Paddy's Run (formerly A-Trail)
Sidewinder & Direct Rd (to Hot X Buns)
Te Tihi-O-Tawa and onto Billy T
Access to No Brains from Kung Fu Walrus Ext
Access to Pondy New via Sandy Skid Rd from Yellow Brick Rd
Access to Shuttle via Hill Rd (from 8 Mile Gate to Shuttle Pickup)
Access to Te Tihi-O-Tawa and Tuhoto Ariki
Access to Tokorangi via Katore Rd (climb from Nursery Rd to Tokorangi)
Return from EvS via Hill Rd (from EvS to Corners)
Return from EvS via Redtank Rd / Pipeline Rd (from EvS to Direct Rd)
Bantry Bay (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Bruce Ridge (Canberra)
Bungarra Alpine Centre (Snowy Mountains)
Currumbin Border Track (NSW/QLD Border)
Daisy Hill (South Brisbane)
East Kowen (Kowen Pine Forest, Canberra)
Forest Pipeline (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Fred Caterson Reserve (Castle Hill)
Golden Jubilee Field MTB Park (North Shore, Sydney)
Hassans Walls (Lithgow)
Hinze Dam (Gold Coast)
Jackson (Jackson)
Jindabyne (Snowy Mountains)
Kiwarrak State Forest (Tarree)
Majura Pines (Majura, Canberra)
Manly Dam (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Mt Joyce (Gold Coast Hinterland)
Mt Kosciuszko (Snowy Mountains)
Nerang State Forest (Gold Coast)
Newnes (Lithgow)
Old Man's Valley (Hornsby, Sydney)
Ourimbah (Central Coast)
Oxford Falls (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Pilot Wilderness (Snowy Mountains)
Red Hill (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
Rotorua Redwoods (New Zealand)
Silver Mountain (Kellogg)
Singleton (Hunter Valley)
Sparrow Hill (Kowen Pine Forest, Canberra)
St Ives and Belrose (North Shore, Sydney)
Stromlo Forest Park (Canberra)
Terrey Hills (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
The Oaks (Blue Mountains)
Thredbo Resort (Snowy Mountains)
Thredbo Valley Trail (Snowy Mountains)
Whistler Bike Park (Whistler)
Wingello (Southern Highlands)
Wylde MTB Trail (Cecil Park - Western Sydney)
Eagle vs Shark (2.80km)
Rotorua RedwoodsLast Update: 30/12/2014
Some trail names are made up, if there is a different name please let us know.
Difficulty - Intermediate - Advanced - A & B Lines
Slope - Moderate - Steep
Space - Open - Tight - Extreme Caution
Surface - Dirt - Roots - Rutted
Trail type - Single track
Notes:
Eagle vs Shark grew on me over my week in the Redwoods, to the point where it was the focal point of my last run on the last day.
Eagle vs Shark starts at the shuttle drop off and runs down to the intersection of Hill Rd and Redtank Rd / Pipeline Rd. There is an alternate entrance (Shark) from Frontal Lobotomy and you can also exit the trail slightly early and head for Tarawera Rd.
On my second run it only took me 8 minutes to ride however the trail runs 3.2 kms and descends 240 vertical metres. Eagle vs Shark requires an awful lot of energy to conquer. It is much steeper and faster than Corners and has a lot more bumps, jumps and rollers, it is a significant step up from the likes of Split Enz and Tokorangi but shares some similarities to Huckleberry Hound and Little Red Riding Huck.
At the time of riding (just a couple of months after opening) the trail was largely free of roots with the exception of a few drops toward the bottom of the trail, this may change over time. Some of the berms had braking ruts that could generally be avoided but again they may get worse as more riders over shoot the corners.
The flow on this trail is great but it does have moments of heavy braking and requires a fair commitment along some of the traverses.
This trail is highly recommended by it comes with a warning, the trip back to the bulk of the trails is a fair effort.
Options
- Redtank Rd / Pipeline Rd – this is by far and away the easiest option. Long fast descent and a rideable but reasonable effort climb to the base of Hot X Buns and start of Be Rude Not To 2 . From here you can easily ride to the shuttle pickup via Pipeline Rd or better still via Bunny Jugs
- Lentil Link, Sidewinder, Direct Rd to Hot X Buns – take Hill Rd and turn onto the Lentil Link part of the way up the first climb. Lentil Link is easy, Sidewinder requires an abnormal single track climbing skill, Direct Rd is a fair but rideable climb. Not Recommended!
- Hill Rd – far too steep and long for me to climb but as it’s a well groomed forestry road many riders will make it – but be warned it’s a big climb. From Hill Rd there are a number of options.
- Turn right on Direct Rd and climb to Hot X Buns
- Once on the flat section turn left on Frontal Lobotomy and climb up the single track to the Shuttle Drop Off (I’m told it’s a fair climb)
- Continue along Hill Rd until Corners or Little Red Riding Huck and descend to the shuttle pickup.
Blog articles that mention this trail
- 25/10/2017 - Conquering Whistler's Top of the World Trail
- 17/9/2016 - Is the Thredbo AM Trail the best descent in Australia?
- 25/7/2016 - MTB Trail Videos - Trail Centre Upgrade Program
- 22/11/2015 - VIDEO: Nine Days in the Rotorua Redwoods
- 1/1/2015 - VIDEO: Wrapping up the Redwoods with a Whak-en Outrageous Ride
- 1/1/2015 - VIDEO: MTB-TVs TOP 10 Descents of 2014