Mountain biking in Wanaka

Words: Kath BIcknell

Images: Kath Bicknell and Gaye Camm

When Wanaka Bike Tours’ John Wilson told us to set an early alarm clock so we’d reach the top of Mt Pisa for sunrise, we didn’t hesitate for a second. Next thing we knew; we were standing on the moon. Or, at least, that’s how I felt as I stood there gaping at this foreign alpine landscape.

I watched our helicopter pilot fly off into the crisp dawn sky and was struck by a sudden stillness. In the horizontal, morning light, the lumpy dirt and short grass of this fragile eco-system looked like the dusty, rocky surface of the moon. It was cold up there but pleasantly so. I looked out toward the horizon and watched the clouds floating below.

Our riding crew of three – John, our guide, Gaye Camm, assistant photographer and part time model, and myself – shattered the serenity with excited chatter as we took in this delicate, lunar-like environment. The colours around us shifted with the morning light as we tried to make sense of the other-worldly shapes of the rocks and the earth.

I picked up my bike from its position near an old, rusting fence. Run back in time, and someone had thought that the top of Mt Pisa was a good place to farm sheep, explained John. No wonder New Zealand merino is so warm.

Max Vert

Taking the quick way to the top of Mt Pisa is one of the many high points of Wanaka Bike Tours’ Max Vert Tour. Having never been in a helicopter before, my eyes were pinging out my head as we flew over terrain we would later ride down. We saw the trails from high above with our bikes along for the journey secured to a custom-made rack.

The ride itself starts at 1950 vertical metres, descends through the private farm land of Lake Mackay Station and ends in the relaxing beer garden of the Luggate hotel.

“This is a new route,” says John. He had spent six hours sussing it out the previous day, before joining us for a sunset spin around the twisting, dusty, Stromlo-like trails of Dean’s Bank, right near our campsite in Wanaka.

“I think it has a combination of fun riding and beautiful scenery. We were using another route down Lake Mackay which was a wee bit more technical, so it wasn’t quite as suitable for all riding abilities,” John adds. An investment advisor for 35 years in a past life, John exudes the insight, energy and enthusiasm of someone who gets infinite joy seeing different types of riders discover, and traverse through, unique environments for the very first time.

In what feels like a win for the growth of mountain biking more broadly, the new route through Lake Mackay Station came about because the farmer approached the company directly. He was interested in the tourism opportunities that mountain biking provides from both sides.

“We’re very lucky because it is effectively the best part of the station that he uses for farming.” We would meet a few of the animals later on.

An all day descent

As we started the descent from the moon the tall mountains we’d spent a week looking up at suddenly seemed so small. The snowy peak of Mt Aspiring, New Zealand’s highest mountain outside Aoraki/Mt Cook region, rose above the others as we made our way down a farm track.

“The decent from the top can be done in an hour and a half,” says John before adding that once you book a tour, the journey from the top is yours for as long as you want.

This isn’t a ride you do to see how fast you can go. This is an experience you want to drag out as long as can. With the company providing all the equipment you need for a full day of riding you could do it as a one off or book it in for some heli-aided altitude between big, leg-assisted days exploring the many other trails the Otago region has to offer.

The first hour or so of our journey traversed along without losing much altitude at all. The trail looked rutted in appearance but the texture was soft, almost airy, as we made our way down the first part of this new route. Our eyes kept scanning between the shifting mountain-scape and the unfolding trail in front. The 360 degree views were so overwhelming we had to keep stepping off the bikes to take it all in.

Every 200 vertical metres the environment changed dramatically. We soon hit sections of long speargrass, which became more numerous and brighter in colour the further we went. Then came the African looking Matagouri, a taller spikier shrub. Large rock tors (go on, Google it) decorated the side of the trail like sculptures from another age. Next, we traversed through farmland sharing the trail with healthy looking cows and sheep.

As we hit the river and willow trees below we ran into a farmer clearing a pine tree off the track. It just slipped off the hill he said from his tractor, in an understated Kiwi way. He was parked next to what looked like a small landslide down a near vertical edge.

Lying in the back of our camper that night, still processing the day we’d just had and deciding where to ride next, we received a phone call. There were two spare seats in the chopper for the company’s Mt Burke Tour the next morning. The other trails in the area would have to wait.

Mt Burke

The golden, grassy environment at the 1400m top of Mt Burke offers a contrasting experience to Mt Pisa’s moonscape. This morning was much windier too, which gave us a real appreciation of life at this height. The further we went, the more the wind picked up, the strongest John had ever seen. If we’d left an hour later, the helicopter wouldn’t have been able to land.

The route from Pisa is all about getting up close to the landscape, experiencing its constantly changing textures and learning about the different plants, farming and history in the area. The trail from Mt Bourke is more constant in its formation, a wide four-wheel drive track, strewn with large rocks. It descends steadily from the spectacular start point of the ride, rarely flat until you reach the river far below.

Mt Burke is the one to pick to spend the day soaking up the shapes and textures of the much wider surrounding landscape. We watched Lake Wanaka look bigger the further we rode and experienced the surrounding mountain landscapes from every possible angle.

Both routes allow advanced riders to pick up some speed, challenge their mates to visually stunning jump and stunt lines, and stop for food and more photos while newer riders can take a bit more time. Differences in ability have big consequences for groups on cross-country rides but this is an experience you don’t want to end. Time spent waiting for others feels more like an opportunity than waste.

A journey that stays with you for life

The South Island of New Zealand is known for its big mountains, dramatic, wind-blown landscapes, and endless opportunities for mountain biking. While Nelson, Queenstown and Christchurch have been on most mountain bikers’ hit lists for years Wanaka is becoming the latest must-go destination.

“Wanaka’s been thought of in the past as a stopover town,” says John as we share one last meal in the sun and meet up with Dan McMullan who started the company in 2005. “People have had a couple of nights at Fox (Glacier), then a rest here, then go to Queenstown and party again. But that’s all changing.” The tree in the middle of the lake has its own Instagram hashtag, #ThatWanakaTree and a matching account. It really is a year-round stunner.

The area around Lake Wanaka offers a rich variety of trails, most of which are more suited to developing and cross-country riders than the steeper trails of Queenstown and Cardrona. The main street is filling with trendy places to eat and drink and there are camping sites for travellers on a budget next to the fast, flowing tracks at Sticky Forest and Dean’s Bank.

On one hand, I feel like we only just scratched the surface of what’s on offer in and around Wanaka. On the other, the experience we had, coupled with John’s and Dan’s hosting, expertise, and insider tips for making the most of the rest of our time in the region, gave us a much richer sense of place than most tourists would get feeling it out on their own. These are memories I’ll hold on to for life.

As we drove back toward Queenstown, I looked out the window at the mountains above, the mountains I’d been staring at for days. I suddenly felt satiated.

The thirst I’d felt before was replaced with a knowledge of the terrain and the plants, and how these morphed into different colours from further away. I had a new appreciation of how harsh and fragile those environments are, the force of the wind, the temperatures, the views, and – whether it’s from a bike, a chopper, the edge of a mountain or perched on an other-worldly rock formation – what it means to sit there for a while taking it in.

THE OUTLAY

The Max Vert tour is $NZ 649 (per person, with a minimum of two), and the Mt Burke tour is $749 due to a longer flight. The price includes the helicopter time, exclusive access to private land and riding equipment. Non-riding partners or friends can join in on the heli ride only for $200.

The equipment supplied by Wanaka Bike Tours is of a quality and practicality we would purchase ourselves, such as Fox gloves and knee pads and current model Scott Genius 740 trail bikes with 150mm/140mm front/rear travel, a decent spec and upgraded tyres chosen for the harsh terrain.

Find out more at: www.wanakabiketours.co.nz

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Several warm layers, a pack to stash them in as you warm up throughout the day and enough food and water for four hours. When it’s 20 degrees in Wanaka it can be minus two or three with wind chill up at the top.

WHEN TO GO

These tours run from October through to May. Weather wise, the best times are from December through to March. The company also run shuttles throughout the year to other trails in the area.

HOW TO GET THERE

Most people fly into Queenstown then come over the crown range in a hire car, which takes about an hour. Wanaka Bike Tours can provide transport to and from Queenstown on request.

EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY

Wander down the main street and you’ll be spoilt for choice. Local recommendations include Soul Food, the Federal Diner, the Luggate Hotel and Kai Whakapai (which means “food made good”).

OTHER RIDES

The singletrack in both Sticky Forest and Dean’s Bank are worth checking out in Wanaka and you can camp near the base of either at Lake Outlet or the Department of Conservation campground respectively.

It’s easy to lose a week just in Queenstown to the south, especially if you prefer your riding steep and loose. The Cardrona Bike Park is another good option for steep, technical, lifted trails. Alexandra and Naseby, to the south-east, also offer expanding trail networks.

NEARBY EVENTS

The Pioneer traverses 569km from Christchurch to Queenstown in February with one section running on the Pisa Range. The TransNZ Enduro is also based out of Christchurch and Queenstown and suits gravity-minded riders.

The Big Easy goes from the nearby Snow Farm to Alber Town. Riders ascend up to Pisa and then come down along a route to the right of the one we took. The Contact Epic marathon in late January goes around Lake Hawea.