VKV challengeIntermediate

Description

A short but pumping circuit that takes you over Mt Vernon, Sign of the Kiwi and Mt Victoria. Has a bit of everything (bush, panoramic views, steep ups and downs, and cruisy ridge running) -- the "challenge" part is to see if you can do this in one hour or less.

From the car park, run to the end of the gravel road, then up steep trails (or steeper shortcuts) to join the upper Huntsbury 4WD track to the main road and then one last direct shortcut to Mt Vernon summit. Stop the watch, climb onto the rock and admire the views! Run back along the Crater Rim Walkway which takes you over three small bumps and some native bush on the Lyttelton side to Sign of the Kiwi, then run down the popular (Harry Ell) track beside Dyers Pass road; cross the road to Victoria park, and continue on the Harry Ell track until you meet some steep steps going down.

At this point sidle right and follow a track directly up to Mt Victoria, passing by the octagonal visitor centre, and round to the right to pick up the descent track. This heads down (north) for 10 metres then loops back to the south, heading down. After about a minute (by a short orange Walkway marker on the left of the track) leave this trail and dive left down through the trees on a faint trail and pick up steep, dusty mountainbike trails through the trees wherever possible - the valley floor is just a few minutes away with careful routefinding, mostly off the main trails (which will take longer). You will eventually come out on a 4WD road, which leads back to the end of the original gravel 4WD road and back to the car park.

Make Up of Run

Untracked / Route only: 5%

Technical Single Track: 15%

Moderate Single Track: 30%

Easy Single Track: 30%

Farm Road / 4WD Track: 10%

Gravel Road: 10%

Route Data