http://cairnsmtb.com/category/trails/Hey guys,
Heading up cairns next week and was wondering if the wc track is open to the public and if someone could pm me the location.
Cheers,
Zac
FYI, World Cup DH track is closed for repair, and is only open for designated ride/race days anyway. Plenty of other DH tracks in Cairns to ride though!
Last I heard, all the XC tracks are open, so enjoy the awesomeness that is Cairns (and Atherton if you get the chance)!
Sadly things are not as easy or as simple as you make it out. The WC course is now designated a restricted access area. That means you have to meet certain criteria to have access to it commercially. Obviously the club meets the criteria as it runs events etc... and complies with MTBA regulations for those events. This has all come about as a result of Parks putting their money into the park. With the money they have spent they are keen to protect that investment so they have now set guidelines for its use.I understand having them closed for repair after that hectic WC round, but, now that it has been on a WC circuit I think it should be open after repairs.
Could be a good chance to create jobs and money.
5 dollar entry fee just for facility upkeep etc and 5 10 dollars for shuttles 20 dollars for a full weekend of shuttles.
Get that advertising out once the track is fixed up and show the government that this sport is capable of giving good money when there's no big races happening just from people riding.
I know it's protected area but surely something could be worked out?
Sooo, once again government bureaucracy runing a potential good money making thing?Sadly things are not as easy or as simple as you make it out. The WC course is now designated a restricted access area. That means you have to meet certain criteria to have access to it commercially. Obviously the club meets the criteria as it runs events etc... and complies with MTBA regulations for those events. This has all come about as a result of Parks putting their money into the park. With the money they have spent they are keen to protect that investment so they have now set guidelines for its use.
These guidelines are to help maintain the park and trails and also to protect all users with respect to liability issues. Lawsuits have occurred and will more than likely occur again.
That said, access is available through the Cairns Mtb Club on organised social DH days and on race days and is the cost of entry (to cover shuttle vehicles) and day license, if you don't have a MTBA race license.
The WC course was described by most of the riders at the WC as one of the most technically specific they have ridden . It is considered an international race course not a tourist course.
Tourist trails exist, and are being created by Parks, all over the region so there is plenty to ride. For example there is 60 km of trail in the Smithfield park and the DH is only 1.9km long. The XC is also quite challenging.
There are most certainly a large number of DH tracks well within reach of Cairns that you can enjoy as well and I suggest you try and hook up with the local DHillers who will be more than happy to ride with you. They are always looking for an excuse to ride.
This may seem unfair and Govt departments not understanding and overegulating blah blah blah. In perspective, 4 years ago MTB was considered a painful bunch of yobbos riding bikes in the Smithfield conservation park and Parks really didn't like it. 4 years later the trails are rebuilt and the WC has come and gone and there are more to come. Trails are being created all over the region and Parks are putting in place policy to ensure they last and are not just blown out in a year. This all seems to be common sense to me.
If you are coming up to just ride the WC Downhill, sadly that won't happen unless you are here when the club runs a social ride or race on it. (next race 24 may).
Perhaps in the distant future those things will change. Who knows?
Things have come a long way in 4 years and given they are paying the bills it is reasonable that we move with them, comprise and negotiate change along the way.
Sorry that is not going to help you right now cause you want to ride the course but there are options for the moment, work with them and lets see if we can change them in the future.
Go to the Cairns Mtb Club Facebook page and make contact with some local guys they will happily show you around.
Enjoy your trip.
Govt is not destroying anything. Read what I posted carefully and you will see the club has access and will open it up every opportunity it can to allow people to ride it. The club currently has social DH days added to its calender and they are every sunday, when there are willing volunteers. They can't be every day because no one is able to volunteer everyday. We are volunteers and have real jobs.Sooo, once again government bureaucracy runing a potential good money making thing?
Now that has been shown surely the club could make pushes to having it open on weekends for riding at least?
Huh? Tourist tracks? I don't understand that comment, the reason we ride downhill is to challenge ourselves, sure it's fun riding the odd flowy jumpy trail, but we also ride to challenge ourselves.
The club should be making pushes to try and get it open for riding on weekends at least or once a fort night or something, It seems a bit of a waste having a WC trail and keeping it closed.
Sooo, once again government bureaucracy runing a potential good money making thing?
Now that has been shown surely the club could make pushes to having it open on weekends for riding at least?
Huh? Tourist tracks? I don't understand that comment, the reason we ride downhill is to challenge ourselves, sure it's fun riding the odd flowy jumpy trail, but we also ride to challenge ourselves.
The club should be making pushes to try and get it open for riding on weekends at least or once a fort night or something, It seems a bit of a waste having a WC trail and keeping it closed.
Not saying you should just go ride it but how they are going to enforce the track closure? It's not like there's a fence around Smithfield. I've spoken to people who have already ridden the track...
Really?? I clearly am missing somethingFor example there is 60 km of trail in the Smithfield park .
It can be shuttled but I won't divulge on a public forum. Most locals know how to do it. I don't understand why it isn't open like the Nationals track.Guys, you really don't understand just how much work has gone into getting this to happen in a Workd Heritige Area and National Park. And even though I am here and involved, and heavily involved with some of the bureaucrats, I only know half of it.
Sure you can push up...it's about an hour up. Southerners better bring a bloody big camelbak 'cause our weather will kill you by the time you get to the top...you won't need to worry about the track.
Definitely, although you could say the same about most of the tracks around here. I walked down from the "G-out" on Kuranda with a broken collarboneIF you hurt yourself - you WILL be on your own... There's two ways out, walk up, or walk down. Ask Dru Berryman how much fun it was to walk up with a broken collarbone, or Matti who had to walk himself out with a compound broken arm ( bone through the skin). There is no one coming to carry you out unless you need a spine board...if you are with someone who can raise the alarm.
Absolutely! There are other great tracks here to shuttle as well but the turnaround time can be a bitch, waddlebla and slipperies for example is almost an hour turnaround.Enjoy your trip here...smash out runs at Kuranda. 5 minute downhill, bitumen shuttle, don't stuff around and you will do 4 runs an hour...that will keep you pretty chuffed, challenged, and stuffed!
$20 for a weekend of shuttles is awesome money! how can they resist!?Sooo, once again government bureaucracy runing a potential good money making thing?
That can hardly be called a shuttle unless you have a key for the last part?? Takes me 35 minutes to ride/push from there...It can be shuttled but I won't divulge on a public forum. Most locals know how to do it.
+1 for all you said...Definitely, although you could say the same about most of the tracks around here. I walked down from the "G-out" on Kuranda with a broken collarbone :first:
"Tourist track"s in Cairns are the easy ones to find and will still challenge everyone from plebs like us right up to the top pro'sHuh? Tourist tracks? I don't understand that comment, the reason we ride downhill is to challenge ourselves, sure it's fun riding the odd flowy jumpy trail, but we also ride to challenge ourselves.
Think some things are better left to private messages, right? Better still, sit down with old mate, have a beer and sort out your grievances. Last thing this place needs is club politics in the form of obscure, passive aggressive posts.Why is a track that has existed for nearly 20 years now in a "Restricted Access Area" and what does that exactly mean?
Parks reckons it's to protect the natural resource, since when is a man made track a natural resource?
Stromlo has a couple of gated sections but is open as are most other DH tracks on public land!
As for being too technical phht! The A line of the rock garden is for sure but there is a B & C line I know I've ridden it and I'm 54 and I rode it with an 11 year old albeit a talented one,who's father has the only DH Tour outfit in Qld. The local club will not allow him or his family to join, why is that Frank???? Conflict of interest you say, how so mate???
I've ridden a few other DH tracks here and in Europe most of them have about the same access for getting injured riders out, not much different to this track, some better some worse.
Go figure!
Watch this space private enterprise DH shuttles with limited numbers coming soon!
Puts on flame retardant suit and prepares the popcorn.:target:[HR][/HR
Why would he start now??Think some things are better left to private messages, right? Better still, sit down with old mate, have a beer and sort out your grievances. Last thing this place needs is club politics in the form of obscure, passive aggressive posts.
You sir have no idea as to why what or how!Why would he start now??
I think the official line is that it is closed for liability issues. It is restricted and anyone who is riding it without permission has no come back when they smash themselves.
If you want to blame anyone for that, blame all the wankers that sue people at the drop of a hat..