Adventure Magazine

Getting High
on the Old
Ghost Road
Spectacular mountain biking
in a unique wilderness
By Eric Skilling
Absolute focus. This moment was all about the thrill of racing along the trail,
anticipating the direction of the next turn, guessing how big those rocks were
and picking the right line as the bike careered over sporadic streams in a
spray of cold water. Nothing else mattered as I weaved between tree trunks,
under overhanging branches and around huge rocks. The closeness of the
forest exaggerated the sense of speed and yes, I was on a high.
Several metres away one of those typically clear West Coast rivers crashed
and cascaded its way over giant granite and marble boulders, but its beauty
went almost unnoticed as I concentrated on the path ahead.
It was the second day of my journey, and I had reached the last 8km of a
25km section from Lyell to Stern Huts. Already I understood why trampers
and mountain bikers got so excited about tackling this challenging trail –
today must rate as one of the most stunning and varied mountain biking
days you will find anywhere in the world. And it is less than a third of this
remarkable track.
Cycling the Wilderness Trail had inspired me to come back and explore
more of the distinctive forests, rivers and mountains that make this region so
unique. The intriguingly named Old Ghost Road promised 85km of adventure
set in a magnificent corner of West Coast wilderness, but I underestimated
how spectacular and memorable my four days here would be.
This second day had begun with 6 km of almost continual climbing through
a tranquil beech forest, the floor covered with lichens and thick, bright-green
mosses. Apart from the gravel crunching under my tyres and the noise of my
breathing, the only sound to break the silence was the call of the occasional
bird.
Above: Slips Briges above Mokihinui. Image by Jonathan Kennett
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