pink poodle
気が狂っている男
I hate humidity more than heat.
So...I live in Perth now?
- Thread starter pink poodle
- Start date
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
I finally made it to Kalamunda today. I also went there yesterday...but it was pissing down rain. I rode a few laps from the Mount Gunjin drop point. One thing was very evident - not having ridden a bike on dirt for about 10 weeks has really sapped my fitness! The pissy climbs back up cooked me.
I rode:
In all the trails were pretty good. There was plenty of small to mid-sized jumps, solid berms, scattered rocks (no real rock garden), a wall ride (line on needs dirt pretty bad), some nice wooden ramps, and generally good flow. As with any place that gets plenty of traffic there's a few bits of erosion awkwardly placed on kickers and corners, but not enough to ruin the lines. I have strong negative feelings about the gravel everywhere, but I suspect that is native to the terrain. I should have switched over tyres but just went with fuck it and rode the crossmarks. They were fine.
A couple of things that could be improved would be:
I couldn't actually find an address on the official website and the other info I found only indicated the camel farm for access. It should be pretty easy to have some Google maps (or similar) links on the official website. If I was doing it I would provide a link to et tail head/parking area and a brief description (like 1 sentence) of what people can expect there. It would make the access experience for first timers much easier.
The area maps are mostly great. There is a lot of clearly marked details about what is where, but...I couldn't work out what trails were up hill and what we're down hill. Perhaps there is a key I didn't see? The contours on the topographic map didn't have any of the usual indications on them showing which was was up or down. I was able to figure out some of it, which is how I ended up at Gunjin. But I wasn't keen on any long tech climbs so avoided the area I couldn't work out.
The only thing holding me back out there today was myself. The lost fitness (not just climbs, but for throwing the bike around as well) was noticable. My wrist is also still a bit tender post skate park wipe out. I could feel it in there by the end of the day! But it also made maintaining a solid grip a bit of a challenge in the chunder.
I was pretty impressed by the lack of garbage too. Sure I saw plenty of crap, mostly the sort of crap arseholes dump in the forest, but there was not a lot of the sort of junk riders usually throw away thoughtlessly.
It was a good afternoon and I'll likely get back there again soon.
I rode:
- judderbars
- Lazarus
- Alchemy
- Loco en el Loco
- Band New Second Hand
- the skills area back at the camel farm
In all the trails were pretty good. There was plenty of small to mid-sized jumps, solid berms, scattered rocks (no real rock garden), a wall ride (line on needs dirt pretty bad), some nice wooden ramps, and generally good flow. As with any place that gets plenty of traffic there's a few bits of erosion awkwardly placed on kickers and corners, but not enough to ruin the lines. I have strong negative feelings about the gravel everywhere, but I suspect that is native to the terrain. I should have switched over tyres but just went with fuck it and rode the crossmarks. They were fine.
A couple of things that could be improved would be:
- location details on website
- area maps
I couldn't actually find an address on the official website and the other info I found only indicated the camel farm for access. It should be pretty easy to have some Google maps (or similar) links on the official website. If I was doing it I would provide a link to et tail head/parking area and a brief description (like 1 sentence) of what people can expect there. It would make the access experience for first timers much easier.
The area maps are mostly great. There is a lot of clearly marked details about what is where, but...I couldn't work out what trails were up hill and what we're down hill. Perhaps there is a key I didn't see? The contours on the topographic map didn't have any of the usual indications on them showing which was was up or down. I was able to figure out some of it, which is how I ended up at Gunjin. But I wasn't keen on any long tech climbs so avoided the area I couldn't work out.
The only thing holding me back out there today was myself. The lost fitness (not just climbs, but for throwing the bike around as well) was noticable. My wrist is also still a bit tender post skate park wipe out. I could feel it in there by the end of the day! But it also made maintaining a solid grip a bit of a challenge in the chunder.
I was pretty impressed by the lack of garbage too. Sure I saw plenty of crap, mostly the sort of crap arseholes dump in the forest, but there was not a lot of the sort of junk riders usually throw away thoughtlessly.
It was a good afternoon and I'll likely get back there again soon.
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
Pea gravel == Western Australia, and you don't like it?
Why'd you move there again?
Why'd you move there again?
ashes_mtb
Has preferences
Of the sanctioned trails that point downhill, Luvin Shovels and Scorpion are worth a look next time. I've heard good things about Feral Groove but haven't ridden it since it had a make over.
And sand. Dont forget the sand.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
I looked at those and it seemed they ended in a gully? I think...so they went on the next time list.
Flow-Rider
Burner
New toyboy for Gina Reinhart ?
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
I'm going to need more drugs.
Flow-Rider
Burner
Everyone uses trailforks these days.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
The info there was not so good either. And there is an official web site...so why not make it good?
Flow-Rider
Burner
Are there a lot of unsanctioned trails ?
I just had look and looked ok to me, you click on the individual trails and it tells where DH is or general direction, usually go to ridelogs to see which directions locals ride them.
https://www.trailforks.com/region/kalamunda/?activitytype=1&z=11.6&lat=-31.96006&lon=116.09183
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Yes there are easily 4/1 unsanctioned to sanctioned scattered all through the hills. Luvin Shovels is off the side of the Mt Gunjin you didn't go down that leads more directly to the Camel Farm (if you turn left down muffin tops instead of right at 3 bears), Scorpion is across on the smaller hill with Feral Groove, from the bottom of Gunjin across the road up the hill then down Feral Groove, the bottom now has one of the largest jumps out there, back up that hill and down Scorpion which takes you yes into a bit of a gully close to the Dell car park and climb back to the Camel Farm or wherever else you are going.
The pea gravel is way better when it is wet, you can actually get some traction. The new trails at Dwellingup have very little, mostly clay. Other locations like Pemberton and Margaret River similarly have far less of it. There are plenty of unsanctioned trails through the granite that don't have much if any pea gravel in the Perth Hills, very different kind of trails though, no flow trails there!
Flow-Rider
Burner
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
Yeah the shovel lovin' side seemed to have a solid bit of downwards potential, but looked like it required a solid commitment to up as well? So I avoided it. It's on he list to scope out. I did like the way that the area I rode would be really easy to shuttle (I didn't shuttle it).
I was impressed with the all round dryness of things given how much it rained on Saturday. It was an absolute pisser!
With that kind of forest I'm not surprised there are off the record trails. It would be super easy to clear compared to home where there is shit loads of vines, bracket, ferns, and lantana to contend with. So many fallen trees too his waiting to be utilised. And those recent fires have left the place very open for easy trail raking.
I did not see any jump they would register as half that big!
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
The steepest side of Gunjin doesn't have any sanctioned trails on it. Luvin Shovels does take you almost back down to the shuttle bay, just a small fire road traverse, if you follow muffin tops and thorny devil you'll get back to Black Stump car parkwhich is right near the Camel Farm.
Yes the only real upside of the gravel is it drains incredibly well you, it's almost impossible for the trails to be too muddy to ride except Lazarus which was built with imported clay.
and that jump is about 270km south at Linga Longa
Flow-Rider
Burner
Hahah! That's not at Kalamunda, it's another network down lower around Armidale.
This is Kalamunda, if they've linked the correct track it will be as below.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
^ those guys look familiar! That looks like a solid bit of drop action!
I know the name, people have spoken with some enthusiasm about it.
Is that a Ripmo? Git at it @hifiandmtb !
Flow-Rider
Burner
Cousins by any chance ?
Looks like a few wooden ramps in there too.
This Kent is Psycho, check the drain gap. (somewhere in Canning mills)
Last edited: