Mystic MTB - Bright

smitho

smitho

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I’m heading up to Bright for the first time in a couple of weeks - excited for some Hero trail sendiness.

Has anyone ridden it recently and can give me some info about what to expect? I understand there’s a significant logging operation which has closed part of the park - are there still many trails to shuttle despite the closure? What are the conditions like, I’m assuming pretty damp?


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Haven't been recently but they seem to update their BookFace page pretty regularly. Shuttles seem to be running still (they run all year on weekends) and you should still have access to Hero and Shred Kelly for some machine build goodness.

Looks like you can even get access to the top and run Elevation or World Cup. My favourite run is Elevation into Hero into Shred Kelly and they all seem open I think...
 
First off, enjoy. It's excellent up there.

Make sure you've got the best gripping front tyre you can on as in the wet it gets very slippery. The surface is red clay which can get slick.

Whilst Hero and Shred Kelly get the top billing, definitely try trails like.
Up DJ (climb is about as good as climbing can get)
Down DJ (related descent just next to the end of Up DJ)
Gorilla Warfare
4 Kings
Corkscrew
International
All Mountain.
Flat Strap.

There's bound to be more suggestions from others who know it better.
 
Ive been a few times and love it. Last time was there just before the logging started and I was riding alone each morning (family trip not riding trip). The logging has closed up DJs which is a pity as it is/was a great climbing trail. It closed mystic DH which Is a real Shane as well.

I love elevation (all mountain) and finishing with shred Kelly's is awesome. Last time I went i didn't bother with Hero and was happy only hitting the jumps when you come out of shred Kelly's. I am more a technical/natural trail rider though.

I never rode international WC and rode Mystic DH instead but I heard it is good. It is the only Double black now. There are heaps of other good lesser known trails around but the only ones I can think of are in the logging zone. Do some of the main ones and then go explore!
 
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Pineapple Express is on this weekend. So the trails will be seeing a lot of traffic.
Maybe there has been a bit of work in prep for that?

I have a crew of mates heading up for the weekend, so should be able to give a conditions report afterwards.
 
Had a pretty perfect day there on Saturday. It rained overnight so was pretty moist in the morning. The lower part of the hill was pretty slick, but still fun.

Hero into Shred Kelly was good clean fun - that track has a way of pushing you to go faster and bigger each time. The lower part of hero wasnt that great, and tried a few of the other black single trails which hadnt had many tyres over them in a while and weren't great fun.

Was talked out of World Cup given how wet it was (it didnt require much persuasion), but did one full run of Elevation. The top part had dried out pretty well and is a rally solid technical descent. The lower part below the Hero trailhead was properly wet and hairy - responsible for my only two crashes of the day. Would be good fun if a little drier.

Definitely worth another trip!
 
smitho said:
Was talked out of World Cup given how wet it was (it didnt require much persuasion), but did one full run of Elevation. The top part had dried out pretty well and is a rally solid technical descent. The lower part below the Hero trailhead was properly wet and hairy - responsible for my only two crashes of the day. Would be good fun if a little drier.
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It's been a few years since I went but Elevation was my favourite trail there, even if I scared the shit out of myself multiple times on it. World Cup was beyond my pay grade, just couldn't get my bodyweight and positioning around those steep tight switchbacks properly and gave up halfway down. Didn't attempt Mystic DH :D

Awesome place though. Will be back.
 
Yeah fuck that. That's stay at home weather for me

Screenshot_20220530-213507_BOM Weather.jpg
 
Does the shuttle company cash go back into the trails ?

Its a hard one at Bright, so many reasons to go there and how do you quantify those there for MTB only.

It will take the local council to put a value on MTB and give them the cash they need.

The only other option sounds like closing the park.

I don't agree with cost of shuttles there and have not been back since they put it in place... will probably never go back there for MTB alone.

You certainly cant expect trail users to pay a daily rate to ride or it will put off the non shuttle riders as well.
 
Interesting response from Blue Dirt on Facebook:

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Organisation seems to have income from Blue Dirt, self-shuttles, events, contributions from HVP, and although private land, access is still provided through the “goodwill of HVP” and yet still a shortfall. All seems very odd and sounds more like financial mismanagement than anything else. Although other culprit might be a substantial hike in insurance premiums?

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It's a wired one trails. With the right location when unofficial they can be relatively easy to get going and then maintained when you have a few key people and a community of riders supporting them and picking up shovels. Make them official and they become very complicated.

I love bright. It can definitely be enjoyed without shuttles but the way the shuttles are handled is a bit shit. Hopefully they resolve whatever shit is going on.
 
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