Issue link: http://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25062
1. ROBSON'S TRACK (BIG BUMP TRACK, MULGRAVE VALLEY) Location: Base is 35-minute drive south of Cairns; allow additional 30- minute drive to .get to the start of the downhill. Distance: 5 km Drop: 800 meters Approximate riding time (all riding times are estimated and vary with the number of falls you take): 35-80 minutes Comments: Replace brake pads after ride (or mid way through). Optional 4k ride to view hang-glider site before start of downhill. Decomposed granite soil base, a few ruts and numerous large rocks (boulders). Beautiful swimming spot at base of trail, also a pub. History: Old telegraph line and packhorse track. Interesting bits: Triple Treat three amazing, near-vertical drops which guarantee carnage. Nameless Drop: a 30-meter plunge with next to no run-off. 2. WADDLEBLOWER Location: Base is 5 minute drive south of Cairns; allow another 25 minutes to reach the top. Distance: 1.8 km Drop: 500 meters Approximate riding time: 12-25 minutes Comments: Loose, rocky surface and open woodland country. On a clear night may be able to view R-rated movies at the local drive-in movie theater. History: old telegraph line to a forestry camp. Interesting bits: Short uphill climb with bike, then some of the most serious downhill for the next 300 meters. Local crazies have designed wild jumps between natural obstacles. Note: 100km/hour speed sign. 3. SAM'S SUICIDE TRACK Location: Base is 5 minute drive south of Cairns; another 27 minutes to the top. Distance: 1.6 km Drop: 540 meters Approximate riding time: 15 minutes at race pace. Comments: New trail; notify friends and family before attempting. If wet, spiked tires or snow chains recommended. Riders comfortable only with recreational pace should not attempt this trail. History: Recent local sickos looking for more extreme have built track from scratch through thick rainforest. Interesting bits: Sections have been named Silly Steep, Stupid Steep and Scary Steep. 4. CRYSTALS TRACK Location: Base is 20 minute drive west from Cairns; another 35 to top. Distance: 2 km Drop: 480 meters Approximate riding time: 15-45 minutes Comments: Starts at Lake Morris and finishes at a great swimming area, Crystal Cascade. History: Follows underground power lines. Interesting bits: Last 800 meters involves more than 50 tight switchbacks dropping more than 350 meters in height. Beware dense wait-a-while at the bottom of trail. You may have to walk the last section. 5. KURANDA TRACK Location: Base is 15 minute drive north from Cairns; another 10 minutes to top. Distance: 1.8 km Drop: 400 meters Approximate riding time: 5-20 minutes Comments: Top section slippery when wet; loose rocks further down. Beware deep ruts. History: Old bullock track to Kuranda. Interesting bits: Three 2.5-meter vertical drops follow 90-degree turns. 6. MINJIN EXTENDED Location: Base is 15 minute drive north of Cairns; additional 45 minute bike ride to top. No driving. Dista nee: 2 km Drop: 300 meters Approximate riding time: 3.5-20 minutes Comments: Considered for the World Championship Course but deemed too dangerous. History: 1994 national racecourse, extended in '1998 Interesting bits: Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy: a serious, 20-meter, right-handed drop followed by a 90-degree left turn. Local TV stations still show crash footage from this area. 7. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE Location: Base is 15 minute drive north of Cairns; 45-minute bike ride to top. No driving. Distance: 2.7 km Drop: 320 meters Approximate riding time: 5-25 minutes Comments: Set new standard in downhilling. Tight singletrack, very technical. History: 1996 World Championship Course. Interesting bits: The Cyclone: corkscrew through 240 degrees before a steep set of switchbacks drop into another high-speed section. The Crunch: 15 meter drop-off ending in Cassowary Creek with a rise onto Ronning's Ramp resulting in large air time. 8. CLIFTON TRACK Location: Base is 25 minute drive north of Cairns; 30 more to top. Distance: 5.5 km Drop: 420 meters Approximate riding time: 15-35 minutes Comments: Top section follows rollercoaster forest road. Rainforest on the right, pine trees on the left, then into tight singletrack through dense trees and vegetation. At one section, the trail drops 390 meters in 1.5 km. History: Old logging track. Interesting bits: Severe natural tree root steps (up to one-meter drops). Expect the unexpected. 9. BUMP TRACK Location: Base is 50 minute drive north of Cairns; 40 more to top. Distance: 8 km Drop: 400 meters Approximate riding time: 35-60 minutes Comments: Top section is rainforest, bottom section is open, rocky woodland. History: This track was the main access, in the late 1800s, from the Hodgkinson Goldfields to the port facilities at Port Douglas. Passengers on horse-drawn coaches had to get out and walk both going both up and down the bare rocky section known as Slatey Pinch. Later, motorists had to be helped up with horse teams. Coming down they'd attach a log to the rear of the cars to act as a brake. Interesting bits: The track is steepest in the section between Slatey Pinch and The Landing. Slatey Pinch, less than one km from the start of the track is a cuts through slate rock at a steep 1 in 3 grade. This zone drops 350 ';'et less than 2 km. �rs in 10. HO CHI MINH Location: Base is one hour north and 40 minutes west by car from Cairns. To reach the summit allow 90 minutes by car to the Mt Lewis turnoff and another 25 minutes by 4WD (or 45 minutes on bike). Distance: 10 km Drop: 1000 meters Approximate riding time: 15-30 minutes Comments: Thick rainforest heading west into open outback. Good burgers at Mt Molloy. History: Old Chinese gold rush trail. Interesting bits: Just fast and fun.