A great little roadside run in a beautiful beech lined valley. There’s a few pool drop Class III rapids at the beginning, followed by a fun and bouncy trip on pretty continuous class II. The initial rapids can be easily portaged.
Thanks to Huw Miles for the information. Photo credits to Huw Miles www.packraftingqueenstown.com: Julian Apse http://www.apse.nz
Take out/shuttle
A shuttle car can be left at the Invincible Snow Field Heli Pad. It takes about 30 mins or so for an average mountain biker to pedal back to the Muddy Creek car park.
To the put in
From the Muddy Creek car park, head into the Rees Valley, where you’ll meet Muddy Creek. From there you can either walk straight down the creek to the Rees, or carry on walking easily along the dirt road for 5-10 mins until the road hits the valley floor and put in a short float upstream of the first rapids.
Rees River below Muddy Creek: The initial rapids(III)
The first three drops are one after each other and worth a scout to be sure of your line. If any drop is unrunnable they can all be easily portaged on river right. After the first three drops the river splits into two channels. River left is usually too bony unless the Rees is running really high. The river right channel has one drop that should be inspected and can be easily portaged called “I’ll Go If You Go”. Friendlier at higher waters.
Rees River below Muddy Creek: the easier fun bit (II)
Below the initial rapids, the river becomes an easier series of Class II fun rapids. Exiting the corridor flanked by beech forest marks the end of the run. Take out river left and walk 5 mins back to the road to your shuttle/mountain bikes.
Trees on the Beech corridor are the most significant hazard. This river changes frequently as the gravel bars are shifted in floods so it’s well worth revisiting over and over!
You can carry on floating the class I braids to the Glenorchy Bridge. From put in to the bridge is around 4 hours.
Gauge
Dart River at the Hillocks
Although bear in mind the Rees is a different catchment and a smaller river than the Dart and raises and falls faster. A median flow on the Dart is 45-55 cumec. Above 400 Cumec you might want to think about a rain check on the lower Rees. The Rees is glacially fed, so expect it to rise in the afternoon on a hot day, and bring appropriate cold water clothing!
