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CascadesSubmitted by Rob on Tue, 20/09/2005 - 18:14.
Some Pictures: Summary: Cascades is a good test of your cardio fitness - lots of hills and not much technical stuff means easy riding if you have average to good fitness. Meeting Point:
End of Wyatt Ave, Belrose - this is on the East side of Garigal National Park. Show on Google Maps: Meeting point. Login or register to get directions. Facilities:
Not within the trail per se, but there's a sports field on Wyatt Ave about 200m from the trail head which has toilets and a tap for water. Handy when traveling between Cascades and Oxford Falls. Map or Maps:
KMZ (Google Earth) Link:
Cascades interactive map: Open Direct. View in browser. Ride Profiles Here:
Past & Future Ride Meetings Here:
Hot Lap Challenges Here:
Details:
The Cascades is basically a deep valley area in Garigal National Park, on Sydney's northern beaches. Being sandwiched between St Ives, Davidson, Belrose there are alternate meeting spots at the top of Cascades track, St Ives and also end of Ralston Ave, Belrose (one street over from the 'regulation' meet above). It's roughly 100 vertical metres from the creek to ridge top and has various trails running up and down this so be prepared for a lot of climbing. Luckily the majority of this is on firetrail and there's even a small sealed section to help you out (at the Davidson exit). Although this is mainly firetrail, there are at least two single tracks I know of, and probably more. One of these is a technical downhill from the Ralston Ave entry area to Bare Creek Track on the valley floor. Let's take a look at the individual trails in no particular order: Heath TrackThe Heath Track is a fast firetrail that runs from the Ralston Ave entry down into the valley and Garigal National Park proper (you'll pass the sign) before becoming Bare Creek Track. Although it's fun, watch out as there are sandy corners to catch a rider out. The climb out on this one is, of course, a little tough, but good for training so a nice option. Short Single TrackUnofficial name - this is a short but nice loop near the Ralston Ave entry. From those gates carry on down the road and hang a right off the road up a climb of a few metres almost at the end. Turn left (doesn't matter which one) and you'll see the path disappear into the bushes here. This is a nice warm up, but there's a tricky climb over rocks and roots after several hundred metres. Technical DownhillUnofficial name - when you are heading down the short single track there is one fork after couple hundred metres, left takes you to this downhill. It is overgrown in places and has big roll offs and rocks to contend with before ending up in the valley on the Heath Track. Bare Creek TrackHeath Track merges into Bare Creek Track shortly after entering Garigal National Park. Bare Creek runs along the East side of the creek, passing the first creek crossing (Quarry Trail) then another right turn which leads to another crossing. Eventually Bare Creek joins the Cascades Track here. Quarry TrackFrom that intersection with Bare Creek Track cross the creek and start the toughest climb in this area (about 100m rise in less than 1Km). There's a gate near the top to rest at, or you can take 100m or so of flat stuff before another short push to the peak. Ridge Top TrackUnofficial Name - for want of a better description, this trail runs from the top of Quarry Track, past the recycling depot and round to St Ives. It's all pretty obvious aside from the last turn towards St Ives. Cascades TrackThis is what you came here for! Start up by St Ives Oval and hurtle down this firetrail getting big time air over the water bars (erm... or take it at a more sedate pace if that's your thing). Carry on down the sealed section, past the Bare Creek turnoff and along the creek (and a couple of crossings) to the Davidson exit. Lower CambourneThere are two junctions on the downhill Cascades Run, Lower Cambourne is the second of these. Take this left turn for more downhill fun (although not as steep as the other options) before coming to a creek crossing and joining back up with the Bare Creek Track. |
Northern BeachesSydneyDays Away |
Cascades
Quick downhill run coming in from Ralston Rd entrance, plenty of air to be had if you like that kind of thing, bitch of climb out. Fantastic in the early morning (6.30am) or late evening (5.30pm) Keep an eye out for the occassional wallaby (the real live ones as opposed to the George Gregan ones) Good run up to St Ives and Acron Oval and absolutely sensational 2 minute run down over about 10-12 water bars...
DH track on the St Ives side
There is also an excellent DH single track starting at the top of the St Ives side. You can see where it joins the fire road (Upper Cascades) just after the junction with the upper Cambourne track when you are heading towards St Ives. It continues downward from there via 2 different STs that join up further down and come out onto the Cascades track. You will see the enrance to these on the left hand side of the Cascades track opposite the ST on the right hand side as mentioned previously.
Overgrown?
Let me get my head around this... I think you are saying head down Cascades from St Ives, then turn
leftRIGHT into the bush where the Upper Cambourne (the first major junction you meet) heads left.Have had a little look there but it seems way overgrown with big rock drops - guess this could be 'excellent DH'
Looking at the mega hi-res pictures on http://imagery.maps.nsw.gov.au/ I am seeing something that looks like single track off to the right just before the bitumen section (that's after both upper and lower Cambourne turn offs). This appears to come out about 20m past the Bare Creek junction.
Am I close?
Overgrown?
I found this DH a few weeks back.
As you head down the hill from St Ives you take a right hand turn about 400m from the start. The single trail runs parallel (sort of)and brings you out back on the same fire trail about a 100m from the end of that fire trail intersection.
Yes i've seen it as
Yes i've seen it as well.....it is insanely steep, so much so that I thought it was a water runoff point. You can see it quite distinctly when ridiing up to St Ives, or down, but you'd have to be going slow, but where's the fun in that?
On a sidenote, I rode cascades just then, and it was very wet; the previously dry creeks, and overflows, are now very wet, and there is lots of biiiigg puddles everywhere on Bare Creek Track.
You guys haven't seen it yet
Lets get this straight- the the DH starts at the very top of the St Ives side. You have to ride up Upper Cambourne track to near the top then take an obvious left. Follow your nose and you will find the start or alternatively walk up it from where it comes out on the the Cascades FT (that's how we sussed it out!).
The second part is opp where you spill out onto the fire road (Cascades). Alternatively (and better still) ride UP the Cascade FT another 50 meters or so and you will see a very steep entry into another ST. So there are two versions here (which join up about half way down). Neither are overgrown. The steep entry version will get the heart going and no, you can not do the first part slowly as you will slide out on the slippery leaf covered surface. Further down is a steep 6 foot rollover and near the bottom a perfect 5 foot jump to a nice transition (a couple of highlights). We rode this track this morning and finally did both these things (jump and rollover) for the first time! It comes out not far from the junction with Bear Creek track.
The top half has had a lot of work done to it and has some fantastic very doable jumps. We piked two of em...... next time.
This stuff is as good as anything at Red Hill or the Oxford Falls DH track and about the same length as the former.
You guys haven't seen it yet
You have me scatching my head!!!
I look forward to the tour
Pikey
Always Keen
I'll try and post up in the forum in advance the next time we ride there, if anyone is keen.
Cheers
John