The Last Big Adventure- Queen Charlotte Track Mt. Bike

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Well I just finished off my last big adventure for this trip unless the ferry ride to Wellington gets interesting (more on that after the crossing). I took a water taxi to the beginning of the Queen Charlotte Track (QCT). The QCT is a 71 km long point to point trail that runs the length of Queen Charlotte Sound in the Marlborough Sounds area. It is a unique opportunity to mt. bike and camp along the way. The water taxi dropped off my gear at the campgrounds I stayed at so all I had to do was ride with a day pack and then pick up my gear in the evening and set up camp. You can also high brow it and stay at a variety of resorts along the way but I wanted this to be a relatively authentic mt. bike camping experience so I went for tenting and cooking camp food.

I took the ferry out Sunday afternoon and started my ride at Ship Cove. Its actually the hardest part of the ride. Right off the bat is about a 945 ft ascent up a very steep track. Much of which I walked. Between the steepness and not getting a chance to warm up it was easier to walk the steepest part of this section. At the top was my first of many views of the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. Then it was sweet technical downhill. Swooping down the side hill through beautiful Beech and Nikau Palm forest. Lots of rocky sections and steep descents to keep me on my toes. At Resolution Bay I stopped for a "World Famous Muffin" at the resort. Great little retreat off the track between some pasture land. Then I crossed a sheep farm through gates. Then another long climb almost as high as the last but not as steep and it was rideable. At the top was a thin saddle that had views of both Queen Charlotte Sound and Kenepuru Sound on the other side. Absolutely gorgeous. Its a lot like Puget Sound.

Then the trail followed the waters edge closely through changing forest. Some of the most interesting aspects of the forests here are the cover of the light green Nikau Palms filtering the light, the sound of NZ's many native birds, and the constant hum of cicadas. I wound along a beautiful trail with small ups and downs and changing views of the bays and coves I passed through. Then I arrived at Farneux Lodge. A little to proper and European for me but it had a great lawn and a nice place to sit and eat my lunch. From there I continued along to Endevour Inslet around and over to Punga Cove. My first camp at Camp Bay. The turn off to the camp was my favorite section of single track. It was tight and had lots of technical sections because it was a less developed trail that just went to the camp. At the camp I picked up my pack off the jetty and found a great little camp right off the water in a protected area of the forest. I spent the evening checking out the beach and relaxing. That night I went down to the beach and hills formed a moon shaped oval of star filled sky. A sailboat moored in the cove cast a soft glow from its light along the water. Beautiful view. The only trouble I had was chasing of a pesky NZ possum who was interested in getting into my tent to get to my food. I can't quite figure out how to store food here. There are no bears or big predators but the Wekas ( large flightless bird about the size of a hen) and the possums along with the Kea (the native parrot) are more than happy to find a way into your tent or pack to get at tasty treats. I settled for intimidation. Chasing them off or banging on the tent wall.

Then next day I awoke at sunrise and watched as the color of the sky brightened over the ridges across the sound. I packed up my stuff and put it back on the jetty for pick up. I was off by 8:15am. Uggghh, another climb first thing. Its hard to get jazzed about a long steep climb first thing in the morning when my body is trying to wake up. I climbed up 1100 or so feet to the top of the ridge. A long steep climb that luckily had a break through a short section that followed a gravel road, then more climbing. The second day is supposed to be hardest. The trail follows the ridgeline for most of the day and climbs and descends. There were some really steep sections of climbing and then some more gradual climbs. The payoff was the awesome downhill at the top of every climb. Lots of swooping through thick forest. Navigating over and around roots and rocks. At the top of one climb I took a detour to a lookout that was a brutal climb but the view more than made up for it. I had a 180 degree view of the Marlborough Sounds to the north across Cook straight where I could just make out one of the islands near the North Island. Absolutely stunning. I sat on a picnic table and just enjoyed the view in absolutely perfect weather.

Then I rode back down that steep climb which was fun and technical. AT the bottom of where the trail meets back up with the QCT I ran into the hikers I'd passed earlier in the day. NZ has similar trail politics as the states so I made sure to give them lots of warning when I came up behind them. Inevitably many still leaped off the trail like I was going to run them over. Oh well, I can only do what I can do.

I climbed and descended. The trail opened up along the side of a ridge with rock on one side and a view of the bright blue sound on the other. I wound through one cove or bay after another sometimes on the ridge top through forests of pine, sometimes down further through shorter bush with views or the deep forest of beech and palm. It was a good workout of a day. I figured out I rode around 2000ft of elevation on day 1 and rode about 3500ft on this section when I arrived at my second camp at Portage Bay.

The wind had kicked up during the day and grew throughout the night. Constant wind with interspersed strong gusts which rocked the tent. I awoke to cloudy sky, strong winds, and the scent of rain. By the time I packed up my gear it started to rain. At least it was warm out but still leary from my previous experience near Queenstown I decided that 2 days of beautiful weather and great riding was a good way to end this trip and decided to just catch the boat back to Picton and relax before heading North to Auckland. As I was waiting for the water taxi to pick me up gust blew whirlwinds of water across the bay and it continued to rain heavily off and on. Good choice. On the boat trip back there was a weather check. The wind was 20-30 knots in the bay and 30-40 knots along the ridge lines. 30 -40 knots equals about 90 - 120 km which in mph is about50 -70 mph. I think I might have been able to sail my mt. bike off the ridge tops or worse be blown off the ridge top in those kinds of winds. My good sense prevailed and I enjoyed the ride back across the sound to Picton. Ending 2 months of epic adventure on a good note.

The QCT is 71 km long. About 45 miles or so.
Day one elevation: Approx 2000ft
Day two elevation: Approx 3500ft

Awesome technical single track with lots of good climbing and great descents. I wish we had more trails like this in the states where you could do point to point and camp along the way with pack transport along the way.

Well I take the ferry to Wellington tomorrow and hope the water and wind are calm. I'll share a wild tale with you after I get done with the crossing. Then I take the train from Wellington to Auckland where I pack up to fly home.

What an awesome adventure. Its hard to come home. There is still so much to see and do but I'm ready to see my pups and friends and welcome spring when I get back. I love having two extra months of summer especially with the kind of winter we were having when I left.

Backyard Adventure Girl

Lisa

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