Top looks kinda ok. Bear in mind the contour lines are 100m vert.

That’s pretty much my recollection too

I will likely be riding at 6am, so it will be steep and gravelly - but hopefully not too hot...

Helicopter is the answer.

Turns out it’s about 6k of relatively steep (and really thick in places) gravel road bashing before the start of the track proper.

Such a great ride, that descent is just so flowy. Feels like minutes at a time playing speeder bikes through the trees with no pedalling

https://www.relive.cc/view/1349099567

Didn't see the post until now, but vehicle access is possible via the Northbank Rd side

Ha!
I wondered about that after the fact - does the road go right through to Bartlett’s Creek?

Yep, that's the one