MTB

Discover Wellington's 5 gnarliest MTB tracks

Local MTB enthusiast Brett Kennedy takes us through five of Wellington's most tech trails, proving the capital can certainly hold its own against Rotorua and Queenstown.

Written by Brett Kennedy

5 min readPublished on 15.05.2017 · 23:57 UTC

When it comes to getting kudos for the best New Zealand trail networks, Wellington usually ranks behind the likes of Rotorua and Queenstown due to their popularity with local and international visitors and their ‘bike park’ style facilities.

Welly is very much the underdog, and is applauded for its variety of conveniently located trails (most of them within easy reach of the CBD), rowdy, steep, slippery, rocky, fun and flowy, there’s plenty to offer for all levels of rider.

Local mountain bike enthusiast Brett Kennedy takes us through five of Wellington's most tech trails, proving the capital can certainly hold its own against the bigger names.

DELIVERANCE

This was probably the first trail in Wellington to really scare me on first riding it. Led into the slippery rock garden by a sadistic local who offered very little in the way of describing what was ahead, it was a white knuckle ride over slippery roots, steep chutes, drops, river crossings and massive rocks, all coated with a slick film of moss and moisture. It always seems to be wet under the canopy of trees and ferns that Deliverance nestles amongst, no matter the time of year or how little it’s been raining. After many years of trying to master Deliverance, it’s become a favourite yet one that never lets you get to the bottom without pushing you to the edge of your skill and concentration levels.

TRICKLE FALLS

If Deliverance introduced me to the rowdier side of Welly riding, the Trickle Falls gave me one of those over-tight handshakes that goes on for just a few pumps too many. Its welcome is slightly chilling and it gets darker as you get deeper. Some say that if you clean the very first chute at the entry to the trail you will have no problems with the remainder; the only time I’ve ever cleaned it was my very first attempt, and it’s been a long time since then. Psychologically Trickle Falls has defeated many a rider, especially near the bottom when the nasty drop into the creek beckons, the run-in an off-camber, slick rock ledge that is best not looked at too closely before you ride it. The number of victims this section has claimed probably puts most of them in two minds whether to take it on again, but those who like their limits pushed will always head for the Falls.

YEAH GNAR

Having only been completed at the start of 2017, Yeah Gnar has already leapt to the top of the most talked about and most feared trails in Wellington. Rumblings of a true Grade 6 track were growing for a while, and then suddenly it seemed to appear and everyone with balls was having a crack at it. Using the same entry as Trickle Falls, it quickly makes it clear that you’re going to need to be at the top of your game to get down it in one piece. After the first couple of fairly substantial drops, a sign gives one the chance to bail out and take the ‘easier’ way down via Trickle. It’s a mind-altering trip that leaves nowhere to hide, not even on the ‘chicken runs’ that would still be Grade 5 on most trails. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst of a rocky outcrop or vertical drop, there’s usually a tight corner following immediately, just to remind you that the consequences here are not only high, but everywhere.

There’s no let-up anywhere. You don’t want to crash here
Tom Adams, Wellington Enduro Racer

MOREPORK

Out on the other side of the harbour sits the Wainuiomata Trail Park, filled with a selection of fun and flowy trails and some more naturally gnarly stuff like the legendary Spoon Hill/429. But wanting a bit more on the wild side, some locals started work on a trail on the other side of the hill, away from where punters could accidentally stumble upon something they shouldn’t go near; Morepork was born.

It’s tight, steep, some sweet rock and root chutes, it’s got a lot of everything apart from mellow bits. It’s just straight down the hill as steep as you can
Tom Adams

While Morepork isn’t officially open, it’s not exactly illegal either, according to sources in the know. Once it gains full legal status don’t expect to see hordes of riders lining up to take it on; its reputation is already well formed and definitely well deserved.

DAMIEN'S, MT VICTORIA

Mount Vic could almost have a category all on its own for Wellington tech trails. It’s the go-to spot for those wanting a quick test of their prowess, sitting right in the heart of the city and beckoning riders with its compact selection of steeps visible from the city below. The trail that came up most though when talking to Mt Vic aficionados was Damien’s.

One of its biggest fans Nathan Timoko may love the trail but has “no idea” who Damien is or was; turns out he’s Damien McArthur, an expat now living the mountain bike life in Morzine, France. What he’s left behind is an ever-morphing piece of some of the rootiest fare on the hill, that Timoko thinks is even better when wet.

The roots and off-cambers are tricky enough in the dry, and a bit of rain takes the tech levels up a notch. It’s an awesome trail, very testing
Nathan Timoko

Linking up Damien’s with some of the other steep stuff on Vic will satisfy the most discerning riders of tech no matter where they’re from, and some of the world’s best have sampled its treats and given it the thumbs up while keeping them on their toes.

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