http://www.ambmag.com.au - 65W TH TS 750M OF CL MB NG AND 1800M
OF DESCEND NG FALLS CREEK FEELS MORE
L KE A NATURAL F T W TH TS M XTURE
OF H GH SPEED ABOVE-THE-TREEL NE
DESCENTS MORE REM N SCENT OF THE
EUROPEAN ALPS THAN AUSTRAL AN
to its origin. Completely open to
all mountain bikers, old two up
tracks (side by singletrack) cover
the vast majority of the high plains,
interlinking dozens of aqueducts,
access roads and cattlemen’s huts,
allowing you to spend anything from
one to eight hours in the saddle.Company for adventureJoining up for a group ride out here
is one of the best ways to reconnect
with that young kid who used tostare up at the poster on
the wall. The initial part of
most Falls Creek rides begin
somewhat mellow; you are
already starting near the top
of a peak, and the immediate
hills in the vicinity are more
rolling than steep. The more
adventurous you become, the
more rewarding the trip, which is
not to forget the mix of purpose built
trails looping out and around the
village from the crew at World Trail –
which are often the perfect fi nish to
a big day out on the bike.The ace that Falls Creek holds up its
sleeve is the ride from Falls down
to the iconic town of Mount Beauty.
Sure, Mount Buller has its bespoke
Epic trail, and I hold nothing against
it as it is a fantastic piece of trail,
but you sometimes get the feelingthat the track is trying too hard
to impress you. Almost as if it’s
calling out: “Love me, love me!”
Whereas the ride from Falls, with
its 750m of climbing and 1800m
of descending, feels more like a
natural fi t with its mixture of high
speed, above-the-treeline descents
more reminiscent of the European
Alps than Australian, yet much
more accessible than the 45 hour
commute to France.The views stretch out down the
corridor of the Kiewa valley,
overlooking the peak of the Big Hill
mountain bike park where you can
stop in on the cattlemen’s huts while
riding the same piece of trails they
used to muster cattle back in the
day, fi nishing up with the option toIf you like riding as much as you like
coffee – why not take some with you?
We did a couple of long days in the
high country and having a stovetop
espresso maker, a compact stove and
a couple of mugs shared between us
was totally worth it when making a
good lunch stop.DO
#COFFEEOUTSIDE