Highest drop 17m (minimum of two 40m ropes recommended)
4-8 hrs
Public access
Very deep schist slot canyon with many beautiful turquoise pools and significant flow. Difficult to gauge the water level: in slightly higher flows this is a very serious undertaking, requiring excellent whitewater canyoning skills.
First descent: Alain Rohr & Ondrej Havlicek, 2004.
In February and March 2025, Alain Rohr replaced rusty hardware on R1 to R7, with new stainless chain and millions.
Guidebook updates
Grading
The grade has been revised to a5, as there are currents that can deflect a swimmer’s path in the water, and commitment to IV, since it takes more than an hour to get out of flood conditions.
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Flow gauge – assess carefully
After more than a decade of stability, the very large October 2025 flood event totally altered the exit boulder garden, which made the flow gauge images irrelevant.
Until we get a more descents to figure a new ‘gauge’ groups will need to assess the flow very carefully. Wilson is very flow dependant. A ‘little’ more water can result in a much more hazardous and technical descent. More flow also equals more time.
We’ll add to the image gallery below, showing images and corresponding levels. If you’re doing Wilson, please take a photo (from the bridge as well as river level) and email it to me – chucky@kiwicanyons.org Please watch out for traffic – people drive fast and erratically!
First trip through since the ‘gauge’ blew out, and all I can say is “WOW”.
Although there’s only a minor change to the topo (see more below), there has been huge changes to the floor of the canyon.
As has been mentioned, all the pools are currently filled with gravel – there are no big jumps at the moment. Even the little jumps are into pools less than waist deep onto gravel.. You’ll usually hit the bottom, even after downclimbing as low as possible and making a flat landing. Treat these with extreme caution!
Loads of boulders have moved around, the canyon floor has risen and lowered by metres in some places – almost unrecognisable in places to people who know the canyon intimately.
The biggest change is at R8/R9.
There was a house-sized boulder wedged in the flow on the right – the front page of the guidebook shows Annette rapping from that boulder. That boulder has been blown out, and chucked about 10 metres down canyon. The force of water to do that is mind-boggling!
The whole cave thing underneath the boulder is gone…
Now, the R8 anchors (which were reported as loose) are amost too high to reach. Instead, squeeze between the canyon wall and huge flake on the TL, to a changed false floor.
Follow the false floor carefully to a new bolt at head height on your right (on the huge flake). That is the start of a handline accross the dodgy bit of false floor to another single bolt on the TL wall. From there, a tall person can reach the R9 anchor (which has been extended by chains). The pitch is now fairly simple, and you land near/on the huge boulder that used to be wedged at the top of the flow! WOW.
Below that pitch, the DC6 log (which has been there for at least 12 years) is now snapped and rammed into the gravel. The canyon below here is unrecognisable to me… There’s now final simple downclimb on the TR, and you need to wade/swim past a minor undercut to exit. Easy in normal/low flow, but if the water is up, it’d be a bit pushy and require good technique.
An incredible reminder of the power of nature – I’m thinkign this was the result of a dam-burst rather than just a big storm – the degree of change is the biggest I”ve personally seen in a canyon in Aotearoa.
As of now, all anchors are in place and useable – but come prepared in case the R9 situation changes as the next flood alters the false floor (webbing/mailion/hand-drill a wise thing to carry)
As already mentioned, large landslip on walk in, worth noting that this has filled in almost all the pools in the canyon. I’m sure it will get dug out over time but hardly any deep pools at the moment.
Such a beautiful canyon.
A massive slip has come down across the creek on the approach in before you decent down to wilsons. The path to the old track can be a bit hard to find.
Other than that the canyon is running super grippy and all anchors are in good condition
Wilson is good to go!
After the recent spring flooding, Wilson only has some very small changes.
Biggest change to note- on the walk in, when crossing the tributary, there is now a large (massive) landslip. Cross this and take care to find the correct trail on the other side (regulars to Wilson should be able to find this no problem I think). Next trip through I’ll put one bit of pink tape to make that clear unless someone else doesn’t get to that first.
In the canyon itself, we encountered only one anchor needing some love and care (R2)- a bent ring bolt and the bag hanger were damaged- all replaced by us and good to go, the expansion is a little loose (used existing hole) but is backed up by 2 other bolts so should be no issue. There is still a big log wedged there at the top of that abseil, seems to be a feature for now, we tried very hard to budge it.
Some large boulders have shifted, but basically its 95% the Wilson we know and love.
R4 pool is full of gravel, so if you jumped this in the past expect chest deep water- but don’t stress, another rain event will clear that pool out nicely!
Other than those listed above, we cleared any small log jams so its looking primo. All the other classic Wilson jumps are still jumps, and you might even find some new ones 😉
So get in there and enjoy Wilson in its nicely post-flood scoured (grippy AF) splendor this summer!
Very low flow ment we could do lots of exploring of the undercuts and dangerous water features. Was surprising to find that the water feature at R3 was in fact only slightly bell shaped and not a large undercut.
The 2x unlinked glue bolts at the 2nd to last rappel are showing some movement. Use extreme caution and inspect them.
Friendly low flows and good light! Such a beautiful place…
The GPS point in the guidebook for crossing the tributary stream is certainly worth using… even if you get a little lost near the top of the climb, the GPS point will get you onto the right ridge for descending into the canyon.
New game is guess the number of instagrammers you’ll meet at the end of the trip, closest buys the beers!
We guessed, 3, 6, and 9… The answer was 13!!
Good trip, the path in is easy to follow until you reach the top then lots of smaller paths split off to reach the start. Water level was lowest I’ve seen it, roaring billy level – 153 m3 / sec. Couple of the hangers were loose however did them up with a spanner. Checked the pool for the biggest jump (cave pitch), looked a little shallow unfortunately,
All anchors are in place. A number of the maillions and linking materials are showing rust and signs of age. One day, we’ll need to carefully plan and fund a replacement program. If you read this, please take a good, close up photo of each anchor station, and send it through to president@nzcanyoningassociation.org
Hopefully we can inspire someone to apply for CanyonFund $ for replacement gear. It’ll need an angle grinder plus a very good eye for how to set up permanent anchors.. We certainly aren’t suggesting putting linking material on any of the fantastic unlinked chemical P bolts!!
The final pitch false floor is almost completely gone now. Whilst you can (probably) reach the final pitch anchor, it is possible to absiel the entire pitch from the previous set of bolts.
The abisel goes just under the final bit of the false floor, you’ll see where to go! Its dark down there, so hard to check the rope length is correctly set.
This is roughly a 20m pitch, but didn’t measure it carefully. We had a 60m rope with plenty to spare.. Just don’t get caught short on ropelength if you choose this option!
Also, there’s plenty of places for the rope to get stuck. There’s no water hazard so a simple double rope absiel with no biner block or anything is recommended.
Rope retrieval went well for us, a good tactic is for one of the first people to take both strands down, and do a test-pull before the last person comes down…
Haven’t been down in a few years!
Still one of the best canyons!
Water flow was a nice medium with not much working. Walk in as fun as always with afew random tracks around. Easy to go to high if not watching your gps.
Anchors all good but afew starting to look abit old.
All anchors are okay except for what has already been mentioned, many pools seem quite shallow
No major changes from previous few trip reports. Note the last major abseil is still sinking lower with a new gap opening up in the false floor. Not long now until access to the bolts may be very difficult or impossible. You could use some bolts further back to make this abseil work as a temporary solution should the false floor completely go. Please let the community know if the false floor does collapse and please watch your step around that area. There is a single bolt to clip into to make this safer when reaching for the anchor high up.
Approach: No old wooden bridge was seen. Go up ramp on TL of creek to reach trail. Trail was pretty well worn the whole way. Trail goes to about 860 meter contour line (unless our GPS was wrong).
Canyon:
1) Julie pool can be bridged by a taller person who can then climb back up and rig a rope off bolts on the TL that shorter people can ascend and then DC safely out of the hydraulic.
2) The boil. Didn’t need to use pendulum. Instead got off rope on ledge and jumped out through it with no issues.
3) R7 had 3 bolts. 1 of the bolts was spinning. Just use other 2, they are redundant. The takeoff ledges for the jump was very slippery today.
4) Last DC 2m and J 3m seemed switched. DC seemed like 3m and Jump seemed like 2m.
5) Last DC 6m on log was very helpful going down backwards as rock on TR was very slippery today.
We were most likely the first group through this season. All anchors in good condition. Water levels have been quite low, not much flooding going on from last season so rock surfaces are getting slippery (Wilson is usually known for excellent grip).
R9 is still sinking further with the false floor making the anchor hard to reach, now probably a real tough one to reach if everyone in the group is short.
Most pools were fine, no change from last season. No new log jams ect either.
13-11-20. Wilson Creek anchors are all good, water level quite low today and the temps were warm in the canyon.
Some small changes to pool depths, especially the one after the first abseil. R9 TL anchors, which have been quite a reach for height challenged canyoners for a few years, is getting more so sorry to say. A fair amount has collapsed under it, you can see and hear the rocks falling as you walk along the log. Best prepare for that section collapsing or becoming inaccessible in the near future. I would recommend it as a ‘walking on eggshells’ approach.
08 Feb 15
Slightly below normal flows. Only a few Hydraulics in action today..
Fast party of 4 with good prior knowledge of the canyon;
1h20 access
2h30 descent
17/12/14.
Quite low flow for this canyon. All anchors in good condition.
Party of 5 with good previous knowledge of the canyon.
1h15 access
2h45m descent