A section of the Motatapu Track has been rerouted ahead of this weekend’s Motatapu race series, when thousands of people will cross parts of the track on foot and bike.

The track was rerouted to avoid a large, slow-moving slip, Department of Conservation (DOC) operations manager Charlie Sklenar said, after a recent routine assessment found it was at risk of becoming larger during storm events.

“We've been monitoring the slow-moving slip for a number of years,” Charlie said. 

“Safety is our highest priority, so when a recent reassessment found it was at risk of further movement, potentially damaging the track, we made the call to close this section and reroute it to a safer location.”

DOC staff worked with the landowner to identify a new path, and a team of rangers was deployed to the remote spot to complete the work in mid-February.

The track was rerouted by 350m to avoid the slip, located between Highland Creek Hut and Roses Hut.

Marker posts have been moved to the new section, vegetation planted across old entrance points, and directional signs at each end of the re-route are in place to ensure users can easily follow the new route.

Even without the annual Motatapu race series, the track - a historic route linking Wānaka and Arrowtown and crossing private land - is very popular, and forms part of the Te Araroa Trail.

"Judging by the amount of foot traffic while staff were undertaking the work, it won't be long before this new section is well and truly worn in," Charlie said.

Motatapu race series organisers have extended the entry deadline for most of Saturday’s (March 7) races.

It’s not too late to enter the 42km Trail Run, 47km Mountain Bike, 15Km UDC Finance Miners Trail and the 4km Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run, with entries open until midnight today (Wednesday March 4).

PHOTO: Supplied