The Diamantina is quite uncalled for after all that climbing in the first 28km. . William in the Grampians) but its not scary or dangerous. Of the 1800m from the turn-off, the first half is flat before the road climbs again, winding through a series of tight hairpin bends. Taking the rail trail cuts out a couple of climbs and avoids traffic-this last section to Bairnsdale is the busiest of the whole ride. Hope that helps! Buffalo Chalet, marked by the entrance to the Gorge Day Car Park. A mate had got me riding for the first time in over 20 years, and did the Alpine Classic on the bike, steel pack rack and all. This may seem like stating the very obvious but if you plan to ride back to Harrietville after the climb; the roll downs to the Hull Skier Bridge, the Diamantina and the CRB Hill turn into short but sharp climbs. Day trips from Harrietville or Bright. Buffalo is located roughly 350km north-east of Melbourne and 35km west of the nearest regional centre, Bright. Another great ride report and of one of my favourite climbs did this one twice in the week before the ACE. With the school holid, Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing Transport Options, www.obee.com.au/theharrietvillesnowlinehotel. These trails are remote and include steep and difficult sections. From Bright there are dozens of great day-trips to places like Beechworth, Harrietville, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek & Dinner Plain just to mention a few. Some short gravel sections which can be a bit rough. I have driven those roads a lot before and I noticed it would be difficult/dangerous for a cyclist to attempt to ride it. For a full guide of road rides, maps and events in and around Bright, pick up a Cycle Guide at the Bright Tourist Information Centre or visit the Ride High Country website. Picture: Visit Victoria. It certainly draws the crowds. Buffalo Chalet. As usual, lots of other events, all non-race recreational, but challenging none the less! All trails lead to a climbing trail that loops back to the top. The village rests at the far end of a 150km sealed bike-path network that stretches to Bright, Beechworth and beyond. Not to much further and their I was at the saddle my goal, I rested for a little then rugged up to start the decent to Dingos. Follow the rail trail from the centre of Bright towards the Tawonga Gap turnoff, where the new trail begins. For all bus and taxi bookings or information on chains, resort entry, and security car parking off mountain -. The park has some of Australias most exciting trails, featuring manicured flow trails, gnarly downhills and cross country single track. This is a great pit-stop for those on the Great Victorian Rail Trail between, Bright Brewery has become an incredibly successful brewery in the Australian High Country. By this time all of the hard work is done and you can roll down to the Hull Skier Bridge and the end of the Mt. A TV is offered. bright to wandiligong rail trail map. Door to door service for family groups staying on Mt Hotham or Dinner Plain. Share on Twitter The most famous is the Alpine Classic road bike race which is held on the Australia Day long weekend. By this point you are well and truly into crosswind country and the road ramps upward once again, holding its gradient for the next 1.2km. From the Chalet theres still a couple of hundred metres in altitude to gain on what is far and away the best bit of the Buffalo Road. a short 10-km (round trip) is Bright to Porepunkah -sealed and mostly flat. The road narrows to a single lane controlled by traffic lights! After a sharp 600m descent the road heads skyward again, snaking its way majestically along the ridge line for 700m. I must say Hotham makes Lake Mountain seem like a mole hill. Kath had thought of everything. Please check your entries and try again. There are a few pinches before the sight of the CRB opened my eyes thinking wow. Ride High Country supported by Best In Class rider services and catering. I havent climbed it in winter but I imagine the traffic would be considerably heavier. A good question, but Ive never had any problems up there. We acknowledge the Dhudhuroa, Taungurung, Waywurru, Gunaikurnai and Jaithmathang as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the Alpine Shire, which encompasses the land, water and sky of Bright & Surrounds. Thank you Matt, Ill let you know if I find the time to get there again fresh. Lake Mountain is next but not until my muscles recover from walking up Mt Bogong yesterday now that makes cycling feel easy. Avoid a long car shuffle by having us drop you at the trail head. It was just as much a battle of will power as it was physical. Hothams final 11km come as a rather rude shock. The first section is a steady 11km except The Meg at the 5.6km mark (300m at ~10%). Hothams moon-like terrain. (React to signs you read. All Terrain Cycles offer a great range of bikes for hire in Bright. Situated just 15 minutes from Bright, Harrietville is a great base for your high country retreat without all the hustle and bustle. Had fabulous weather all weekend, sunny & clear, not much wind. The gently undulating trail follows the Ovens River and explores the beautiful valley between Bright and Harrietville. The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is the ideal way to discover the diverse landscape of North East Victoria. The range includes electric bikes ideal for rail trail riding with ranges of 90 120 kms on a single battery. WebAbout Key Breakout Edu Zombie Answer. Length: 30.8kmAverage gradient: 4.2%Elevation gain:1,279m. They have a variety of mens & ladys hybrid e-bikes of various sizes ideal for rail-trails. Harrietville to Omeo (86km)-The road up Mt Hotham is one of Australia's hardest and most iconic climbs, so be prepared for pain. There was barely a breath of wind. After another steep left-hand hairpin and around 7.6km of climbing the road flattens out considerably into a false flat. Reading though it with a mate challenged us to have a crack at a few of these bigger climbs. document.write(year) Gradients and cycling: How much harder are steeper climbs? Over 100kms of sealed off road trail links the popular towns of Wangaratta, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Bright, Myrtleford and Yackandandah. In one place about a third of the way up. Website Free shipping for many products! Its a beast no doubt about it, the final ks are just so tough particularly with the extreme uv sun beating down on you! Buffalo can be attempted from Bright for a 70km return trip or, for a more serious days climbing, nearby climbs like the Tawonga Gap can be added. Bright (and district) maintains a full road cycling events calendar for road riders of all levels from novice to professional. The next 1.4 kms had me reaching to the deepest point of mental strength to continue without stopping for a break. The good news is that you'll be treated to some amazing views, and once you reach Hotham Village there is a fair bit of downhill to the town of Omeo. This year 5 of the 7 peaks have been climbed riding the Peugeot. Accommodation of various sorts is available in many of the nearby towns including Bright, Porepunkah, Freeburgh, Germantown and Wandiligong. With the gradient still negligible, the Great Alpine Road meanders gently toward the 19.7km mark and the Buckland Gate. If you are driving to the high country from Melbourne you can expect a four hour drive with the best option being to take the Hume Freeway (M31) to Wangaratta and then the Great Alpine Road (B500) toward Bright. As the road bends left at the 11.9km mark a change in the vegetation becomes apparent with dead-looking snow gums visible ahead. Hotham Bus. When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted. Rode down from Mt Hotham to Harrretville on easter Saturday with 3 other fitter friends, then something came over me & decided to ride back up! Its a rewarding ride but if your not used to how quickly the weather can change in the mountains like you can get caught out like I was. Want to see how your time up Mt. Hi David, I cant speak with any authority here but I think you should be fine. I mean, the roads are not really cyclist AND car friendly Thanks much, Bright OnBike was a comfortable clean unit located in a small complex off the main road heading into Bright. I did this ride on 27 December 2013. Alpine Colour Fun Run Saturday 18th March 2023 I rode down first 1hr, then up 2hr2 mins. I am a little frightened of heights. One of my riding mates on the ACE250 was 74 years old. Science of climbing: Why power-to-weight ratios matter, Discovering new rides: Mt Hotham the hard way CyclingTips, Gradients and cycling: an introduction | The Climbing Cyclist, 12th November 2016 Bendigo Cycling Network Weekly Update | bendigo cycling network, Everesting: climbing 8,848 metres in a single ride | CyclingTips, Discovering new rides: Mt Hotham the hard way - Cycling Feeds, Discovering new rides: Mt Hotham the hard way | Ella, The Audax Alpine Classic | Beyond the Call, Behind the scenes of Drapacs big step up | Cycling Tips, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life | Beyond the Call, Training Log Tour Of Bright (and some reflecting) | Riding For David, The Route Alpine Annihilation | desblogs. Im thinking of doing this climb in July in the middle of the snow season. Gradients and cycling: How much harder are steeper climbs? Shepparton Alpine Club is a ski lodge offering summer accommodation to cyclists doing altitude training. With the road now clinging to the ridge line, terrific views are possible on both sides of the road for most of the remaining climb. The Climbing Cyclist website has a detailed breakdown of the climb. best climb in Aus in my books, you will love it! Wangaratta to Milawa via Oxley 18km. The food we had on both of the nights we stayed was of exceptional quality for this type of establishmentthe trout we ordered from the specials board wouldnt have been out of place in a 1-hat restaurant. This first section of the climb is punctuated by a constantly-changing gradient with shorter, steeper sections being balanced out by comparatively easier sections. The descent off Hotham isnt dangerously fast. Cresting at the top to see the ominous diamondtina loomed up before me. I climbed Mt Buffalo for the first time on Monday. My legs screamed in a world of pain having to be reactivated for a couple of steep sections on the way down. Great place well located. After a further 300m the road bends around into a sweeping left-hand hairpin before straighening slightly. Love your site! Super glad Ive done it, though. With its formidable length and unforgettable moon-like summit, the ascent of Mt. Please check your email for further instructions. All rooms include a private en suite bathroom, TV and continental breakfast. After a pleasantly pedestrian false-flat section, Mt. No better in many ways (do Stronglight chainwheels ever wear out), but stops in half the time. Everything you need to explore beautiful Bright. Read More. So remember to save up some legs for the return back. Harrietville marks the start of the Mount Hotham 7 Peaks ascent the most spectacular of all mountain road rides. What a beast! Another enjoyable rail trail nearby is the High Country Rail Trail.. There are many local goumet delights (wineries, breweries, cheeseries, etc), and many cycling side trips on offer, such as the climb up Mt Buffalo, the climb up Tawonga Gap, and a fantastic mountain bike trail network just outside of Bright. The Great Valley Trail project will deliver 16 kilometres of family friendly shared trail, completing a 27 kilometre link between Harrietville and Bright, and extending the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail to the base of the Alps. Hotham climb: CRB Hill. A further 400m up the road and the breathtaking views are put on hold momentarily as you get to the climbs first major challenge: The Meg. a short 10-km (round trip) Bright to Wandiligong. The Great Valley Trail project will deliver 16 kilometres of family friendly shared trail, completing a 27 kilometre link between Harrietville and Bright, and extending the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail to the base of the Alps. Hotham climb is often attempted from the township of Bright with the 24km ride from Bright to Harrietville acting as a perfect warm-up. Located just past Mount Hotham, the MTB park is open in summer and has a range of professionally built beginner, intermediate and advanced flow and cross-country trails that are easily accessed from the village centre. The thought of a hot coffee and meat pie kept me pedalling! It was absolutely stunning, but hard work. Any tips regarding it? Always take two bottles up this climb no matter what the weather due to time on the bike(maybe thats just the pace I go anyway) . What:pastoral land, bushland, rural idyll, local produce, wineries, small towns, moderate climbing/descending. , then also just before Hotham legs were SPENT, nothing left. Rough, lumpy, gravelly, sharp (I puncturedtwice) not at all bike friendly, particularly the descent. Accommodation and services are available in most towns en route. I climbed Mt Hotham for the first time on Sunday. For those riders from Omeo end beware! The scenery was stunning, the climb was great exercise and the descent was massive fun. This section can also be done largely off road by following the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, which roughly parallels the Great Alpine Road between Wangaratta and Bright. Buffalo plateau take a left-hand turn and climb the last couple kilometres to the Mt. I hear you Mike! Thanks once again for a great site, No, I was too focused on doing the climb from Bright 3 times in the day and missed the photo opportunities. I really hope Im as fit as him when Im his age. Its a 1400 m climb, so quite hard. Hey Alexandra. Kath's place is perfect for a family or a group of friends, up to 5 people. I also second the comment made above about finishing the climb at the Horn. The second 10km are far easier but still uphill at what seemed to be 2-5%. If you are on here researchin and toying with the idea climbing Mt hotham, do it!!! Can recommend it. There was a perfect blue sky above. Read More. Now Dingos is perfectly placed for a quick coffee & muffin, to warm the body before the real decent, a stop in I fully recommend. Ventoux from Bedoin has a section of just under 10kms at an average of almost 10% with not a flat ramp to be seen, brutal! Your email address will not be published. Buffalo in Victorias north-east is among the easiest of the Victorian Alps climbs. Its hard to say for certain, but I reckon the road surface on Hotham has progressively deteriorated. 5km in at the park entrance as expected, the gradient tilted up and up I went. The good news is that you'll be treated to some amazing views, and once you reach Hotham Village there is a fair bit of downhill to the town of Omeo. Why stop there? At the 28.3km mark the going gets a little tougher as you come across another section that is steep enough to warrant its own name: the Diamantina. Thanks very much Richard. To book a stay at Bright OnBike, please visit our Bookings page.All other enquiries to Bright OnBike can be made below. Although I am 68 this modified gearing has allowed me to climb almost anything without stopping, albiet very slow at times. As stated the 24km from Bright is an excellent warmup with an average +1% gradient before the real climbing starts in earnest from Harrietville. Fog was hanging in the valleys. The Great Valley Trail is a new family friendly shared cycle trail between Bright and Harrietville. Still struggling to warm up, on I climbed and before I new it I found my self topping out, decending onto the plateu landing me pretty quickly at the turn to the chalet, the first mile stone was met. But, at a touch under 21km, the climb still demands strength and fitness of riders who are keen to partake in the breathtaking summit views. 1.3km later the gradient increases marginally but not enough to cause significant discomfort. - Buckland Valley (38 km return) [8] Scenery was great, but a cafe at the top would have been a real bonus. The trail is flat and fully sealed, suitable for both road bikes and mountain bikes. I reckon I saw two cars on the ascent and one on the descent. The Alpine Classic isnt just a cycling event in Victorias majestic High Country, its an experience that will stay with you forever. It will challenge you to the edge of your ability and then instantly reward you with breathtaking views that will be etched into your mind forever. . Rode up Mt Buff last Tuesday, nice day for it, warm and calm and the climb on a perfectly surfaced road was kids play even for this 75 year old. Breakout Edu Trapped In The Upside Down Answer. 1.1km at 10% might not sound all that challenging but after 22.7km of climbing this stretch makes for a slow and painful grind. There is a visitor center there with cafe and toilet facilities, although I cant speak for the opening hours. The 4am ascent should be stunning and the sunrise descent a delight. CYCLING IN HARRIETVILLE Whether you're after a relaxing ride on the bike path or a challenging mountain road climb, Harrietville has the best of both. It has an average gradient of 4.2 percent but don't be deceived; there are several parts of the climb the pitch up to more than 10 percent. Like Chamitha points out, having to climb your way down this hill was for me the hardest of the tasks. You can take a long-weekend or more to, Falls Creek Mountain Bike Park is located at Falls Creek ski resort in the Victorian Alps approx. The Great Valley Trail proposed alignment (Bright to Harrietville) is out for public comment. Daylesford. Weve finished lunch was only response from the staff of the general store. Then it was over and the real climbing had resumed. Do you think this would be achievable or should I just try the one section.. Great site and great write up of climb. Also there are 2 corners worth being particularly careful on: Science of climbing: Why power-to-weight ratios matter, Riding the 7 Peaks in one go: part one | CyclingTips, The Audax Alpine Classic | Beyond the Call, An Alpine Cycling Adventure | Beyond the Call, A slow and snowy ascent, without embro, on a set of fast Roval wheels | not-so-zen and the art of pink bicycles, Mt Buffalo for 7 Peaks 2011/2012 Ride Life [Get a Mountain Bike]. Quality bike hire for all ages and stages. Dont think that because you can do a 20km climb that youll be good on this one you may not. The new road is pretty rough and seems to take a lot of speed off your tyres making it a touch harder to keep moving. Harrietville, halfway between Mt Hotham and Bright is a picturesque small town with a history of gold mining that dates.