The 11.6km mountain biking and walking Pike29 Memorial Track will open on February 17. It will connect the Paparoa Track Great Walk to the Pike River Valley.  

The track is the result of a partnership between DOC, Ngāti Waewae and families of the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine disaster in November 2010. 

Pike River Families Group Committee chairperson Colin Smith said: “The Pike29 Memorial Track is another step towards the Pike River families’ goal of creating an enduring memory for their family members lost in the Pike River mine disaster as well as long-term sustainable economic benefits for those West Coast communities impacted by the disaster.” 

The track will be a challenging walk or ride as it rises 880m from the valley floor  to the Paparoa Range. 

Pike River Mine Transition Project manager Jess Curtin said the Pike29 Memorial Track is an outstanding journey in a spectacular landscape, from alpine scrub to luxuriant forest.

“As it winds between the valley floor and the tops it introduces visitors to the story of what happened at the Pike River mine and what has been learnt from the disaster,” she said.

Designed to be an out and back track, it also provides an alternative entry/exit point for the Paparoa Track.

If you just want to visit the memorial and enjoy the spectacular landscape, it’s an easy 15-minute walk from the Pike Valley car park to twin bridges within the forest.