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Noticeboard
If you have a group ride, a new track or something else to share with other mountainbikers, send it to webmaster@nelsonmountainbikeclub.org.nz and we will put it on this page.
Keep up to date with MTB happenings in Golden Bay at http://baymtb.blogspot.com
Kaiteriteri MTB Park
For the latest goings-on at Kaiteriteri check out the blog http://kaiteriterimtbpark.blogspot.com/
30 April 2009 Mountain biking starts on Abel Tasman National Park track
Abel Tasman National Parkâ≈ s Gibbâ≈ s Hill Track this week becomes the first Nelson national park track that can be mountain biked with mountain bikers able to ride it for five months from Friday (1 May).
Mountain biking is being trialled during the winter visitor season, 1 May to 1 October, over two years on the track that runs across the park between Totaranui and Wainui Bay. Monitoring will take place to determine whether or not mountain biking should be allowed to continue on the track beyond the two-year trial period.
The move follows a change to General Policy for National Parks which now allows mountain biking in national parks on routes specified in national park management plans. Mountain biking provisions were included in a new Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan that came into effect late last year.
DOC Golden Bay Area Manager John Mason said mountain bikers could just ride the 10-km Gibbs Hill Track or make a 23-km round trip by also cycling on roads between Wainui and Totaranui.
â≈¥We hope mountain bikers will enjoy this first riding opportunity in Abel Tasman National Park.
â≈¥Mountain biking is only permitted in the off-peak winter season when fewer people are walking the track. Mountain bikers need to adhere to the mountain bikersâ≈ code which includes requirement to show respect and consideration to walkers.
â≈¥Monitoring during the trial period will assess mountain biking impacts including environmental effects and any impacts on other peopleâ≈ s use and enjoyment of the track. If the impacts are found to be minimal and acceptable then mountain biking will be allowed to continue on the track.â≈√
The department is also reminding mountain bikers that biking is not allowed on the Heaphy Track and other Kahurangi National Park tracks.
â≈¥Mountain biking is illegal on the Heaphy Track and elsewhere in Kahurangi National Park under park bylaws now in place. People can be prosecuted under the bylaws for mountain biking in the national park.
â≈¥Options for mountain biking in Kahurangi National Park are presently being considered in a partial review of the parkâ≈ s management plan. What mountain biking can take place in the park wonâ≈ t be established until the review is completed and a new reviewed management plan is in place specifying the mountain bike access allowed.
â≈¥The public will have the chance to comment on proposals for mountain biking in the park when a draft reviewed management plan is released for public submissions, expected to be before the middle of this year. Public submissions will be taken into account in preparing a final draft reviewed plan for consideration by the Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board and then the New Zealand Conservation Authority.â≈√
Media contacts:
John Mason, DOC Golden Bay Area Manager, ph (03) 525 8026.
Trish Grant, DOC Nelson/Marlborough communications advisor, ph (03) 546 3146.
Additional information
Gibbs Hill Track can be cycled in either direction. It is graded as an intermediate-level mountain biking track. No more than eight riders are allowed in a group. Mountain biking is not allowed on other tracks in the area.
Mountain biking is also now allowed year-round on a short section of another Abel Tasman National Park track. The Moa Park Track can be cycled, between the turnoff on the Rameka Track â√˚ which is legal road and currently used for mountain biking â√˚ and the Wainui Track turnoff. This section of track links with a mountain bike track being developed in the adjoining Canaan Downs Scenic Reserve, providing a round trip.
The current Kahurangi National Park Management Plan came into effect in 2001. Under the General Policy for National Parks in place at the time, mountain bikes were categorised as vehicles which were prohibited in national parks except on formed roads.
Mountain biking is being trialled during the winter visitor season, 1 May to 1 October, over two years on the track that runs across the park between Totaranui and Wainui Bay. Monitoring will take place to determine whether or not mountain biking should be allowed to continue on the track beyond the two-year trial period.
The move follows a change to General Policy for National Parks which now allows mountain biking in national parks on routes specified in national park management plans. Mountain biking provisions were included in a new Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan that came into effect late last year.
DOC Golden Bay Area Manager John Mason said mountain bikers could just ride the 10-km Gibbs Hill Track or make a 23-km round trip by also cycling on roads between Wainui and Totaranui.
â≈¥We hope mountain bikers will enjoy this first riding opportunity in Abel Tasman National Park.
â≈¥Mountain biking is only permitted in the off-peak winter season when fewer people are walking the track. Mountain bikers need to adhere to the mountain bikersâ≈ code which includes requirement to show respect and consideration to walkers.
â≈¥Monitoring during the trial period will assess mountain biking impacts including environmental effects and any impacts on other peopleâ≈ s use and enjoyment of the track. If the impacts are found to be minimal and acceptable then mountain biking will be allowed to continue on the track.â≈√
The department is also reminding mountain bikers that biking is not allowed on the Heaphy Track and other Kahurangi National Park tracks.
â≈¥Mountain biking is illegal on the Heaphy Track and elsewhere in Kahurangi National Park under park bylaws now in place. People can be prosecuted under the bylaws for mountain biking in the national park.
â≈¥Options for mountain biking in Kahurangi National Park are presently being considered in a partial review of the parkâ≈ s management plan. What mountain biking can take place in the park wonâ≈ t be established until the review is completed and a new reviewed management plan is in place specifying the mountain bike access allowed.
â≈¥The public will have the chance to comment on proposals for mountain biking in the park when a draft reviewed management plan is released for public submissions, expected to be before the middle of this year. Public submissions will be taken into account in preparing a final draft reviewed plan for consideration by the Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board and then the New Zealand Conservation Authority.â≈√
Media contacts:
John Mason, DOC Golden Bay Area Manager, ph (03) 525 8026.
Trish Grant, DOC Nelson/Marlborough communications advisor, ph (03) 546 3146.
Additional information
Gibbs Hill Track can be cycled in either direction. It is graded as an intermediate-level mountain biking track. No more than eight riders are allowed in a group. Mountain biking is not allowed on other tracks in the area.
Mountain biking is also now allowed year-round on a short section of another Abel Tasman National Park track. The Moa Park Track can be cycled, between the turnoff on the Rameka Track â√˚ which is legal road and currently used for mountain biking â√˚ and the Wainui Track turnoff. This section of track links with a mountain bike track being developed in the adjoining Canaan Downs Scenic Reserve, providing a round trip.
The current Kahurangi National Park Management Plan came into effect in 2001. Under the General Policy for National Parks in place at the time, mountain bikes were categorised as vehicles which were prohibited in national parks except on formed roads.
Track Closure
Hancock Forest Management would like to advise that harvesting of trees on Fringed Hill Road is commencing next week from Wednesday 4th March 2009.
Warning signs will be erected, for operational and safety reasons.
Strictly no weekday entry:
Please note that no entry for Recreational Use: i.e. No Mountain Biking,
Motor Cycling, Horse Riding or any other activity until further notice.
Weekend Entry: Access is open on Saturday and Sunday, but service vehicles will be accessing the forest. Please take care.
For further information please contract Action Forest Management at 66
Oxford Street, Richmond, 544-8541 or email reception@actionforest.co.nz.
Rainbow Rage and National Champs videos online
You can watch the Rainbow Rage video that screened on SKY SPORT last year at http://www.sportwebcasts.co.nz/rainbowrage.html
There's also an ambitous attempt to webcast the nationals being proposed. Check out the promo now at http://www.sportwebcasts.co.nz/2009NationalChamps.html and bookmark it.
There's also an ambitous attempt to webcast the nationals being proposed. Check out the promo now at http://www.sportwebcasts.co.nz/2009NationalChamps.html and bookmark it.
NMTBC Draft Constitution
The Nelson MTBC has formulated a Constitution and welcomes club members comment on it. It is planned that the finalised Constitution will be adopted at the 2008 AGM November 24th. Click this link to download a copy of NMTBC Constitution.
Comments/suggestions can be sent to chris.mildon@gmail.com
Nelson MTB Club Trail Advocacy
The Nelson MTB Club have two representatives meeting regularly with NCC staff on public land MTB trail development and issues. If members have any concerns we would encourage you to contact either Tim Tucker (027 2320280) or Chris Mildon (021 2309120) in the first instance for further information.
These regular meetings (and the work done in this area by past committee members) in no small part have helped with forward planning and securing NCC funding for trail development with several exciting projects on the go at the moment. The quickly formulating Regional Development Plan for MTB Trails to sit with the NCC is a natural addition to the established process already in place, and will only strengthen the club's involvement and ongoing relationship with the council.
The NCC, along with our key forestry company Hancock Forest Management are partners in the club's trail advocacy efforts. They work alongside us, recognise and appreciate our passion and committment to our sport and are not the 'opposition'. The established forum in place with club committee representatives and NCC staff is the best place to deal with any trail issues on public land.
An update on a current hot potato follows:
Peaking Ridge
This trail off Sunshine Ridge began it's life shortly after the 2003 Mammoth as a far more interesting route down to the Maitai Valley. It follows a ridge line which is heavily pig-rooted and the trail has to be considered to have minimal impact on the environment it is placed. However it is in the Maitai Dam water catchment area and is subject to tigher conditions than we normally are faced with. It did not have initial NCC approval, however the construction and legality of the trail was tabled with the NCC at the regular meetings Tim and Chris have with NCC staff. The current status of the Peaking Ridge trail is that the NCC is still working with the Club on formalising it's status, but certainly hasn't made a decision to close it.
More recently, an NCC contractor ran a scheduled possum bait line down Sunshine Ridge and has used the opportunity presented by the Peaking trail to also run the bait down that ridge as well - this is standard practice. Cyanide paste bait is often applied to various media - in this case the contractor has used squares of paper. This contractor has likely pulled a few branches over the trail but this does not reflect the NCC position at this stage.
Riding this trail will never appeal to large numbers of MTBers. It is often a four to five hour loop, and technically challenging not only to get to across the top of Fringed Hill but also to ride the trail on its own merits.
These regular meetings (and the work done in this area by past committee members) in no small part have helped with forward planning and securing NCC funding for trail development with several exciting projects on the go at the moment. The quickly formulating Regional Development Plan for MTB Trails to sit with the NCC is a natural addition to the established process already in place, and will only strengthen the club's involvement and ongoing relationship with the council.
The NCC, along with our key forestry company Hancock Forest Management are partners in the club's trail advocacy efforts. They work alongside us, recognise and appreciate our passion and committment to our sport and are not the 'opposition'. The established forum in place with club committee representatives and NCC staff is the best place to deal with any trail issues on public land.
An update on a current hot potato follows:
Peaking Ridge
This trail off Sunshine Ridge began it's life shortly after the 2003 Mammoth as a far more interesting route down to the Maitai Valley. It follows a ridge line which is heavily pig-rooted and the trail has to be considered to have minimal impact on the environment it is placed. However it is in the Maitai Dam water catchment area and is subject to tigher conditions than we normally are faced with. It did not have initial NCC approval, however the construction and legality of the trail was tabled with the NCC at the regular meetings Tim and Chris have with NCC staff. The current status of the Peaking Ridge trail is that the NCC is still working with the Club on formalising it's status, but certainly hasn't made a decision to close it.
More recently, an NCC contractor ran a scheduled possum bait line down Sunshine Ridge and has used the opportunity presented by the Peaking trail to also run the bait down that ridge as well - this is standard practice. Cyanide paste bait is often applied to various media - in this case the contractor has used squares of paper. This contractor has likely pulled a few branches over the trail but this does not reflect the NCC position at this stage.
Riding this trail will never appeal to large numbers of MTBers. It is often a four to five hour loop, and technically challenging not only to get to across the top of Fringed Hill but also to ride the trail on its own merits.
544 2441 for the Rural Fire Network for any fire related incidents in forests, or 111 if things are looking really bad.