$2.5 million for Tassie West Coast trails and maybe Maydena?

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Opening day today, so surely the media ban has been lifted... Where are all those photos @Stredda?
Here ya go....

Chamouni Traverse, quite a cool trail.
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The Long Spur. The blue descent from the North Summit.
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A bit more of Chamouni Traverse heading up to the North Owen summit.
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After the reasonable weather in the morning session. (Two Chamouni Traverse and one Long Spur and one North Owen Descent)
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After the afternoon session in less than ideal conditions:eek:

(Another two Chamouni Traverse and one Long Spur and one North Owen Descent)
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The ridgeline on the left is where the North Owen Descent comes down and the ridge on the right is the one that The Long Spur takes. Half of it is hidden in the clouds.


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So at this stage only Chamouni Traverse, the Summit Loop, The Long Spur and North Owen Descent are open and only accessible by the shuttle operator. There will be pedal access trails available once the other trails open in the coming months.
 

nathanm

Eats Squid
Did I read right that shuttles are limited to 6 people at a time. How long does the uplift take and how many shuttles?
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Did I read right that shuttles are limited to 6 people at a time. How long does the uplift take and how many shuttles?
I think they will have two vehicles in operation with 5 passengers in each (I could be wrong). They had 3 4WDs on the day and it's quite a drive from Queenstown to the Owen Spur drop off point itself (maybe 30min) but after being dropped off and taking either The Long Spur or North Owen Descent the shuttle vehicles will be at the bottom to pick you up by the time you get there. From there it's about a 15min shuttle back up to the Owen Spur drop off point.
The shuttle road is bloody steep! Must be 30% grade or more in places, the 4WDs are in low range for 3/4 of it.
 

mark22

Likes Dirt
Here ya go....

Chamouni Traverse, quite a cool trail.
View attachment 377946

The Long Spur. The blue descent from the North Summit.
View attachment 377947

A bit more of Chamouni Traverse heading up to the North Owen summit.
View attachment 377948

After the reasonable weather in the morning session. (Two Chamouni Traverse and one Long Spur and one North Owen Descent)
View attachment 377949

After the afternoon session in less than ideal conditions:eek:

(Another two Chamouni Traverse and one Long Spur and one North Owen Descent)
View attachment 377950View attachment 377952
The ridgeline on the left is where the North Owen Descent comes down and the ridge on the right is the one that The Long Spur takes. Half of it is hidden in the clouds.


View attachment 377953

So at this stage only Chamouni Traverse, the Summit Loop, The Long Spur and North Owen Descent are open and only accessible by the shuttle operator. There will be pedal access trails available once the other trails open in the coming months.
Ooooh that track stands out in this environment, I wonder if we might see some negative feedback on it.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
Ooooh that track stands out in this environment, I wonder if we might see some negative feedback on it.
I have only heard a couple of negative social media comments.

One was about all the trees that would have been cut down to make the trails. I was like really, what trees?

The other was about ruining the pristine Queenstown environment. Pristine Queenstown environment? After a hundred years of mining with the hills stripped of timber to fire the local copper smelters and stayed bare due to sulphur fumes aforementioned smelters.

There seems to be a very negative vocal minority that is against mountain biking in Tasmania. It may just be the type that is against any public spending on the activity that they don't personally do, or the perception that mountain biking and the construction of the trails is terribly detrimental to the environment. We seem to cope it from all sides, the rednecks don't like it as they hate cyclists to begin with and also from the green leaning side and some walkers, feel that mountain bikes are taking over EVERYWHERE and are to be viewed as not environmentally sustainable.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Some of the guys who mainly drive the backroads are nuts down here. Out of curiousity i've briefly followed a Landy towing a trailer at 160+ on narrow backroads and windy corners out behind Liena, dude was booking it - I was out of comfort zone driving an outback with advan sport rubber.
So many beautiful roads to go cycling on in Tassie, and none of them worth the risk due to tools like that...
 

nathanm

Eats Squid
I have only heard a couple of negative social media comments.

One was about all the trees that would have been cut down to make the trails. I was like really, what trees?

The other was about ruining the pristine Queenstown environment. Pristine Queenstown environment? After a hundred years of mining with the hills stripped of timber to fire the local copper smelters and stayed bare due to sulphur fumes aforementioned smelters.

There seems to be a very negative vocal minority that is against mountain biking in Tasmania. It may just be the type that is against any public spending on the activity that they don't personally do, or the perception that mountain biking and the construction of the trails is terribly detrimental to the environment. We seem to cope it from all sides, the rednecks don't like it as they hate cyclists to begin with and also from the green leaning side and some walkers, feel that mountain bikes are taking over EVERYWHERE and are to be viewed as not environmentally sustainable.
sounds exactly like the early days of Derby really. Lots of vocal minorities particularly from the locals until they realised their house prices quadrupled and they had jobs and money was flowing into the region en masse.
These tracks are vital to the West Coast given so much tourism had ceased even before Covid and i'm sure the noisy few will be outweighed by the stoked majority once the trails actually become rideable. Not sure it was the greatest idea to try and open in the middle of winter, not exactly a dry place but hey, whatever works for them.
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
sounds exactly like the early days of Derby really. Lots of vocal minorities particularly from the locals until they realised their house prices quadrupled and they had jobs and money was flowing into the region en masse.
These tracks are vital to the West Coast given so much tourism had ceased even before Covid and i'm sure the noisy few will be outweighed by the stoked majority once the trails actually become rideable. Not sure it was the greatest idea to try and open in the middle of winter, not exactly a dry place but hey, whatever works for them.
Yeah, I thought the same thing too in regards to the opening date. The trails will most likely hold up fine as they are pretty much rock and gravel but the weather isn't all that inviting this time of year.
 

Biggbird

Cannon Fodder
Yeah, I thought the same thing too in regards to the opening date. The trails will most likely hold up fine as they are pretty much rock and gravel but the weather isn't all that inviting this time of year.
To be fair, the weather isn't often all that inviting even in summer, so...

Sweet pictures, looking forward to seeing a bunch more stuff over the next few weeks hopefully!

Did they mention when they reckon the other trails will open?
 

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
To be fair, the weather isn't often all that inviting even in summer, so...

Sweet pictures, looking forward to seeing a bunch more stuff over the next few weeks hopefully!

Did they mention when they reckon the other trails will open?
The start of October is the planned opening for the whole of the current map of trails barring any significant issues.
 

Cheka

Likes Bikes
Spent 3 nights in Queenstown a month ago, cool place. They had just opened the lower mountain green trails which we could ride to from town and we had a good morning on them. Tight switchbacks up and down for a green trail.
Sticht up, Waterfall and Natural Selection had not yet opened.
Did a morning shuttle with Roam Wild on the high mountain trails. Awesome views, loose tight switchback descents, a constant battle between controlling speed and maintaining traction. Great fun but.
Waterfall looks like it will be a blast. Natural Selection looks next level.

A couple of locals I spoke to in the pub were surprised that we were visiting just to ride bikes!

Also did an arvo ride at Oonah Hill which was also cool. The upper half is crushed granite but the last half drops into the forest and was hero dirt flowy. I saw trailbuilders working on some more trails there as well.
Worth a side trip if you have the time.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I have only heard a couple of negative social media comments.

One was about all the trees that would have been cut down to make the trails. I was like really, what trees?

The other was about ruining the pristine Queenstown environment. Pristine Queenstown environment? After a hundred years of mining with the hills stripped of timber to fire the local copper smelters and stayed bare due to sulphur fumes aforementioned smelters.

There seems to be a very negative vocal minority that is against mountain biking in Tasmania. It may just be the type that is against any public spending on the activity that they don't personally do, or the perception that mountain biking and the construction of the trails is terribly detrimental to the environment. We seem to cope it from all sides, the rednecks don't like it as they hate cyclists to begin with and also from the green leaning side and some walkers, feel that mountain bikes are taking over EVERYWHERE and are to be viewed as not environmentally sustainable.
Sorry, don't mean to hijack your froth and love it much so, But I feel people should know what battle is going on in the background with these trails.

Same person that's causing the issues here in Brisbane (Dr Flipflop ChrIstiNe HosKing) with its scare tactics and half truths, it's a QUT researcher, so it's got some pull with the governments. I've challenged it a few times online, and it can't respond with proper answers other than to delete the posts or hurl the typical NIMBY abuse.

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