Yes, we know that the hard slog to the top of the hill makes the downhill thrill even sweeter but, heck, don’t you wish sometimes that you could just get straight to the best bit of mountain biking?!
Queenstown Bike Park (Queenstown, New Zealand) brings the fanciful dreams of mountain bikers to reality with over 30 kilometres of awesome purpose-built mountain bike tracks and a laid-back cruise to the top of the hill on board the Skyline gondola in one of New Zealand’s most popular visitor destinations.
Jump on board the gondola at the bottom and you’ll be whisked to the top, where you can take your pick of trails to suit every level of rider and bike downhill – then get back on board the gondola and do it all again. Queenstown Bike Park opened last weekend for its first-ever full season and around 50 mountain bikers (including former junior world downhill mountain bike champion Scarlett Hagen) were on hand, eager to hit the trail. The feedback couldn’t have been better. Hagen, who is now studying in Dunedin, reckons Queenstown Bike Park is world class. “These trails are as good if not better than those in Whistler or Morzine in France. There are trails for all abilities and the environment and scenery is just stunning. The beginner track is super-easy while the black runs are seriously challenging.”
But you don’t have to be a world champ to get on a mountain bike and hit the trail. There are graded runs for all levels (look for the green, if you’re a beginner) and the gondola ride to the top means you don’t have to be super fit. As part of a unique sponsorship deal with Cookie Time Limited, you’ll even get a free One Square Meal ‘bite’ bar with your bike park lift ticket. How good is that?
Part of the Ben Lomond Recreational Reserve, the Queenstown Bike Park is built on a steep pine-clad hill and the views on the way up (and down) are spectacular. At the top, you’ll be 790 vertical metres above sea level and it’s 500 vertical metres back down to the bottom. Trails vary from fast bermed and groomed trails to off-camber goat tracks, rock gardens and natural single track.
The Queenstown Bike Park season runs for eight months, finishing in April 2012. Lift tickets cost NZ$60 for a full day or NZ$45 for a half day. Grab yourself a mountain bike and get out there!
