Epic rides in Aus?

It takes decades to learn the trails through the mountains or shortened to only several years if you buy a copy of the meticulously researched 'Wild Places' by Peter Prineas and Henry Gold. First published by Kaliana Press in 1983. This book is a collector's treasure. There is a recent reprint of 'Wild Places' published by the Colong Foundation. The CF are on the web. The large maps are magnificent in the original 'Wild Places'. The reprint is only $27.50.

Try to find an original copy of 'Wild Places' at a second hand book store in preference to buying the reprinted version that can be bought from the Colong Foundation or at outdoor shops .. and then design your own rides.

The maps in the original edition of 'Wild Places' are large folio. In the reprint they are small (smaller than A4) and difficult to read because of the incredible detail within each map. That's if you like getting right out there, exploring heaps, going where you will see no one else and not giving two f'n hoots if you get it wrong.

National Parks dumb down areas to this level http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/a...315/Mountain_Bike_Namadgi_Brohure10.9.08_.pdf ... locate a copy of Wild Places because every old road and old track is marked. I avoid requesting information from the counter jumpers at National Parks.

The original 'Wild Places' covers the wilderness regions in NSW and the ACT. Kanangra, Ettrema The Budawangs, Bimbiri, Deua/Woila, Bogong/Gooberagandra, Brogo, Nadgi (wilderness coast), Genoa, Indi, Byadbo, Kosciusko/Jagungal, Colo, Barrington Tops, McDonald, Werrikimbee,The Macleay Gorges, New England, Washpool, Mann and Binghi. I'm not sure if the reprint covers the new wilderness regions separately and names them. Areas like Yengo, Nattai and Wollomi and Bobby's Plains because they are under the traditional regional names in the original Wild Places.

The Northern Alps to the Main Range. Canberra to Kosciusko across the mountains is fantastic. Below Bimbiri summit over Pocket Saddle and Coolamine over Long Plain. Farm Ridge to Mount Jagungal coming out at the DH track at Thredbo. If you come in on the back tracks through the back country there are no signs that say ... BIKES ARE NOT PERMITTED PAST THIS POINT. I've not seen a sign with the exclusion details pasted on the back of it telling me to go back, not once ... :skep: :nono:

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/The-Jagungal-Wilderness-117491378

When riding in the mountains it pays to know the huts and have regular condition updates about them ... http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/thehuts.html

The Western Blue Mountains. Lithgow to the Wolgan River 'through' the mountain along the old standard guage railway line to Newnes, then into Rocky Creek on something resembling a roller coaster track. Into the heart of the Colo Wilderness ... awesome gorge country. The track actually starts at the old railway yards in Lithgow, not just where the Rail Trail site says it does. The tunnel through the mountainis is very dark and full of glow worms. The only place on the planet where glow worms can be seen during the day, I once read.

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Never-Truly-Lost-93856723

Any of the Rail Trails through the Victorian forests are magic. Not all of the disused railway lines that can be ridden are listed on the Rail Trails site or paved in tarmac. Link a few track section together ... you will know where the line was.

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Spinout-Bridge-116854328

I rode the dunes tracks on 90 Mile Beach in Victoria last April and refuelled at Locksport pub. Raymond Island off Paynesville (catch the ferry across, cyclists travel for free) Raymond Island and Lake Reeves near Locksport are wonders for wildlife. The Gippsland Lakes are beautiful and easy going if you handle packed sand.

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Portrait-of-Kangaroo-Lake-115528776

I haven't done the two epic convict built roads, the Six Foot Track in the south western Blue Mountains and the Great North Road, from Sydney to Newcastle ... http://www.convicttrail.org/about.php http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nswcultureheritage/TheOldGreatNorthRoad.htm Several ride reports are on the web for both. I have done part of the Six Foot Track at Jenolan Caves.

I've ridden small sections of the Bicentenial National Trail on the northern ACT border with NSW at Cooyooyarroo and Muligan's Flat and down south at Yaouk and Naas. Excellent single tracks, real sheep trail stuff ... http://www.nationaltrail.com.au/ The trail links country pubs together it appears where it runs near my home. At 5,330 kilometres long this trail could link several country pubs together. If you can bunny hop 3m wide low wooden obstructions called horse gates when approaching roads ... you don't have to stop riding ... except to give way to the odd sheep. On the BNT site's home page in 'About' are the cyclist's notes and the 'Shop' has the booklets and maps.

http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Sweat-it-Out-110938906

Warren.

Ben, I'm glad that you mentioned Bateman's Bay, because it just reminded me of trips in the wilderness behind the Coastal Ranges ... into the Budawangs.

From the small town of Nerriga on the Braidwood-Nowra Road, 1 klick south of Nerriga an old rough track, the Endrick River Road, runs east to join the Endrick River. The road then forks, go south to run between Foster's Mountain and Quiltey's Mountain to finally reach Sallee Creek ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Many-Rock-Ribs-116857660

The track then heads north to Mount Sturgiss, Pagoda Rocks and Hidden Valley, camp in Hidden Valley. The photographer Rob Gray has done some good work near 'Hidden Valley' ... http://www.robgray.com/grayoutdoors/galleries/locations/ns-bud-1.php

Dump the bike and spend hour to climbing Mount Sturgiss. Walk out to the edge of the escarpment overlooking the Clyde River Gorge at the end of day 1. Every evening the fog rolls in ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Wandandian-Country-119319737

Day 2, Get back on the main track, and head north to the Vines, You can take 60 minutes to climb Quiltey's Mountain on the way and look at the old Aboriginal Bora grounds ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/The-Bora-Ground-118941351 and the giant snakes ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/A-Snake-121391898

There is a section or two of portage over gaps near the Vines because the old wooden bridge is out, an always slippery crossing because of the thick rainforest canopy and moss. Rob has photographed the crossing here http://www.robgray.com/photos/pages/00133.php These types of crossings are very slippery underfoot because the Vines are a remnant rain forest pocket. You need to be careful on these tracks because of the fragility of the ecosystems. At the Vines head NE to Newhaven Gap or do a relatively short trip west, back to Nerriga. Eventually you will join up with the Braidwood Nowra Road at Sassafras if you go through Newhaven Gap. Excellent riding on huge sandstone slabs through Snow Gums, Sallees, Inland Scribbly Barks and heath lands is to be had here, shallow sandstone slab creek crossings with lots of natural sandstone steps. There are even several creek crossings on the maps marked as 'many rock ribs'.

I can list the topo maps for this ride, but the map to get is called 'The Budawang Sketch Map,' available in camping stores.

The Braidwood-Nowra Road heads west, back to Nerriga. Before then 15ks of much sandstone pavement from New Haven Gap to Sasafrass to enjoy, then about 25ks back to Nerriga on gravel. You will ride through the upper catchments of Ettrema Creek and Bainbrig Creek and Bullee Brook after Sasafrass down a long hill. The road is cut through the sandstone escarpment. This is unbelievable country, to be distracted in. The rivers here are all sandstone filtered and crystal clear.

You will not ever forget this ride through the NW Budawang Wilderness just touching on the southern tip of the Ettrema Wilderness ... you can ride out to the high escarpment of the Shoalhaven Gorge, past The Jumps to Touga or across Quiera Clearing to Tullyangella Clearing to Tolwong, if you still have the energy ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Transportation-Spur-119054934

If you ever do this trip, let me know and I'll detail several side trips, that will knock your sox off Buddy ... guaranteed. Don't take two days you will miss seeing too much, take a week to ride the 100 kilometres, you will most likely turn it into 200. Once you are there, you will know exactly what I mean.

This wilderness is the likely haunt of monsters. You will need to keep a good eye on the carnivorous plants near Sallee Creek ... they don't often see a fresh juicy young cyclist. The last few guys who took this road into the Northern Budawangs still haven't returned, that was several years ago now ... I doubt that the carnivorous plants gave them a chance to go feral.

One of the side trips to Shrouded Gods Mountain ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Shrouded-Gods-Mountain-119022643 The Budawangs are also known as the Misty Mountains. They also have another nickname, THE FLOODAWANGS. Finding water doesn't seem to be a real problem here except during the height of summer. You will do many creek crossings.

Another side trip, ... into the Valley of the Monoliths ... http://wildwassa.deviantart.com/art/Close-to-Seven-Gods-119423260

If you ever do this trip, cut a few inches off each side of your handle bars ... because if you are ever going to come face-to-face with a Velociraptor, it will be in a tight rock slit in the Budawangs ... getting stuck will be messy.

Warren.

fop1 said:

Im not sure but isn't there a mt beauty to falls creek ride? i read about it somewhere seems pretty epic riding through alpine country,

Click to expand...

I know there are quite a few alpine trails around that area (Bogong High Plains), but nothing as lengthy as some of the stuff Wassa is referring to by the sounds of it. But you're right about Alpine country - it really is something to behold. All the way from Gippie to the Blue Mountains really.... there's HEAPS of awesome terrain there to be discovered by us MTB-ers. A group multi-dayer like the link HB posted would be awesome along our Great Dividing Range.

But as for Mt Beauty, I once thought it would be a good idea to try and ride to the top of Mt Bogong and spend the night up there. I did this once on foot via the staircase spur - best hike I've done with an awesome sunset and equally awesome moonset, camping right next to the cairn on the summit. After entering a MTB race around Mt Beauty one year I found several trails/fireroads that seem to lead up to the top of the Bogong range - I figured you could ride up these and from there you could link up with the track that goes from Falls to Bogong summit and ride that to the top, then backtrack from there, coming down via the Big Hill MTB trail network, including the most awesome Surveyors Track. But I don't know if any bikes are permitted on all those trails up on the range.

Was reading a book on extreme running today and it has an event called "The Bogong to Hotham Trail Run" at Mount Bogong in Victoria. Maybe start looking there...it seems to be EPIC at 64KM

You may have to ride illegally to get any "EPIC" trails/ KM's/ ascent worth riding downunder..... BUT this looks interesting....

TERRA AUSTRALIS

552 km's…..7 days….. 15,000+ mts of ascent

There is your epic..... Dang.....even I'm keen :ihih:

"Terra Australis is an epic seven-day Mountain Bike journey. An unforgettable adventure that will take you from the heights of Victoria's Alpine Resorts, through historic high country villages and Australia's premier gourmet food and wine region. Jaw dropping scenery, Nirvana single track and an amazing natural environment are all part of the experience. Every competitor will be rewarded with a personal victory over the course, over the elements and over your mind, body and soul. If you are looking for the ultimate Mountain Bike endurance challenge then you need to be on the start line of Terra Australis on March 29th 2009."

https://www.terraaustralismtbepic.com/about/intro_ambassadors.html

Some photos :ihih:















Makes the OtwayOdyssey look like a warm up......