Rotorua Redwoods

Notes:

The Challenge Area of the Redwoods has been completely re-cut after the hillside was harvested for the forest timber, the result is a great set of seriously fun MTB park style trails.  The Challenge Area is only a short and fairly easy dirt road climb from Waipa car park and from the base of each trail it’s only a few minutes back up the hill using the same road.

They list Boulderdash as an expert trail and there are a number of very good reasons why.  Don’t ride this trail unless you are very confident riding very steep technical, rooty, rocky, sandy and crazy scary descents.

The top section of the trail undulates around the top side of the Challenge Area.  There are a few small climbs, a number of rooty sections and small drops.  If you fail to master these with speed and confidence then get off the trail at that point.

Things start to get real about 1:26 into our video.  A root with small drop goes straight into a tight steep lose turn, the trail then dips down before swinging back up to the right between two big boulders (1:36 on the video).  Despite watching countless videos of this trail I wasn’t prepared for how technical this corner was.  Steep, rocky with steps and a sandy landing it caught me off guard.  I seriously considered bailing because so far it had been easy compared to what was to come.  But it had been a goal of mine to complete Boulderdash so I regained focus and took a deep breath.

Successfully down the slow technical right hander the trail shoots downhill and over some more technical sections before climbing up to a gate section (1:55 on the video).  From the gate the trail slips sideways down the loose slope before hooking back up to the warning sign at the begining of the last and most treacherous section.

The trail drops down the hill through a series of rocky steps with sandy landings but before you know it the final big boulder appears with little or no warning.  From the gate, mentioned above, the trail is VERY steep, it’s likely that even before you get to the boulder you’re hanging so far off the back you’re sitting on the tyre so when the boulder drop appears you may experience a feeling of complete TERROR!

I’d watched a video that showed an easy and smaller line to the left, however at the time of riding there was quite a ditch at the bottom.  So at the point of no return my brain yelled at me to get off the brakes and jump the bike.  I was very lucky to hold it and stay on the trail.  Straight down the middle may well have been a safer option albeit a lot larger.

You can of course just jump straight off the top, but how riders manage to get themselves set for a jump like that considering the crazy steep and rough lead up I have NO IDEA!

The party isn’t over yet.  The base is soft and loose and before you know it you’re off another drop and rolling into the trees (the same exit as Challenge).

Boulderdash was one of the craziest things I’ve ever done on a MTB, I’m so glad I did it but I doubt I will ever ride it again.

If you are an accomplished rider who really enjoys the steep technical stuff then you have to ride Boulderdash.

It’s only a short trail but the climb back up is quick.

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