GRADE: 4 LENGTH: 3KM

 BUILT:  2017
 GETTING THERE: Starting from the shuttle drop-off point at the stop of Tawa road, head down the start of Taniwha trail and at the first fork (approximately 50 meters down the track) take the left-hand fork to turn onto Huckleberry Hound.
Te Mounga starts approximately 300 metres down Huckleberry Hound. Keep an eye out for the turn off on the left of the trail, at the base of one of the many jumps.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: Te Mounga means “The treasure” in Maori and it’s a fitting title for one hidden treasure of a trail. Divided into 3 sections, the first section starts on a gentle gradient, winding parallel to Tawa road through the native bush with a few off camber sections to keep riders on their toes.
The trail becomes progressively steeper before dropping riders out onto Hill road.
From there, the second section begins 100 meters to the left of the first section, making the most of the exposed forestry block. This section is faster and more open; a more technical interpretation of the terrain that has given rise to trails such as Corners and Little Red Riding Huck.
Make sure to keep an eye out for the shuttles when crossing Hill road at the bottom of the second section, before re-entering the bush for the penultimate section.
The final section is the most versatile, with the opportunity to dial up the difficulty as desired. Chutes, gap jumps and off camber sections are on offer here, with most having less technical bypasses as needed in the first half of the trail. Less groomed than some of its compatriots but still maintaining that iconic redwoods feeling, the final section features a few steep chutes and switchbacks before joining onto Moonshine trail to deposit riders out onto Reservoir Road. This final section is a bit rutted with the recent weather but still rideable.
GETTING OUT: There are 2 opportunities for riders to exit Te Mounga prematurely.
The first is at the first of the two Hill road crossings, at which point riders can opt to ride to the right up Hill road to join Little Red Riding Huck or the second section of Corners, or to the left back down Hill road to return to the shuttle pickup point.
The second Hill road crossing allows riders to return to the shuttle pickup by riding to the right down the hill, or to ride left towards the start of Roller Coaster trail.
Te Mounga finishes onto Moonshine trail, a Grade 4 that finishes on Reservoir Road. From there, riders can head right along Reservoir Road to return to the shuttle pickup point, or to the left to find the start of Chop Suey trail