The most Dangerous Road in NZ - by MAN truck

Skippers Road for the first few kms by MAN truck.

Drone : Matt

[kebmel]

Went up there in a bus when I was a kid to see the pub with no beer. Not only was there no beer, there wasn’t a pub either.

[BradGryphonn]

The conversation in the cab was pure gold! Worth watching just to hear that :)

[lindamckenzie]

My Dad drove myself and my three siblings over this road in 1958, in our wonderful green Austin A70. I sat in the front with Dad and put my trust in him, but I remember feeling a bit scared. There was much more loose gravel on the road then, and I remember serious pot-holes. Mum flatly refused to come with us, saying that she would be so frightened it would frighten her children! Good choice Mum.

[incamoran]

My ex-partner used to drive tour coaches over the Skipper's Road back in the day. He reckoned it was the only time the Aussies on board shut up.

[charlotterobinson]

Had to watch in 10-minute bursts, to let my heart rate come down. Loved the background banter!

[brendono]

My favourite memories are driving the rafting busses here. 23 seater buses with tandem trailers and 6 rafts on top. Some corners you had to take with the front of the bus over the edge. Scared the crap out of the passengers. Even had non rafters refusing to come back with me and take a helicopter back. If I spent too long having a cold swim in a side river on a stinking hot summers day, I would have to race back to the rafting take out. 22 minutes from rafting drop off to Shotover jet rafting take out. Now that was an adrenaline rush.

[rosscayley]

For a bit of perspective: the Skippers Canyon Road its a bit like any bog-standard road in northern India thats used routinely by all the trucks, cars, tuk-tuks, moto's, bicycles etc that service those himalayan regions...except the Skippers Road is in generally much better condition, traverses much more stable country, and is located above - and below - WAY smaller and less-steep

[brucet]

im glad i watched this on the screen and not from the cab.very scary.thanks Geoff for showing this.

[barbaradean]

When I was a kid in NZ during the 50's and 60's, most of the passes were similar . Buller Gorge, Lewis pass, round the Kaikoura's, Arthurs Pass. Plus the ones down south. Lots of times you had to back up, go through water courses.. down hill traffic had to give way to up hill. As a little kid in some places I would close my eyes. Loved the Lewis Pass because my brother and I could have a swim at the hot springs swimming pool at the Maruia Springs old pub, a couple of miles to Spring's Junction... so very different to now on these roads.

[samuelbroad]

Beautiful vehicle, fantastic views, love the tussock blowing in the gale and the mist. I noticed you have a multitude of antennas.

[paul-green-photography]

The unimog story isnt quite accurate. They were planning to take them in there and did do some test runs. It was all a bit too tight especially for a commercial tourism operation carrying the public. Plus locals pushed back since we didnt want the road being altered or ruined to accommodate them.

[richardpeychers]

Took the family up this track in the 80's in our Hillman Hunter, and wouldn' you know it met another vehicle at Devils Gate and had to reverse up the bank to let them pass. With nowhere to turn for home we carried on through thick Mica type powdery dust with the Skippers River on our left faaar below. Further up we came to the Skippers Bridge, rusty old steel affair, we'll that was enough for the
son, he hops out and starts walking while the rest of us negotiated the bridge, unfortunately the Hillman didn't have much clearance so tore the exhaust off exiting the opposite end.
Spent the afternoon wandering around and found small stream that had small strawberries growing abundantly which took the kids minds off the trek.
The trip out was fine but a bit noisy without the muffler now in the boot
for reconnection at a later date.
Back in Queenstown Next morning thought I'd give dusty old car a wash as she was looking preeetty rough when the neighbour happened by with a 'jeez mate where ya been' Skippers I replied, 'WHAT'

[iwanttobeamole]

well I know where I'm going on my next adventure ride! Nice one chaps. Love the vids. Low key. Spot on. keep it up.

[jmpersonal]

Have crap snow, so no skiing - mid-winter was the time to do it... June... The ruts were great.... created wide by Landrovers, so with the Suzuki Vitara, it was easy to flip one wheel in the frozen bit, let the steering loose and sneak along, particularly at the big slip...
A certain nameless woman (aka, the Great Rhonzo) was screaming so loud she could be heard in Lumsden@!@! We sat her in the back seat in the middle and put her hood up so she could see nothing!!! My family had a mine at Maori Point. Well worth a visit - Great memory!
The other crazy road was at Mount Cook. You could drive up to Ball Hutt. (I think) It was 50 years ago; the memory has faded a bit.

[Vara]

Been up this road in winter, to visit the Borrells at the Branches Station, with chains on all 4 wheels, had to cut wheel tracks in the ice at the blue slip.Try the road on the eastern side of lake Hawea, much more scary. A private road, though. It is reputed that the owner/builder Sarginson, did rock drilling tied to a rope.

[johnwaldmann]

In 1985 there was a section of the road, in a saddle, that dropped off sheer on both sides. Four wheel drive vehicles had rutted that section so badly that a motorcycle or car could not drive in the ruts. So the answer for a mad motorcyclist like myself was to put a wheel on each side, in each rut with the bike balanced on the exhaust under the engine. Then gun it with loads of counter steer to force the rear wheel to give traction.

The most dangerous road in the country was justified back in those days because The centre ridge was only about six inches across at that point. And a road that is 6 inches wide is for definite pretty dangerous given the drop either side. The ruts were more than a foot deep and sloped washed out. Easier on a dirt bike, than the road bike I was riding. On foot well it would have been sit down and scramble unless you were a gymnast with perfect balance and zero fear of height.
I’m watching this to see if the drovers camp, and tepee at the end of the road is still there after all these years. Being homeless at the time, I stopped there for a week or so.

[tonymckeage]

Great Video Geoff, looks like a challenging route for your truck, thanks for sharing

[ellsw]

Bravo, gentlemen. A great video to watch and some great overhead drone shots. I watched it while on my indoor rowing machine so it was just like being there with you guys. Have done some off road driving in NZ but never in such a big truck nor with such steep.sides. Great to watch!

[WheraDouglas]

My husband and I travelled this road....area, late 1980s!
Beautiful!!!!Wairoa, HB😂😢😮!!!

[AJKPenguin]

Wonderful country and great presentation!