Author: Dan Clearwater

Whirling Water v6a6V ****

Possibly the most famous canyon in New Zealand.

Rahu Left Canyon v3a3II*

10m (1x30m rope) | 2hrs return | Public land

A relaxing trip with big green pools and some very good jumps. Easy access and fun, not very technical.

Klondyke Canyon v3a3II**

15m (1x40m rope) 2h20m public access.

A playful canyon in a shallow mossy gorge, with a couple of fun abseils and lots of small jumps into big pools.

One of the most committing, sustained and narrow canyons in NZ. 44 pitches, super solid dark schist, deep, narrow, sustained. Don’t forget the “Slot of Doom”, with a handline to access 3 pitches (one including a deviation) on a 45m drop. If it had jumps it might be a 5 star canyon…

Carew Creek v4a3I*

45m (2x60m)
2h20m
Public access

Short, steep granite canyon with interlinked waterfalls and plunge pools. Semi-open, medium volume.

Dorothy Falls v4a3II**

50m | 4-5hrs | Public access
Lake Kaniere, West Coast

Robinson Creek v4a3II***

25m (2x30m)
2.5-3 hrs
Public access

A relatively short canyon, with a more open upper section with pools, jumps and swims. Then the canyon closes in for several drops, including a very impressive pitch into a giant cavern.

Minnow Creek v4a2II

2x50m 3h15 total trip Public access A short canyoning adventure for beginners. Generally low flow – but you’ll need to swim across the Hokitika River, or bushbash up from the Hokitika Gorge track. If the main river flows are low, and you’ve got the floatation in your packs – a float through the Hokitika Gorge…

Ford Creek v2a2I**

No Rappels,
Public access
1-2hrs

Short, horizontal sandstone canyon

Tiropahi Canyon v4a6III**

27m | 4-5hrs | public access. Charleston area.

High volume gorge with one compulsory rappel. Challenging return route.

Basin Creek v4a3II*

15m max drop (2x 30m) 3h30h total duration 1h/1h30/1h approach/descent/return Public land A short canyon with a particularly impressive pitch. Mostly low angle in a bedrock gorge with beautiful blue pools. First descent: Amy Burney, Ben Fletcher, Christian Miller, and Lulu Jordan – November 2025. Thanks to Christian for the topo and images.

Lower Trovatore Canyon v3a1II*

10m max drop ( 1x30m rope) | 2hr return |Public access

Chauffeur Canyon v4a2V*

As of August 2025, this canyon has not yet had a full descent Max drop 27m A long approach means that its likely to require 1 to 2 nights for the full round trip. Chauffeur Canyon is the name given by the first canyoning explorers, to a section of Te Tanae Rangiharakeke Stream in the…

Fawn Falls v4a3II**

25m max drop (1x60m rope) 3h15m total (1h/1h30/45m approach/descent/return) Public access A short and fun canyon with some good pitches and jumps. A good adventure, particularly given the reasonably fast approach. First descent Christian Miller, Amy Burney, Conor Handley, Ben Fletcher May 2025. Images courtesy Christian Miller. Topo by Amy, Ben, Conor, and Christian.

Easy Creek v3a1III*

Excellent canyon for the novice canyoneer who wants to do a big waterfall!

Pīwakawaka falls canyon v3a2II**

A steep, sustained series of absiels with beautiful pools and generally lower flows. | Tutoko valley

Crane Creek v4a4IV**

A long, reasonably high flow trip with some impressive features. Couple of bigger drops with lots of messier features in between.

Waterfall Creek v5a3III**

Vertical canyons with beautiful drops. Eglinton Valley

Low Creek v5a4III**

A relatively open descent alternated with two distinctive enclosed sections which require some technical and aquatic rigging.

Dragon’s Den v5a4IV***

3-star, high flow canyon with 10 abseils up to 80 meters height. Dragon’s Den follows a medium to high volume stream through two technical crux sections which give the canyon it’s grade. The highlight is the spectacular 80m waterfall with a grand view across the Pyke river valley. First descent: Dutch Canyoning Expedition 08 &…

Alabaster Creek v4a4II**

Alabaster Canyon is a beautiful, cosy canyon. With just 220 meters altitude difference and a 1-hour hike in from the camp spot it’s a beautiful canyon in Fiordland, the combination of enclosed waterfalls with green covered moss. The first 120 meters of altitude hides about 13 beautiful smaller abseils that are technical and playful. The…

Swan Creek v4a2IV*

Swan creek has an open and sunny character. one of the easier descents in the Pyke Valley

Chair Creek v4a4IV**

Chair Creek generally has an open character with a short enclosed section. The crux passage with the big waterfall is a nice testing ground for your abseiling skills in fast flowing water. Anchors: Single and double 10mm ss wedge bolts and hangers and 5 mm dyneema with Tebylon half ring Longest abseil is 60 meters…

Eagles Nest – alternative start v4a3V***

The character is the same as the classic Eagles Nest. No added difficulties are encountered in this alternative entrance route. Anchors: 10mm ss wedge bolts and hangers and 5 mm dyneema with Tebylon half ring Longest abseil in this bit 35 m, but eagle’s nest is advised to take 2*60m rope First descent: Dutch Canyoning…

Alzheimers v4a2III

see page 442 of the guidebook

Al Dente v4a2IV*

See Page 442 of the guidebook

Alpocalypse v3a4III*

See page 442 of the guidebook

Al Gorge v3a3III*

A relatively short canyon with a beautiful enclosed section. Anchors: 10mm ss wedge bolts and hangers and 5 mm dyneema with Tebylon half ring Longest abseil is 40m First descent: Dutch Canyoning Expedition 14-3-2025Erik Birkhoff Erwan Coq Bas Hetterscheid Pepijn Hoeksema Britt Joosten Jaap Sikkema Bram de Vries Loys van Asten

Arthurs Cataract v5a2V

First descent 17 April 2007 Gavin, Mike and the trip report author… Franz Josef Glacier Guides Consider this trip report in the context of glacial recession: getting to Castle Rocks Hut would be most practical in a helicopter…… The grade is a guess, based off the words below. The trip report’s author wasn’t recorded: let…

1 Creek v3a2II

First descent: Dave Vass, Tristran (?), Alain Rohr 2007 Approach, steep on the true right. “We didn’t descend the last waterfall, because it was more than 60m high, and overhung” Apparently they exited the canyon via a heinously steep and loose escape… Bring a bigger rope if you’re going to finish this one off… Alain…

Knobs Flat Creek v4a2III

First descent, Alain Rohr and Antoine Chabanais 2005 Approach, true left, steep, to roughly 700m contour Some nice absiels, with a good level of water. Descent notes found in the depths of Dan’s hard drive… Park at the camp ground cross the river and the swampy flats.. make for the canyon Can see the final…

28 Birthday Creek v3a2III

First descent, Alain Rohr & Antoine Chabanais 2005 Approach, true left to around 800m contour, steep! Lots of absiels, with a good level of water.

Broken Creek v4a2IV*

Broken creek first full descent: Jeroen (Stretch) Verhees, Edgar Fella, Morgan, early 2025 Lots of medium length pitches and fairly low flows. Adventure canyon! More info to come!

Tatare Stream v6a6V***

A fairly short but very techincal section of canyoning near Franz Joseph Glacier.. “Maybe the ideal warmup for Whirling Water?” said some of the first descent team… First canyoning descent, 21 February 2025. Edgar Fella, Henry Rotherham, Taylor Haisell, Jeroen Verhees, WIlliam Henry Norton, Louis Rgissart See the facebook post below for videos, until we…