A Guide to Winter Riding in Queenstown
Yes, it's cold.
Yes, it’s dark.
We get ice. We get snow. Sometimes we get a fresh layer of dust (yep real actual dust) over everything too.
But here's the thing...it's cold and dark all night. That just means it's the perfect excuse to round up your mates, charge your lights, throw on a jacket and get out there.
Winter riding in Queenstown is unreal (if you know where to go.)
There are rules.
Well... sort of.
Rule #1: Stay in the trees.
Why?
Because freeze thaw slop makes your bike stop. More importantly, it absolutely destroys the trails. So if you're leaving tyre marks, it's time to find somewhere else to ride.
Explanation! What is freeze thaw slop? It is what it sounds like really! Overnight trails in the open freeze, then when the sun comes up the bits that bask in that delicious sunshine defrost the first couple of centimeters, and that just turns to peanut butter. It’s gross.
Rule #2: There is no Rule #2.
Actually on second thought…there is.
Respect trail closures. They're there for a reason. Look after the trails now, and they'll look after us when things dry out.
Threeze thaw slop - not pretty
So where should you ride?
You guessed it.
In the trees (or on the gravel.)
Most of the Skyline trails are riding well through winter, and Fernhill is always a solid option. Once you're under the canopy, the trails are generally protected from the worst of the weather and stay in great condition.
If you're keen for a short drive, 7 Mile is another winter favourite. Being down at lake level and surrounded by trees, it's usually good to ride in just about any weather.
The Queenstown Trail gravel trail network is mostly all on too, check their website for any closures. Great for getting around and getting your drop bar bike out. Just watch for icy bits!
Our winter favourites
We asked a few of the crew what trails they're riding at the moment.
Mat's pick
"Fernhill. Ride up the McNearly Gnarly climb and pretty much anything around there. The dirt and the grip are actually better than summer. I'm calling it. I love riding in winter."
Hard to argue with that.
Jarna's pick
"Yesterday I rode up Fernhill Loop to the new club climbing trail, Creaky Climbers. It's such a good addition and opens up that whole side of the forest. My loop was up the McGC climb, across Wink, down a bit of Squid Run, back up Fernhill Loop to Creaky Climbers, then down Creaky Winders and finished with Squid to the bottom. Such a cool loop! Don't tell anyone."
We'll keep that one between us.
Angus's pick
"Wink across to the park, up Fernhill Roots to Beached As, then down Creaky Winders to Squid."
Short, sweet, and to the point.
Liam's pick
"Squid Run. Couple of Liam sized senders, a few roots, no river crossings as my feet get cold. Ticks all the boxes. Do you even Squid, bro?"
By Liam standards, they're enormous.
A special guest appearance from former Bikeaholic legend Ryan (aka Swayze)
"I was sitting there the other day and thought, 'My God, I need to get out on my bike.' So I rode the trail with the bridge and the tunnel."
Never change, Ryan.
We'll let you sort the good advice from the rest…
No excuses
Winter might not be everyone's favourite season, but some of the best rides happen this time of year.
The trails are quieter, the climbs warm you up, and there's nothing quite like following a string of lights through the trees with your mates before finishing the ride at the pub.
So charge your lights, throw on an extra layer and get amongst it.
We'll see you on trail.