NZ - Auckland/Rotorua ??

N

northvanguy

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Well I decided this morning to have a last minute trip to NZ leaving tomorrow morning.

I land in Auckland at noon, have rented a campervan, going solo. Leave Monday am.

I'm frantically searching online (so I have used search function!)

Plan is head straight to Rotorua.

Ideally I'd do shuttles every day but understand mid week this time of year it might not be an option.

Ride 6" and prefer down but will ride up for 90-120 mins if the down is worth it.

Appreciate any info or suggestions ppl may have, doesn't need to be detailed just anything that if I Googled I'd be able to find it.

Thanks in advance.

Plan so far is

Rotorua as base.
Ride thurs to sat around there
Sunday at Woodhill

Have seen FourForty mtb park which I could get to as well.

Cheers
 
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Alright.

Day 1 in Redwoods was great. Likely do it again tomorrow as from wgat I can find online Skyline here in Rotorua isn't great....limited trails especially for $75 day pass.

Anyone got any thoughts on Rainbow Mtn track? Thinking of mixing it up.

Saturday is definitely shuttles

Sunday trying to decide if get back to Auckland and do Woodhill, go to FourForty, or ride the shuttles again.
Decisions decisions.

Any feedback even if brief appreciated.
 
Which trails did you end up doing mate? Seeing as you said Redwoods, I'm assuming you came in from the NW entrance?
 
northvanguy said:
Alright.

Anyone got any thoughts on Rainbow Mtn track? Thinking of mixing it up.

Saturday is definitely shuttles

Sunday trying to decide if get back to Auckland and do Woodhill, go to FourForty, or ride the shuttles again.
Decisions decisions.

Any feedback even if brief appreciated.
Click to expand...


Straight up- Rainbow Mtn is pretty fucking rad. Cool terrain, fast descending on some rad trail. Oh, the climb up to the top is quite a dog but worth it for the long down.

There's a very true saying that Woodhill on its best day is still not as good as Whakarewarewa on it's worst. Being quite fresh 440 doesn't handle the weather particularly well & Byron shuts the place down the moment it gets a substantial dumping, which can prove problematic if you're canning a day of riding in Roto to hit up 440 instead. I'd almost spend the extra time in Roto, or think outside the wheel & head back towards Auckland & pop into somewhere like Raglan for some swell instead- despite it not being summer Raglan's on a nice stretch of coast & it's got a pretty good vibe going on. Google it.

EDIT: As you've guessed Skyline is a ball bag for the money- shitload better riding to be done in the forest for free. Worth dumping the $100 on the 20 lift shuttle pass & just smashing runs out on the weekend/when it's running.

And if you haven't done so already buy yourself the microfibre cloth trail map- they're a must have. Can grab them from the maide Waipa/Ride Rotorua Carpark, Roto Thermal Village Reception or several of the good bike shops. And coffee at Zippy's on Pukuatua St is the bomb.
 
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Hey Shake

Much appreciated.

I did Rainbow this afternoon. Great views. ..fun decent and a good soak at the bottom of with a brew. Up was a bitch though.

I've basically hit every trail in the park outside of the shuttle area.

Taking thw advice. Going to buy 20 lifts and shuttle until they're gone. That's tomorrow and Sunday.

Favourites so far are: double down, corridor, and Gunna Gotta into Katore jumps.

Cheers for the help
 
Oh and there's an app now with gps so you know exactly where you are.... "Trail Maps: Rotorua". Definitely worth the $10
 
Saturday was epic....rode for about 8 hrs. Woke up Sunday and it was raining and regretfully and embarrassingly I decided to head to Woodhill as the weather for Auckland was sun. Issue was also I had an 8am flight this morning from Auckland and packing up a severely muddy bike in the rain with a campervan in Rotorua all seemed too hard.

In retrospect I should have stayed in Rotorua no matter what thw weather. Woodhill was a massive disappointment and I only have myself to blame as you gave very clear and accurate guidance!

I shook my head all day Sunday.

Look forward to going back to Rotorua and staying there next time.
 
northvanguy said:
Saturday was epic....rode for about 8 hrs. Woke up Sunday and it was raining and regretfully and embarrassingly I decided to head to Woodhill as the weather for Auckland was sun. Issue was also I had an 8am flight this morning from Auckland and packing up a severely muddy bike in the rain with a campervan in Rotorua all seemed too hard.

In retrospect I should have stayed in Rotorua no matter what thw weather. Woodhill was a massive disappointment and I only have myself to blame as you gave very clear and accurate guidance!

I shook my head all day Sunday.

Look forward to going back to Rotorua and staying there next time.
Click to expand...

Good to hear you got a solid fill of riding in on the Sat.

Wouldn't go that far- were more subtle recommendations rather than guidance;) Truth be told, sometimes we've got to experience it for ourselves to work out that Woodhill's good, but only if you've no other option. Sure enough the decision was made/announced Sun afternoon to close 440 down for the Monday/ANZAC Day public holiday due to the rain.
 
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