Mountain Bike Trail Review – The Shit Track in New Zealand

A great friend of mine submitted this trail for the MTB by 198 trail review contest. Brad Peterson has his own unique style, so this review is written exactly as it was submitted. Thanks TA!

Mountain Bike Trail Review

The Shit Track in New Zealand

Shit track, single track heaven, very technical, rocky, shist rock is the base, with flowing trail which is narrow and shist rock is very loose runs up and down a creek bed past old god mine diggings and water races all built by the Chinese in the 18th century by hand, the trail is goat and rabbit worn and used a bit by the hardens locals who will show you the way, but you have to earn it, you won’t get there directly until you’ve been inducted by a rigorous ride before hand and by the time you reach the head you’re pretty knackered these locals are mountain goats with 2 legs and 2 wheels ruggered and weather beaten by the harsh sun and give no mercy but its all worth it once you get riding this great single track trail!

Directions of the Shit Track

This is secret though the name gives it away, its in the South Island of New Zealand, its single track heaven!

There’s a poo pond at the end of it, towns sewage goes into big bags where the sun heats up the waste and break it all down to be recycled!

The trail starts up the back of the hills, and winds its way down the valley towards the township where about 1km from the end you can smell the poo bags, if you can clean this trail without dabbing just before the finish there’s a old toilet complete up on the side of the hill where you can add your handle and date to say you’re on of the few who rode it without stopping or putting a foot down or crashing, its a very tech single track 10 -15min long, the pictures would give away the location in a wee town of Alexandra NZ.

Trail Stats

Classification: All Mountain Single Track

Trail Difficulty: Limb Breaker! (hard)

Trail Traffic: Hello..Hello? (low)

The Shit Track Trail Review

alexandrabridgeOK as described this trail is known as the Shit track, it lives up to its name by smell and actual shit at the end of the trail where the exit is a narrow pass of single track past huge black bags of the towns sewage, this is heated by the very hot summer sun and year round sun and broken down in these bags and recycled!

So an environmental friendly town and location, back to the trail, its a local secret hidden in the back hills 5min from the town center, once the location is known its pretty easy to find!

The best access is across the main bridge and do the loop, this is a long incredible ride of everything from flowing single track, rolling hills to huge climbs that just go and go with no rest, traction for climbing is so good, its hard to stop to walk as there are no excuses that winds its way along and old rail way line towards the Manorburn dam.

Topo Map

After leaving the railway line flowing single track a short climb infuses past the old lime stone quarry now a free ride haven of big jumps and narly downhill chutes, for those up for playing big and crashing hard!

Then heading past on towards the dam via the wreckage of an old car used as a riding obstacle the trail keeps winding uphill, marked only by the occasional directional red sign at rabbit level to point the direction, once on top of the saddle the dam is visible as are the many gullies full of single track trail and briar bushes a locally introduced weed thanks to the British colonials who thought this stuff would make good fences, only that it grew like wild fire out of control and now fences incredible single track and hidden drops and corners or rocks ready to nail you without warning and home to the immense rabbit population which alos breeds here like wild fire, both very common to this region.

Following the signs and heading down a swooping single track trying to avoid crashing into the briar as pedaling is not necessary the trail heads down and is fast flowing and tight, drops dips corners come up without warning and a prickly finish awaits if you get off line, once at the bottom, a nice single track follows the valley floor away from the stunning views and inviting waters of the dam, its ruddy hot here in summer with no wind in these gully’s and riding here can be an all day thing best though late afternoon into evening, but the heat is sweltering so lots of water,food and camel back is a must for those who do not know the trails. 

Following the valley floor the single track winds its way between huge canyon walls for 10min or so then opens up into a steep climb to another saddle, once on top the views are incredible looking out over the Dunstan ranges to the old man range the old woman leaning rock range and Knobby and Poolburn ranges!

From here its a series of downhills to the start of the shit track which has taken in a good few miles to get to this point, allot of sweat and miles!

This track winds its way back to the Manuherikia River which divides the town from the hills and trails which we’ve been traversing till this point! 

To get to this stage would be hard with out a guide and more likely would be a fluke or by mistake! The terrain all looks alike while being very different, with few trees and landmarks its really best to be shown and then come back later to explore deeper as there are just so many trails and off shoots!

shakeybridgeSo to access the Shit Track we climb the Rabbit fence designed to keep Rabbits in or out who knows!

Then the challenge is thrown down, if ya can ride this whole trail, without stopping, without putting a foot down or without crashing, you can put ya John Hancock [name or handle sig etc ] on the shit bowl at the end of the trail.

Doesn’t sound to difficult looking down the narrow single track it looks as far as I can see much like what we’ve covered and part form the pace of these battle hardened locals who all look as fit as a twenty year old but in there 50s plus, mostly riding on hardtails or XC 4inch max FS rigs with skinny no nobby tires they set a mean pace especially on the hills, while the traction can be sketchy on the loose schist rock, common to the area, the ground is dry as a bone and hard.

Build a trail here it will last forever with little or no maintenance perfect mtb country!

So I’m thinking with my 5 1/2 inch rig 2.3 knobbed tires apart from trying to hang with these nuts on the hills Ive more than owned them on the downs, I’m not new to this region with a history of blasting these parts on an MX bike back in my glory days, I’m feeling a bit tired by these local mtn goat riders but I’m feeling confident with my hidden knowledge and real FS rig I can handle what ever comes up!

So we head off where on the SHIT Track, its a stunning run full of flow very tight, loose and I’m rolling sweet, finally the a trail that lets my rig feel fully in its element, not that there’s not plenty of trail around here for my rig there is, but the pace had been hot till now and I was more following where now I could let my rig have its head the end was near so I could open up without fear of bonking with these hard older dudes on my tail.

070207_028We flowed down the trail, definitely tight with up and downs tight corners jaggered rocks sticking out from rock faces, we were deep in the valley now, I was passing where I could much to some surprise, this loopy not so bad after all, we come up on the leaders who had stopped in what looked like a drop into a creek before I got there I was told it was hard o ride down the big rock without crashing and few if any got through here without dabbing, I hollered ahead coming through, picked my line and committed, and dropped in blind I somehow got through and pulled a quick manual out the other side and sped on looking back I saw a few wry smiles, while others dismounted and walked through.

Without waiting since he challenge was on I continued after one or to left ahead, a coupe of young whipper snappers with pace, unfortunately another dry creek bed had been the downfall of one of the leading groms and he had crashed mid trail to late for me to source a route around which there wasn’t anyway I had to stop and my run had been brought to an end, I was a little bummed, the others caught up and once all checked out ok we continued towards the finish, at a milder pace, I could smell the finish before I could see it and spotted the toilet unit standing high up on the rocks while we scouted around on top of a old water race built by hand this was now the top of this awesome single track the lads pointed out the toilet as we passed by mentioning the name to be written on there next time if I was lucky, while bit bummed I had miss3ed that opp today there was always tomorrow!

We come out of the valley past the biggest black pods of encased crap which provided the aroma for the last km before exiting to the road that follows the river boarding the town and hills, the shit track then became clear! But it was one of the best trails I’d ridden and couldn’t wait to go back and ride it again and again smell included, i just added to the many flavors in the nostrils. thyme which is also abundant spread across the ground like carpet and edges the trails like a course laden for competition, the smell of the briar bushes and constant sweat running off face arms and legs!

070207_033Not to be finished yet like a usual group ride, back to cars and join the traffic! None of that here, we ride back into town via an old heritage bridge then along a nice flowing walking riding track for everyone to enjoy back to town to finish at he local bike club which is also an outdoor bar and restaurant, does life get any better!

So after a few pints of Macs Gold some tales around the table of the ride and how good life is here, it makes me want to come back here to live!

Day over, Im ready to come back and do it all again this time to get my handle on the shit bowl once and for all!

ta!

Leave a Comment

Related Posts

Copy link
Powered by Social Snap