With our time limited, four of us signed up to do a 22-mile section that included the Mangapurua Track and the Bridge to Nowhere extension. Even our guide had only cycled it once before, and he approached it from the opposite direction. Our group of New Zealanders and overseas visitors included mostly intermediate riders. I recommend having a significant amount of confidence on a mountain bike before attempting this challenging route.
Pictured: A mountain biker trudges through a mudslide on Battleship Bluff.