All photos were taken southbound.


Waitaha River, Parkers Creek (2 photos), Whataroa River.


Getting deeper into the seasonal dead-end, across the Tatare River and then the Waiho River Bailey Bridge. Bailey Bridges are temporary trusses intended to carry traffic for up to 3 years while a replacement is constructed, and the components have a maximum life of 10 years in service with maintenance. These look like they're not exactly new. In 2017 - which means the bridge is going to be at least 30 years old and still in service - New Zealand Transport Agency lifted the bridge by 2.1 m to clear the rising gravel in the Waiho. This is the fourth raise in the lifetime of a temporary bridge that's designed to last 10 years. And trust me, it looks even worse now than in these photos.


At the south end of the Waiho River bridge, the glacier of Franz Josef Glacier (the old green sign was for the town) is to the left and NZ 6 bears right. This is not really the appropriate signage for that situation.


I feel like if you've made it this far, you already know whether the road is closed. I'm sure there are a couple of these blue signs I missed as well.


Across the first of three grand old suspension bridges, crossing the Fox River. The only good side view forced me to cheat with a north-facing photo.


Just two minutes south, the next notable bridge crosses the Weheka (formerly Cook) River.


Older curve sign, older bridge (Stoney Creek). I'm sure all of the bridges on this road (and the road itself) are the same age; the road from Ross all the way south through Haast Pass was constructed in the 1950s-60s, which is toward the newer end of when I'd expect trusses and concrete parapets, but very believable.


Just a tick farther to the third great bridge, crossing the Karangarua River. Karangarua is not an endemic marsupial subspecies.


Haast Pass is coming closer and closer, but these photos stop at Windbag Creek. You'll have to visit the final page to see that and the rest of NZ 6.

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