Old Ghost Road and Paparoa Track NZ

[rowdyflat]

For those that like bike packing through wilderness I can recommend riding these tracks.
8 of us rode these this March.
The amount of work building tracks around cliffs and bridges is incredible.
As its a high rainfall forest it best to stay in the huts which have mattresses and stoves but you have to book 9 months ahead .
Both are fairly rocky and will require walking uphill in places and some of the switchback descents are tight and technical.
See the websites for details.

 

[bear the bear]

For those that like bike packing through wilderness I can recommend riding these tracks.
8 of us rode these this March.
The amount of work building tracks around cliffs and bridges is incredible.
As its a high rainfall forest it best to stay in the huts which have mattresses and stoves but you have to book 9 months ahead .
Both are fairly rocky and will require walking uphill in places and some of the switchback descents are tight and technical.
See the websites for details.

This is the build video which I shared previously

 

[rockmoose]

That is a proper 'epic'. What a stunning tour.

 

[nzhumpy]

On the bucket list that one.

I love the shots in the video of the Kea's looking at the track figuring out what part of your bike their going to tear apart the moment you turn your back.

 

[rowdyflat]

Although they were paid to do it ,those people that built and lived out under tarps are true heroes.
You can see how steep and muddy it was in parts.
There are short books about them about how the idea evolved from old goldmining tracks ,the difficulty with funding ,storms that caused slides,managing the drainage and about one bloke tipping the excavator over the side.
Only criticism would be that the problems with runoff may have been better managed with more grade reversals rather than mega rocks and cross drains on the uphills making it difficult to ride.
possibly though they may have got too far into spewy subsoil ?

 

[teK--]

We did the OGR back in 2017 and it was an experience never to forget. Cyclone Cook passed only the day before we landed, which cleared all the clouds and gave crystal clear views of all the mountain peaks. Due to the extreme weather warning almost all other people booked for the huts cancelled, leaving the trails and huts clear for us. We only saw one other group briefly the whole time. It was surreal seeing no other riders on the trail over the those 3 days. I would not do the trip again simply because it would never be as good as when we went. Highly rated...

 

[rowdyflat]

Should also say if anyone is heading to NZ to consider Port Hills out of Christchurch for a warm up or warm down.
It has at least 50 kms of handbuilt tracks all over ,most are moderately rocky, thrilling exposure and good fun .
About 400m of vertical.