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The former Auckland Luge track is ideal for drift trikes, but Surf Mountain owner Josh Nepia, left, and his friends tried out the concrete surface on mountain boards last week.
The land where the old Auckland Luge used to be, in between Snowplanet and Silverdale Adventure Park in Silverdale, has been left to languish into rutted paddock, cut through with concrete paths where the luge once ran.
The Auckland Luge operated on the site on East Coast Road for just one year before going into receivership in November 2008.
It is about to be reinstated as Surf Mountain, a business that will offer on and off-road tracks for drift trikers, long boarders, dirt scooters and mountain boarders.
Owner Josh Nepia opened the site, in largely undeveloped form, last week as a kind of ‘soft opening’ and taste of things to come. He made contact with members of the local 3 Wheel Motion Drift Trike group, who were keen to try out the steep, winding concrete paths on Friday, December 9, skidding down at terrifying speeds.
Josh is sub-leasing the 6ha site from Silverdale Adventure Park and access to Surf Mountain is via the Adventure Park’s lower car park.
Josh is undaunted by the work ahead of turning this grass and weed covered slope into an adventure playground for youth.
At present, it is only suitable for drift trikes, but Josh is confident that he can soon create dirt tracks suitable for mountain boards and dirt scooters as well as adding ramps, kickers and rails. Josh, who previously owned a mountain board park in Hawkes Bay, has been mountain boarding for around 15 years.
Currently you need to bring your own drift trike, but equipment will eventually be supplied as Surf Mountain gets properly underway.
Josh says he is working hard to get the site set up so that Surf Mountain can provide options for all levels of rider, from beginner to extreme; he hopes to hold a competition there next Easter.
Info: phone Josh, 021 028 70079.
