Mt Buller is fast becoming a premier mountain biking destination, with a range of developments already in place and plenty more to come. Over the past several years, we have worked hard to develop the cross-country mountain biking offering, teaming up with renowned trail designer Glen Jacobs and his incredible team from World Trail to construct some seriously good trails as part of a five-stage plan.
What's new for summer 2011-12 Brand new for this summer is Copperhead - brought to you by Specialized, a unique trail concept that will be the only one of its kind in the country when it launches this coming summer. A mix between a beginner downhill and a cross-country trail, Copperhead is described as a ‘flowdown' style, and according to World Trail's director, Glen Jacobs, represents a whole new area for mountain biking in Australia. "No one has built anything like this in Australia", he said. "Copperhead is a unique concept, incorporating a flow country style but with a downhill edge. We've incorporated a few of our innovations from over the years to create a trail that will suit both downhill and cross-country bikes and all types of riders."
Glen reckons this trail is all about funk and flow - and marks the creation of a new style of riding that's never been seen before.
Excited yet? We are. Check out what Shannon Rademaker from All Terrain Cycles has to say about Copperhead in this teaser we shot at the end of summer when Shannon was lucky enough to ride a section of the unfinished trail with Glen himself:
New trails and a whole lot of fun
Stages One and Two of this five-stage plan were completed in 2009, and consisted of new beginner and intermediate trails around the Mt Buller Village as well as five new loops that stretch between the Village and the Corn Hill area.
Stage Three of the development saw the completion of Stonefly in January 2011, our signature 10km advanced endurance trail that stretches from Howqua Gap to Mt Stirling and back, and marks the completion of a trail network that allows mountain bikers to now ride from the summit of Mt Buller to the summit of the neighbouring Mt Stirling - a truly unique product.
Built by the team at World Trail over the past two summers, Stonefly climbs to an altitude of 1,660m at its highest point, and means that you can now venture from summit to summit by pedal power. Along the way, take in the magnificent Alpine Ash trees, thickets of Mountain Tea Tree and stunning Snowgum forests, and stop in at one of the traditional mountain huts for a rest or even stay overnight.
At Corn Hill, take in the mountain bike skills park that was completed at the end of last summer as part of Stage Three. Beginner and intermediate riders can test their skills on a series of features including see-saws, berms, rock gardens, balance beams, board rides and more.
Check out the vid below made by the guys from Australian Mountain Bike Magazine of their first ride on Stonefly:
So what's next? Stages three, four and five of the trail development will be completed during the summer periods between 2010 and 2012. These stages will see the construction of an advanced skills park, implementation of improved trail signage, the development of new trails to better link existing loops, and the provision of bike facilities and amenities such as car parking hardstands, bike washes, picnic facilities and more. So watch this space - there is plenty more to come here on top of the world!
Read about Glen Jacobs and his team at the World Trail website.
