There is a new walk/ return trail.AMBC let us know whats going on !
To make the most of the land it needs about 4 layered trails across the hill. Opportunity for good chutes inbetween.
Its on th e NW m'way cycleway so it links up to the undergound trails in Grafton Gully.

Some pics of brand new trail at arch hill, not sure of its purpose

nzmja wrote: Some pics of brand new trail at arch hill, not sure of its purpose

PS it was about 4pm and I was not on my bike so I didn't survey the whole trail, it has a firm packed trail but the edges are soft.

So, can we ride there yet? Trail finished?

Im not up to date with all the news...

Macatak wrote: So, can we ride there yet? Trail finished?

Im not up to date with all the news...

It's not open, there's still a temporary fence at the top and the first 20m (which includes a switch back) is still clay.

There is also a notice with words to the effect of "trail under construction PROCEED WITH CARE". I guess that means you can ride there but take care. I will be having a proper look very soon.

Thats not a trail, its a highway.

OK that trail in the photos is the ped walkway.
AMBC are supposed to be designing the trails layered above and below it. Really need to maximise the area with multi layers. should be fun.

Damn. Dodgy place to walk IMO should just make it for bikes... Oh well one day...

Spokes wrote: Thats not a trail, its a highway.

I found it yesterday, and was thinking how sad it was that they wasted our ratepayer money on contractors who don't know how to make mountain bike trails.

It's worse than a highway, it's a motorway. No significant quick inclines or declines, even though the natural land has lots of bumps to take advantage of.

Hopefully this is not intended to be a mountain bike trail, but instead a walk way.

I'm not sure how chutes would be compatible with a walking trail.

It probably would have been better to have made one trail along the hill that zig zagged from top to bottom. Would have been longer to ride, and have a good combo of xc some faster downhill.

I might have to go exploring this avo for these underground trails I keep hearing about. I'm keen to find some riding without having to drive out of the city for 45 minutes.

nzmja wrote: Some pics of brand new trail at arch hill, not sure of its purpose

Thats the walking track, who ever said that was a mtb trail should sell there bike and take up walking

The only way they can use all of the bush to give us a trail that has some flow and not heaps of crappy short up and downs is to start it right up the top (where the entrance to the walking track is) but if they do that the mtb trail will have to cross the walking track,(track gap jump anyone?) i live only seconds away from there and i have kind of lost hope for it being any good.

Will just wait for it to be built and see what happens.

Nobody actually said it was a mtb trail. It's been established already that it's the walking trail.

The Akl Mtb Club has been working with the council on getting the mtb trails in there. If you really want to see some action offer some assistance to them. There's only a small group of them trying to organise everything and the more help they get the better.

Check out this thread too http://www.vorb.org.nz/ftopict-66362.html as it's about the same thing.

briiii wrote: Nobody actually said it was a mtb trail. It's been established already that it's the walking trail.

The Akl Mtb Club has been working with the council on getting the mtb trails in there. If you really want to see some action offer some assistance to them. There's only a small group of them trying to organise everything and the more help they get the better.

Check out this thread too http://www.vorb.org.nz/ftopict-66362.html as it's about the same thing.

i think some people thought that was the mtb trail bro ! funny aye

i have email Auckland MTB club and ask what the deal was (a few months back) and if we/I could help

here is my post in the other thread

PostPosted: Thu 17th Jul 2:54pm Post subject: Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Report Abuse
I sent an email to Auckland MTB club asking what the happs is with these track, Marke sent me this back (thanks Marke for the quick reply)


"The tracks have been marked and surveyed but Auckland City Council is using its own contractors to actually build the tracks.

They are liaising closely with us so if they ask for help, we'll put out a newsletter and rally some tropps. I would not expect much input to be honest as Auckland CC are pretty conservative like that, but if they do need any, we'll let you know.

Cheers, Marke"

I think that the council were gona try and build and design it them selfs (god help us), i'm keen as to get stuck in, just waiting for the call

So what's the story here? I've walked the above "walking track" in the past month and that appears to be all there is (in addition to a paved walkway that runs beside the motorway).

While riding on the paved walkway the other day I noticed a sign that said something like:

"Arch Hill Mountain Bike Trail Beginner Loop One Way. Advanced Trail To Come. Give Way to Pedestrains When Riding on the Paved Track."

But other than that I haven't seen anything else that suggest that the trail is open. When I walked the "walking track" a few weeks earlier I came across a couple of pedestrians coming the other way and I couldn't see any signs at the trail head/end that said start/finish here, MTB trail only/pedestrians beware/etc.

Haven't seen any info from Auckland MTB other than "Arch Hill Park trail is progressing" which was about a month or two ago.

There was a write up in the Auckland city newsletter that came in the post a about 2 months ago saying how they had built a trail for mtb'ers, it just made me lol because i was thinking they can't mean that 1 meter wide walking track which doesn't make very good use of the hill and the space, it can be done in under a 60 seconds, good to here that they plan to do an advanced one.

They should leave the wide track for walker, not that keen to come ripping around a corner and hit some old lady walking her dog or something, don't really want to be slowing down on every blind corner just in case there are walkers.

If they do build a advance track it should start at the highest point and track along the side of the hill as far as it can go to the other side and then have a nice big switch back and then back to all most where you start from and then repeat 4 or 5 times till you end up at the bottom (kind of like puni trail out in pukekohe) to make use of the space and the hill.

But like it says a few post back alk mtb club are working with the council,but still keen as to help out if anyone hears any news.

zippy has just secured the contract to clear/prune for mtb trails