On a fine still day the Port Hills are magical. To the west is Christchurch city and in the distance the towering snow covered peaks of the Southern Alps. To the east are the blue waters of the Lyttleton Harbour, the crater of this huge ancient volcano. Behind the harbour is the far rim of the crater and the Pacific Ocean.
Summit Road runs along the crest of the Port Hills and is the baseline for several mountain bike tracks which run alongside it. The trails tend to be narrow and concave with rocky patches as they sidle round the hills like sheep tracks without a lot of technical action. They undulate but don't have long climbs and the side exposure is generally not vertiginous. But there is a lot of variation. Here is a brief review - from west to east...
*** Flying Nun Track, 2.3km, advanced, down slope, rock lined berms, swooping curves, jumps, the best...
*** Thomsons shared use track, 1km, intermediate, short, leave it to the walkers and ride up the road...
*** Bowenvale Traverse Track, 3km, easyish, tending level, a few humps, rocks and lava pinches, nice...
*** Mount Vernon Track, 2.4km, intermediate, some rocky, some smooth and flowing, spicy variety...
*** Witch Hill Track, 1km, Intermediate, lava flows, boulders, steep pinch, great views. short and sweet...
*** Castle Rock Track, 1.5km, advanced, some groovy downhill switchbacks, exposure, boulders, great...
*** Mount Pleasant Track 2km, intermediate, up and back for 360 views, flowing, just a few rocky patches...
*** John Britten Track, 1m, easy, short, quite level, pleasant sheep track with some lava, too soon over...
*** Greenwood Park Track, 3km, advanced, some fast and flowing, some rock garden action, wow! ...
*** Godley Head Track, 7km, advanced, steep rocky climb, then great down slope, rock garden action, awesome!...
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Several tracks run up and down the slopes of the hill, linking the Summit Road tracks with the city below. Here they are from west to east....
### Crocodile Track, 2km, intermediate, weaves back and forth across steep pasture, nice switchbacks...
### Kennedys Bush Track, 5km, intermediate, grunt up or bomb down, straight 4x4 track...
### Worsleys Track, 4km, intermediate, steep 4x4 track, rutted and part unrideable near top...
### Old Dyers Pass Track, 2.3km, intermediate, mix of singletrack and 4x4 track, only goes part way down the hill...
### Huntsbury Track, 2.5km, intermediate, stays open, 4x4 gravel track, starts half way up the hill, ho-hum...
### Bowenvale Downhill, 2.8km, intermediate, branches off the Huntsbury, fantastic curvy downhill ride...
### Lava Flow Track, 1.3, advanced, gnarly, steep, drops, rocky...
### Mount Vernon Farm Track, 2.6km, intermediate, steady climb-descent on grassy track ...
### Rapaki Track, 3.5, easy, gracefully climbs-descends 300m, best way up from the city...
### Captain Thompsons Track, 3km, intermediate, ride it down not up, technical sections, exposure...
### Anaconda Track, 2km, intermediate, go down not up, fast, fun, technical, berms, swoops, flowing, the best...
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