Last Updated: 1st Mar 2025
Rinse And Repeater
Challenge Trail and Wairoa Loop
Last Updated: 1st Mar 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 24 ?
Gnarl Factor: 37 ?
18.5km
710m
705m
Last Updated: 1st Mar 2025
Last Updated: 1st Mar 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 24 ?
Gnarl Factor: 37 ?
18.5km
710m
705m
Front country - easily accessible
Loop
Undulating, some big hills
Native bush
Lakeside
Gravel Road
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +7.6%
Average Downhill Gradient: -7.6%
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3:30
Slow
2:30
Moderate
1:45
Fast
Start out downhill on ARA Drive in the direction of Upper Mangatawhiri dam.
Look for a vehicle bay on the left a kilometer down the road, and here drop onto a wooded section of track. Follow this until it brings you back onto Moumoukai Road.
Keeping left, follow the road along and past Mangatawhiri dam, alongside the reservoir, and then uphill to the ridge line. At the fork, turn left and then follow Challenge Track along the ridgeline.
On passing the Repeater campsite, hang a right down the road but keep an eye out for the single track about 200 meters down on the left (Wairoa loop track). Follow this down to the Wairoa Loop Track carpark then turn left and follow the road briefly to Moumoukai Road, which you will climb back up to close the loop at the Repeater Road car park.
There are toilets at the Upper Mangatawhiri campsite car park, and near the Repeater Campground and Hut.
12 km
16 minutes
No
No
Moderate.
Take care to turn left at the top of the hill above the reservoir, then look for Challenge track to the left off the 4WD road.
Be sure to take the road to the right from the Repeater campsite, then have a careful eye out for the Wairoa Loop Track on your left.
Other than that, navigation should be straight forward.
Patchy.
Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
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Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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KA
I run this loop clockwise quite regularly as part of bigger runs. I add on the Suspension Bridge loop, which makes it just over 22km all up. I love running this loop (incl. Suspension Bridge loop) as it has a lot of variety and you can start in the dark and run for the first one and a half to two hours in the dark. I always start at the Upper Mangatawhiri Campsite. It is a hard 2.5km up to the Kauri Dieback station at the start of Repeater Road, but it gets the body warmed up for the rest of the run. Once back at the car, you can refuel and set off again taking in other trails such as the Hunua Hustle, the Pukapuka loop or just run an out and back down A.R.A. Road.
April 8
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.
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