A bypass track above the slip area was created, enabling the entire track to remain open to the public while the cordoned off section was worked on.
Former State Highway 1, rail base, track slip, and bypass track. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"We're basically drilling into the slope and anchoring in, as far as practical, the loose material that is there," Charles Loader, from Abseil Access, said.
He said it was a difficult site to operate especially in terms of access.
"The slip area is smack bang in the middle of the escarpment track.
"We basically have to walk from the road, over the railway tunnel, to access the site."
Loader said there was a lot of work to do. He estimated the project, which is cordoned off from the public, was about a third of the way through.
Access to a Paekākāriki Escarpment Track slip has been difficult for abseilers. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"If it was easy to access it wouldn't be a big project but it's the fact that it's incredibly difficult to access.
There was no estimated time of completion.
"It's a moving beast.
"Every time we get these weather systems come through there are slight changes of conditions in the site."
Dennis Young, from Kāpiti Heliworx, has been an important part of the work.
Kāpiti Heliworx lifts another bag of material away. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He has airlifted gear and materials to the abseiling team and been responsible for airlifting excess gravel, in fertiliser bags, off the site. A lot has gone onto farmland tracks at the top of the escarpment.
"So far we've taken about 150 tonnes, at least, of gravel off and every single kilogram of that has been hand-dug by the abseilers.
