Hogs Back Track

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Hogs Back Track

Track Status: CLOSED FOR THE SEASON
The frosts have started in earnest and the ground is saturated from rain- time to call another great season to an end. Thanks for all the help this summer. Check the Castle Hill Hogs Back Track Facebook Page for more up-to-date information on the tracks.

We have big plans for more mountain-bike track development in the Castle Hill Basin. Please help us help you enjoy yourself at Castle Hill by giving a donation towards future track development using the Paypal donation button below (note that a Paypal account isn't required to make a donation).


Click these links for more details on the other mountain bike tracks developed by the Castle Hill Community: Dracophyllum Track Sidle 73 Track Proposed Craigieburn Track For more information on mountain biking in the Castle Hill Basin area: Craigieburn Forest Park MTB Tracks Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park MTB Tracks

Images from the Gravity Canterbury Enduro Race held 23rd February 2013 can be found here



Hogs Back Track The Castle Hill Community has worked with the Department of Conservation for last six years to construct a track within the Craigieburn Forest Park connecting Castle Hill Village with Texas Flat on the Cheeseman Ski Field Road. The majority of the track construction was carried out in a series of community work parties over the 2010/2011 summer. The track is now complete with approx. 8 km of single track able to be used by walkers, mountain bikers and skiers to access the backcountry (see the map below for details of the track route). Route Description From the access road to Thomas Bush just west of Castle Hill Village the track climbs through beech forest onto the Long Spur ridgeline. After following the ridgeline the track then descends across the open flats below Long Spur to the beech forest at Long Creek. A ride through the beech forest is followed by a short climb up the true right of Waterfall Creek. After crossing Waterfall Creek the track then traverses across to the western side of the Hogs Back ridge before dropping down to Texas Flat (via Ernie's Mistake). The return ride back to Castle Hill Village can be made by either taking the reverse track route or by riding 4.7km down the Cheeseman Skifield access road to SH73 and then 2.3km along SH73 back to Castle Hill (note this section of SH73 includes a 90m climb). Track Statistics Track length Castle Hill Village to Texas Flat: 7.4km Total ascent Castle Hill Village to Texas Flat: 425m Total ascent Texas Flat to Castle Hill Village: 369m Round trip distance via the Cheeseman Skifield Road: 15.6km, 525m ascent

Hogs Back Track Route - Google Maps View larger map Hogs Back Track Route - Open Cycle Map View Larger Map


Images from the Track These images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 New Zealand License

Video by Toby Nowland-Foreman (Hogs Back Track features in the second half of the video)

Hogs Back Track Images by Mark Nicols

Hogs Back Track Workparties 2011-2012

Castle Hill Village Community Association Official Opening of the Hogs Back Track 3 March 2012
The original plans for opening the track at Texas Flat were cancelled due to bad weather and replaced by an informal ribbon cutting ceremony at the Castle Hill end of the track.
	Paul and Monique Weber cut the ribbon to declare the Hogs Back MTB Track officially open...
	...and the first 'official' track users are away!


Supporting Information for the Hogs Back Track

Download Supporting Information (Hogsback Track Summary.pdf (1.9MB)


Objectives for the Hogs Back Track
1. Provide the local community and visitors to the area clear access from Castle Hill Village to the Cheeseman Ski Field road and thus the rest of the Craigieburn Forest Park. 2. Provide an additional trail head for access to the greater Craigieburn Forest Park thereby reducing pressure on the facilities at Broken River. Castle Hill Village has vehicle parking, toilets, drinking water and an emergency phone. 3. Increase the extent and capacity of trails within the Craigieburn Forest Park for hiking and biking. 4. Increase biker safety by providing off-road access from Castle Hill Village to the Craigieburn Forest Park. 5. Construct the track using best practice design and technologies to improve hiking/biking pleasure and reduce subsequent track maintenance. 6. Create a world-class mountain bike track that has international significance. 7. Provide a resource that encourages people to undertake outdoor activities and enjoy the unique qualities of Castle Hill Basin. This is in line with the objectives of the Selwyn District Council Walking and Cycling Strategy to encourage cycling in the Selwyn District.


Further Information
For further information on this proposal or to provide support please contact Paul Weber, Castle Hill Village