Mt Buller Weekend Part 1

Saturday saw an early start as we loaded into the car for the drive to Mt Buller. JD, Leroy, Plumb, Rob and Myself were heading for a weekend of biking adventure. The weather forecast was for some average conditions, 21 and a few showers for Sat and 17 and windy for Sunday.

As we drove through the Yarra Valley and out through Dixons Creek and past turnoffs to Toolangi and Kinglake and past Castella the destruction to this most beautiful part of the country side has to be seen to be believed. The TV does not really show you how total the destruction was.

The actual weather for the drive was good and saw us at the base of the mountain at about 9am. The plan was then to drive to the top and get on the bikes by 10ish.

As we approached the top of the mountain the weather had certainly turned a bit nasty, there was an icy wind and the tower read 13deg.

We had planned to do a full day epic down to Howqua valley and along the river to Sheepyard flats and then back up the mountain. As we were going to be navigating of a 24 year topographic map and with the mountain at about 15meters visibility we changed our plans. We would ride down the infamous Klingsporn track and then back up the road for a bit of fitness work.

Rob was just a little excited to be out and about in the mountains

The weather did not look too bad at this stage, but as we would find out it could change very quickly

This track is rated highly by the guys at EPIX at no.1 on the search for the ultimate single track. It is a rocky track with plenty of loose ones and if you want to go fast you need to have concentration level set on high. As we blazed our way down Rob learn't that you cannot always launch off every jump if you don’t know what your landing is. So after a 10 minute stop for 1^st aid to be administered, lucky I packed that, we were off again. I said to Rob just take it easy for 5 mins as it was fairly deep cut on his knee, would have got 3 or 4 stitches if we had been near a doctor. So we got rolling again and it took me 5 minutes to catch the crazy fearless bastard. So much for taking it easy.

The views from Klingsporn track are 1st class



Once we rolled out of the bottom of Klingsporn with grins ear to ear wondering how can we do that again, we headed up the road. Rob had stashed his roadie at the base to make the climb more enjoyable, for him. The other boys were a few minutes behind and were going to start the climb after we did, with the hope we would pick them up half way up. I was keen to see how the new Virtue would handle the climb. So with a few extra PSI in the tyres we were off. I think we got about 200 meters up the road and the rain started, which is great for everything, and you will never hear me complain about it raining, and I don’t mind riding in the rain.


So the next 16kms saw us climb the road to Buller, which was enjoyable as we took it at an easy pace just trying to enjoy the scenery. It was a great ride. As we got near the summit, about 2 kms before the village the road steepens a bit and the wind picked up and it was really hard work. The rain was no longer a drizzle but a downpour.

I had to get close so this shot would come out

The photo shows the mist but does not show the driving rain and 50kmh winds

So after a change of clothes we headed back down to pick up the rest of the crew, and to the base to pick up Rob’s mountain bike. As we got to the base Rob realized he had left the key to the bike lock at the top of the mountain in his pack. So faced with a drive up, down and up again, he chose to cut the chain. The Mirambah cafe gladly handed over a hacksaw and he was away, and actually really quickly cut through the cable, not ideal but in our case handy.

At the top again and Rob was off to the medical centre to get his knee looked at. We were then planning on doing the 25km loop that they will be doing next weekend (link). JD, Leroy and Plumb had had enough of the rain and once showered and changed, were keen to hit the bar. Rob’s knee was ordered to rest for the night and also to try and keep it dry, so I was off solo.

Leaving in cold conditions with 4 layers on and all the things I might need for a 2 hour loop. The start of this loop takes in the Abom downhill track which in a word is awesome. Get up there and ride it. The new bike handled it with ease and now with the confidence of 130mm travel I was flying down the track. After a few navigational challenges I was heading down Corn Hill road towards the new single tracks that Glen Jacobs built. It was on arriving at this section of single track that the heavens opened and dumped 20mm in about 45 minutes, visibility was minimal but the riding was great, heaps of switchback climbs and fast flowing descents, the misty twisty track was a favourite.

The weather as I left was fine, cold but fine, 1 hour later it was dumping down

It was on the way back to Corn Hill road for the climb back to Buller that I flatted, and then the pump failed, won’t be buying a Kathmandu pump again. So I had to ring in for a lift, not my proudest moment, and basically run down the last single track descent to Corn Hill road where Rob had come down to pick me up. The weather change’s on this ride were phenomenal. When I set out the mountain was clear, really cold but clear and windy, 45 minutes later it was clouded over and 10 minutes later it was pouring with rain.

If you ever see this sign go down misty twisty, it is a sweet track with over 30 bermed corners on the way down


You should take your mountain bike to a moutain every now and then.


This track was so much fun

I think Mt Buller is that way, but I couldn't really see much, luckily the trails were well marked and I din't get lost

So for me it was a good full day of riding, ticked off, Klingsporn, Buller Road Climb, Abom, Corn Hill and Misty Twisty. It was then back to the Arlberg for a Parma and a few beers to end the day. So apart from the weather closing out on us it was a great day, and we all celebrated that we were not camping like we had planned too, as the forecast was for 2 deg overnight and a high of 7 for Sunday. But that’s a whole other story.