Queenstown Vs Maydena for Intermediates

[betadine]

Hi All,

I’m planning a 4 day trip to one of these with my 13 year old son and looking for guidance on what might suit us best.

We are capable but not absolute shredders so more on the blue intermediate trails with plenty of berms and table tops rather than black. We also love a bit of natural with rock gardens and some steepish sections.

For reference I’ve ridden Rotorua and Derby and the blue trails at each of those are about the right standard. We also get down the DH at our local track Ourimbah with no trouble. We’re both have around 150mm travel.

The reason I’ve picked both of these is that my son loves descending but wears out quickly with too much pedalling so bring on the lifts!

Cheers

Betadine


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[tkdbboy]

You can't go wrong with either for your requirements. Both have all kinds of trails. I'd say Maydena has a bit more natural and loamy trails and Queenstown has more park trails.
You also have the option of going to Cardrona bike park, shuttle service trails around Rude Rock and Dream/Mini-Dream track in QT.

I'd recommend doing QT first just due to the easier logistics, everything (town, accommodation, bike park) is a 10 min bike ride away, weather will most likely be better and there's a variety of things to do at night.

Don't get me wrong, Maydena is awesome ... been twice and loved it.

 

[betadine]

Thanks for the info. Queenstown sounds like it might be the go for the logistics etc as you say.

Cheers


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[moorey]

I’d also say the QT...even though Felix hasn’t ridden Maydena yet. Took him to QT earlier in the year (13yo), and he was in heaven.
Maydena looking awesome though. We’re there in November.

 

[clockworked]

Buy Australian!

 

[Boom King]

Can't comment on QT but spent 4 days at Maydena this past April. As an intermediate rider, I still need to excuse myself from company for a few minutes every time I think of the place.

 

[mark22]

QT for the trip I reckon much better variety. Maydena is steep and wet (it's in the SW can't expect much else).

 

[rangersac]

As well as Maydena, given you have a four day trip you could also do the Mt Wellington trails as there are hop on, hop off shuttles here:
https://mtwellingtonexplorer.com.au/

 

[betadine]

So I’m booked for Queenstown this coming weekend but the weather looks atrocious. Anyone ridden there in the wet? Thinking of pulling the pin and heading to tassie.


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[Jpez]

So I’m booked for Queenstown this coming weekend but the weather looks atrocious. Anyone ridden there in the wet? Thinking of pulling the pin and heading to tassie.


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@Mattyp is there now I think

 

[betadine]

@Mattyp is there now I think

Perfect. Any intel would be great.


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[tkdbboy]

So I’m booked for Queenstown this coming weekend but the weather looks atrocious. Anyone ridden there in the wet? Thinking of pulling the pin and heading to tassie.


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They close the park if its too wet. Was closed for 2 of the 5 days I was there.

Their facebook page posts status updates

 

[Mattyp]

if its Queenstown vs Maydena, for me, Queenstown wins by a mile. Having ridden both during wet/dry conditions QT just has way more on offer. Add to that, it is actually a town/city. not just a couple of houses with billboards politely asking MTB'rs to leave....

The perfect day in queenstown consists of Breakfast followed by riding your bike 5 mins to the chairlift that is literally in town, ripping through the park for 2-3hrs, ride down the hill into the main strip of shops and have some lunch, get back up the chairlift and go for a pedal out on Beached Az, (30-40mins) to Fernhill, and do the 12-13min decent back into the middle of the bike park, (repeat) or do a similar run down Salmon if skills permit.
Back into the park for some afternoon laps of bike park goodness....

Just up the road, Coronet Peak, which is now running its chairlift aswell, gives you access to 2 decents with another getting built (upper Rude Rock), Coronet DH is a new school downhill track with huge jumps, berm and chutes, not always in that order. and the XC decent, slightly tamer, but still a blast!
3/4 of the way up coronet peak, you will find Rude Rock, probably one of the most fun tracks you will ever ride, about a 6min decent if you're reasonably quick and about a 30min pedal back up the road. Otherwise, book some Shuttles with Queenstown Bike Taxis, Amy is an absolute champion, rips on a bike and runs a kickass day of shuttles and you will get to ride 3-4 different decents, including the Coro-town Decent or Skippers Gully or both.

Back to Queenstown, 5 mins the other way you will find Wynyard, home of Wynyard DH and Dream Track, (google it) as well as a bunch of other sweet tracks, a newly built BLUE flow decent Mcnearly Gnarlys, 60+ jumps all decending and winding their way to the bottom, the climb back up is a cruisey 20mins.

Still not enough? Remarkables DH is 15mins out of town, Cardrona Bikepark is about 30-40mins drive, Alexandra 40mins the other way, if DJ is your thing, be sure to stop in at Gorge Road Jumps, actually just stop there even if youve never done a jump in your life, the place is fucking amazing...

Get to know some locals and you will discover that there are more "pirate trails" than you can poke a stick at, you could easily double the amount of tracks on any map, this stuff isnt on Strava or Trailforks for good reason...

I was there 12 nights, and only really missed 2 days of riding even though i was there during the biggest rain even NZ has seen in 20 years, it closed all highways flooded the lakes and left me stranded in Queenstown (oh no!)

Cant wait to go back!

 

[tkdbboy]

not just a couple of houses with billboards politely asking MTB'rs to leave....

Maydena has anti-MTB locals?

Where did you stay in QT for 12 nights? I've got a month stint coming up and finding affordable solo accom that can securely store a bike hasn't been the easiest

 

[creaky]

finding affordable solo accom that can securely store a bike hasn't been the easiest

Just get a room with a double bed....

 

[Mattyp]

Had a Air BnB on Gorge rd right in town for first 8 nights as there was 3 of us, the others went home and i stayed on, found a reasonably priced airbnb in Frankton, not as close proximity to the chairlift as we had before, but i had a car, look up RAD car hire, i had a mid 2000's imprezza for $500 for 10 days, seats layed flat so allowed for some private shuttles too.

 

[rangersac]

Maydena has anti-MTB locals?

There are some disgruntled locals across the road from the bike park. It's all not as good as the old days naturally. You can find them in Derby as well, head for the Federal Hotel if you fancy a good whinge

 

[ozzybmx]

You can find them in Derby as well, head for the Federal Hotel if you fancy a good whinge

Yeah but its not the mountain bikers she has an issue with.

I've had quite a few in Federal Tavern, ask about Tassie Tigers as she has been in the Thylacine Society since forever, also has a great knowledge and many stories about Tassie Devils. She told us of a 'release' of 250 tumour free devils and over the rest of the holiday, we went for a drive a couple of nights and seen 3, including a small one which ran in front of the car for about 45 seconds... I'll get the GoPro on the front of the car this trip.

Definitely eccentric and an interesting look in the Federal but worth a visit for a chat and a beer.

She gave the kids a load of original old postcards about Derby.... a few interesting ones too. She also had several interesting artefacts she brought out and showed us.

Apparently its called 'The Salmon rock'

 

[sbm]

if its Queenstown vs Maydena, for me, Queenstown wins by a mile. Having ridden both during wet/dry conditions QT just has way more on offer. Add to that, it is actually a town/city. not just a couple of houses with billboards politely asking MTB'rs to leave....

The perfect day in queenstown consists of Breakfast followed by riding your bike 5 mins to the chairlift that is literally in town, ripping through the park for 2-3hrs, ride down the hill into the main strip of shops and have some lunch, get back up the chairlift and go for a pedal out on Beached Az, (30-40mins) to Fernhill, and do the 12-13min decent back into the middle of the bike park, (repeat) or do a similar run down Salmon if skills permit.
Back into the park for some afternoon laps of bike park goodness....

Just up the road, Coronet Peak, which is now running its chairlift aswell, gives you access to 2 decents with another getting built, Coronet DH, a new school downhill track with huge jumps, berm and chutes, not always in that order. and the XC decent, slightly tamer, but still a blast!
3/4 of the way up coronet peak, you will find Rude Rock, probably one of the most fun tracks you will ever ride, about a 6min decent if you're reasonably quick and about a 30min pedal back up the road. Otherwise, book some Shuttles with Queenstown Bike Taxis, Amy is an absolute champion, rips on a bike and runs a kickass day of shuttles and you will get to ride 3-4 different decents, including the Coro-town Decent or Skippers Gully or both.

Back to Queenstown, 5 mins the other way you will find Wynyard, home of Wynyard DH and Dream Track, (google it) as well as a bunch of other sweet tracks, a newly built BLUE flow decent Mcnearly Gnarlys, 60+ jumps all decending and winding their way to the bottom, the climb back up is a cruisey 20mins.

Still not enough? Remarkables DH is 15mins out of town, Cardrona Bikepark is about 30-40mins drive, Alexandra 40mins the other way, if DJ is your thing, be sure to stop in at Gorge Road Jumps, actually just stop there even if youve never done a jump in your life, the place is fucking amazing...

Get to know some locals and you will discover that there are more "pirate trails" than you can poke a stick at, you could easily double the amount of tracks on any map, this stuff isnt on Strava or Trailforks for good reason...

I was there 12 nights, and only really missed 2 days of riding even though i was there during the biggest rain even NZ has seen in 20 years, it closed all highways flooded the lakes and left me stranded in Queenstown (oh no!)

Cant wait to go back!

I have talked to a South Island local who described the riding in Queenstown as "Good, but not great". What a d!ckhead that guy was.

 

[rangersac]

Yeah but its not the mountain bikers she has an issue with.

Not the mountain bikers per se, but from my fairly extensive conversation with her it was the whole Derby commercialization and favourable council treatment that got her goat. She's definitely an interesting character, one of our group was a welder on the old Incat vessels that ran between Georgetown and Port Welshpool for a while, and she also worked on them, so once this came to light there were many stories and bonus hospitality freely given.