26 October update
The final piece of the Upper Leaping Lizard puzzle was tidied up this week by Ricky, who widened, tweaked, and finished off the short link between the new (upper upper?) and lower (original/lower upper) bits of track. So you can now avoid the pinch climb all the way up to the 4WD track.
14 October update
TGL have been busy upgrading the lower section of Upper Leaping Lizard over the last few weeks, which has been paid for by WCC. They’ve been widening some narrow sections, removing ruts, improving the drainage, berming up some corners, and building an intermediate bypass of the advanced steep rocky section - which is being kept open for those who prefer a steeper line. The best of both worlds!
They’ve done a great job retaining as much of the natural, rugged feel of the track, while giving it an update as it hasn’t seen any major maintenance in quite a few years. This is a key section of track that all riders will use to access the south west corner of the park, where we’ll be building a lot of new intermediate and advanced grade tracks. So getting it back to intermediate grade was a priority.
There are some great views from the track over Cook Strait and the South Island, plus looking back to the swing bridge and the Peak. Once it’s complete, there’s going to be a great intermediate loop in the South West from the summit down Upper Leaping Lizard, into the easy section of Leaping Lizard and then back along Supa Kanuka and Aratihi. Advanced riders have got a bit more choice with Nikau Valley or Leaping Lizard into Bail Out or back up via Possum.
We’ll post something on Facebook as soon as it’s open - only a couple of weeks of finishing and surfacing to go.
After another successful planting season, we’ve a little bit of work to do to ensure the seedlings survive their first few months in the ground. We call it 'releasing', and it's usually just pulling back grass from around the seedlings to make sure they don't get swamped.
We provide gloves and a snack - you provide some muscle. It usually takes about an hour (a bit longer if there's a walk into the planting site).
Don't forget: once you've done three work parties this year, you get a pair of top notch Makara Peak riding gloves.
Wednesday 17 October at 6pm: Meet at Hazelwood Green next to the overflow car park
Wednesday 24 October at 6pm: Meet at the entrance to Bailout, then head into the Leaping Lizard goat exclosure
Wednesday 31 October at 6pm: Meet in the main carpark and picnic area
Wednesday 7 November at 6pm: Meet at the end of Magic Carpet/Koru
Wednesday 14 November at 6pm: meet at the container before heading into Ridgeline Extension and Miro
Ricky, Scotty and Red Dawg made some tweaks to the bottom corner on Ridgeline on the weekend. The big ruts are gone, now replaced with some rock ledges which provide hard or harder lines. If you haven’t ridden Ridgeline recently - get into it. It’s pretty sweet at the moment.
There was a good trail building session on the Upper Leaping Lizard bypass on Saturday, with about 30 metres scratched out by a keen group of volunteers.
This short section of new trail will bypass that nasty pinch climb and create better flow between the new section of Upper Leaping Lizard and the old bit (which is currently being upgraded).
One more session this Saturday and we should have it completed.
Spotted some Puawhananga in flower as well.
The good folk from Westpac took a day off work and fixed up Ridgeline Extension after you guys and gals spent all winter doing skids on it. When they finished that, they planted some trees and built this sweet jump!
Ricky has been tweaking, rock breaking and armouring on the top (older) section of Ridgeline Extension. It’s looking pretty mint! Designed to improve flow and drainage, we’ll continue to increase the fun factor and incorporate new features.
This is one of just four rimu that existed in Makara Peak at the time it became a MTB park. It's about 10-12m tall, and lives 10m above Sally Alley, about 80% of the way along the track.
“We’ve planted hundreds of rimu in the park over the last 20 years - 80-odd we know have reached sapling height.”
Rimu can grow to well over 35m tall in their 800-900 year lifespan, and are an important food source for many native birds.
Check this video of local UCI Downhill legend Bryn Dickerson shredding Makara Peak. Thanks to wellingtonnz.com
The legendary Kennett Bro's have taken their rightful place in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame!
Their list of achievements covers everything from being a pioneer of the sport in NZ, competing on the world stage, publishing, thinking up and organizing events (the Karapoti Classic and Tour Aotearoa ring bell?!) and, of course, being the driving force behind the establishment of Makara Peak and its development over the 20 years since. From the get go, they have mixed mountain biking with a strong conservation ethos which now a common theme throughout NZ.
They are a modest bunch - but the "Three Brothers" track name is a tip of the hat in their direction. That is the most they have let us do.
Here is the write up:
https://mmbhof.org/kennett_brothers/
Awesome work Paul, Simon and Jonathan!
Tane, God of the Forest, looked over the Makara Peak plant care crew (Evan, Jamie, Sarah, Peter, Andrew, Simon and Don) as they joined ecologist Pete Russell on Somes/Matiu Island today. Pete gave a workshop on the art of releasing podocarp saplings from common, fast growing trees.
The Supporters aim to get all the native podocarp species - rimu, kahikatea, matai, miro and totara - well established in the park, and we're now at the stage where looking after the ones we've planted is even more important than planting more.
If you'd like to join the crew and adopt an area of saplings, please flick us a Facebook message or email supporters@makarapeak.org.
