One of the biggest and most popular mountainbike races, the Mototapu Summit is open for entries now through their website.
This has to be one the best Back Country rides in the district if not the
country!
A huge 700 vertical meter climb up Coal Pit Road to Coal Pit Saddle, then
continue around the flowy water race track for 4km, A steep track climbs for
a few km to a 4WD track on the top ridge, follow this track over Mt Salmond
to Ben Bruachan (1895m). Return the same way; you don’t need to pedal if you
don’t want to as it’s all down from here!
4-6 hours return. No chance of doing this one in winter due to snow
Click here to go to the Google Maps page
Start at the carpark opposite the Zoot Track, ride up the Coronet Peak road turning left to Skippers Saddle. Go through the gate over the cattle grid in the main road and off to the right is the start of the Skippers Pack Track. The pack track is a great flowy fast downhill ride to the bottom. At the bottom carry on along the valley floor till you see a narrow steep track winding up through a pine planatation on the other side of a wire fence, follow the track and you’ll come up to Greengates Saddle. From the top another fast flowy descent takes you down to Greengates huts which lie at the bottom of a steep and sudden drop to a small creek. Return the same way but ride up the 4WD road to Skippers Saddle adn take a sharp right at the top and drop down the fantastic Zoot track hitting the berms and jumps back to the car at the bottom.
Check out the map on google maps but note that if you want to follow this track don’t go beyond the hut, just turn back. We tried to find an alternative way out and failed. It gets pretty steep and gnarly out there!
From the Skippers Saddle car park ride the Skippers Pack Track, a 5km
technical in places ripper of a single track, down to Skippers Road. Either
ride back up to the saddle which is about a 30min climb & about a 45 minute
loop or hitch a ride back up with some of the locals doing shuttles.
If you want more of ride head into the deserted Skippers Township an
interesting ride over the Blue Slip on the Skippers 4WD track, continue from
the Pack Track turning right onto Skippers Road, turn left nearly 16km from
Skippers Saddle & head down to the old Skippers Bridge & then climb to
Skippers Township have bite to eat then return.
34km there & back, 2.5-4 hours return, Road can be closed due to slips, snow
& ice at any time of the year.
For Full or Multi Day Epics ride 17km from Skippers Bridge to Branches
Station, but call ahead & ask the Station manager for permission &
directions. (03) 441 8421
A different option once up Dewar is to take the South West track down to
Devils Creek, but be warned it can be a bike push to the small saddle, from
there it’s a nice ride down on open farm track to the sealed Coronet Peak
Road 2-3 hours return. No chance of doing this one in winter due to snow.
Loading...
