast River through fairly easy country, past the mouth of the Landsborough River and the Clarke Hut, right on to the mouth of the Haast, where the proposed bridge will connect the pass route with the road from the glaciers. The 57-mile Haast highway is .being designed for all classes of traffic from the light car to the • heavy bus. The grades will be easy and the curves perfectly safe. The 'pass itself is only 1850 feet above sea level and is the lowest gateway 'through the Alos. In fact, the pass is even lower than the Pigroot and the Lindis Pass, and is only half the altitude of the Crown Range road. As a result it should be passable '•for traffic all the year round, except, •of course, for occasional storm ■periods. Magnificent Scenery ' -The motorist who seeks a new Scene for his 1936-37 summer holiday will find that the Haast area is a scenic wonderland, that rivals in attraction the popular Eglinton Valley motor-way. The approach to the new road provides a fitting introduction to the magnificent •scenery that follows, for the route skirts the southern shores of Lake Hawea, crosses the famous Neck to the blue waters of Lake Wanaka, and continues through Makarora to the early stages of the pass. In its winding miles, the Haast road should contain a wealth of interest to the tourists, for it passes through beautiful virgin bush and mountain scenery. One of the outstanding scenic gems on the route is the view from Mule Valley of the majestic terminal face of the Brewster Glacier gleaming high above the bush-line. Dancing mountain .'-streams and sparkling waterfalls laugh and tumble from the unbroken green of the luxuriant bush, pnd everywhere along the route beautiful native birds abound. A Sportsman's! Paradise Abundant sport, both with gun and rod, is obtainable in the Haast district, for the new route passes through the very heart of the deer country and skirts some of the best trout-fishing streams in the Dominion. Large numbers of deer are encountered all the way along the present track, and very fine pointers are frequently being taken out of this country. The Makarora River is recognised as one of the best trout fishing waters in the Dominion, and is already well-known to a large band of anglers. Fourteen miles from Kiwi Flat is the wellequioped.. Government tourist hut, the Burke Hut, which offers an excellent base camp for the angler who wishes to try his luck in the Burke River. The Haast road certainly promises to be a valuable tourist highway, for it combines magnificent scenery with first-class sport. But It also offers an excellent opportunity for the future development of the rich cattle and sheep grazing country of this little known subalpine area.