Justin Clarke

Cycling in the Victorian Alps

Many Australian cyclists flock to Europe to take on the iconic climbs made famous by the Grand Tours. Fewer have explored our own backyard which offers its own array of unforgettable cycling experiences. 
Amongst the most notable are the rides in the Victorian Alps.

Several of you may be familiar with the well-known climbs included in the annual "3 Peaks" classic – Tawonga Gap, Mount Hotham and "Back of Falls". If not, worth a visit – challenging but do-able (being just a little "unhinged" probably helps!).

At the start of January, I was fortunate enough to join a small group of cyclists for a few days of "hard fun", basing ourselves out of Falls Creek, a major alpine ski resort located within the Alpine National Park, around 400km northeast of Melbourne.

Staying at one of the ski lodges, we were able to tackle a few of the climbs at a more leisurely pace than cycling events permit.

The first goal was to take on the notorious "Back of Falls" – a climb of over 23km with an average gradient of 4.2% and 980m elevation. The ride down from Falls Creek winds its way past the picturesque reservoirs on the Bogong plains before descending through the trees to Trapyard Gap and on to the bottom of Falls. With several tight corners and a steep gradient, continued concentration was essential. With a need to avoid speed creeping up over 60kmh, brakes were decidedly warm by the end. With temperatures of > 40 degrees forecast, the decision was made to start the return climb rather than take the extension to Anglers Rest (a scenic road which winds its way alongside the river and is worth riding if time permits).

The Back of Falls starts with WTF corner. If you ride it, you'll know how appropriate that name is. Rounding a corner, you are presented with a "wall", about 400m significantly more than 10% (in the 3 Peaks ride, you have about 200km in your legs when hitting this – WTF). That first obstacle is then followed by close to 10km of 9% before easing off slightly at Trapyard Gap. The 25km journey back to Falls Creek is not to be underestimated with around 600m of climbing (including some steep pinches). Returning by the reservoir, and slightly downhill, the last section is a joy.

With more searing temperatures forecast, day 2 was a 50km/800vm return to Trapyard Gap, with the pleasure only marginally diminished by the 35-40 knots headwind. The afternoon was spent at a swimming hole, nestled in the mountains. Icy cold but just what was needed on a hot day.

Day 3 allowed for a descent down (and then climb back up) the Front of Falls. A 30km descent, punctuated by a few climbs, is one of the true pleasures of cycling. With a smooth road surface and many "S-bends", it's a real temptation to really go for it. Debris on the roads, the occasional vehicle, and even the occasional stag all served to remind of the need for utmost concentration. But those Strava PRs remain important! The return up Falls (30km, 1154 vm and average gradient of around 4% is a slog, with more of the steeper gradients reserved for the last 10km). The shade afforded by the magnificent gum trees for the first half of the ride is very welcomed. As is the coffee back at Falls Creek. And a nice PR to reflect the effort.

With the bushfire situation in Victoria deteriorating, the Alpine Region was falling into the "watch zone". With only two roads serving Falls Creek, the chance of being isolated was high. As a result, planned rides up Mount Buffalo from Bright were shelved in favour of an early return. That did however leave one last opportunity for a final descent down Falls Creek (not often you get to descend without having to do the work of a return ascent!). PR was missed by 10seconds on the 30km descent. Next time!

I'd be happy to share further thoughts with anyone interested in cycling around this iconic region. Whilst the weather prevented us from completing our itinerary, I've been fortunate enough to ride Hotham, Tawonga Gap and Buffalo on previous occasions and would highly recommend. The gravel and MTBing is also recommended – whether it's hiring eMTBs in Bright, riding along the riverside trails or availing of the service to take you and your bike to the top of some of the serious MTB downhill trails (some of these downhill cyclists are seriously crazy!), there's something for everyone. And if that's not enough, the walking to the top of the mountains is spectacular too. What are you waiting for?