Experience Christchurch Adventure Park in the dark.
Wednesday nights during winter
(weather dependent)
Night riding will take place between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm and will involve a select number of green, blue, and black trails. If you already have uplifts for the Chair, there’s no additional cost to ride at night; otherwise, drop into Guest Services to buy a pass.
What makes a night ride weather-dependent?
We need more favourable weather conditions at night to operate than during the day. Our ground/trail conditions, dirt quality, air temperatures, wind speeds, and precipitation will need to align for night rides to get the green light. We do anticipate cancellation of up to 30%-40% of our night rides.
When will a decision be made about Night Rides?
We usually make the call on Tuesday night about whether a Night Ride will go ahead that week.
You’ll find the update on our website’s Park Status page and in our daily Instagram Stories.
Keep an eye on our Tuesday Stories to see if Night Rides are ON or OFF
What time will I need to have my night lights on?
If you wish to participate in Night Rides, you will be required to have lights from 5pm.
What sort of lights do I need for night rides?
There will be a minimum lighting requirement of 500 lumens.
The more the merrier, we say! We would also recommend keeping backup batteries or a head torch in your bum bag, backpack, or pocket. Lighting will be assessed by a staff member at the drive station before loading. Bike lighting is best placed on your helmet, and additional lighting on your handlebars is beneficial. Be mindful when you are at hubs, the drive station, the return station, the village, the status boards, etc. There is nothing worse than your mate blinding you with strong lighting. During Night Rides on Wednesday, you won't be able to load the chair after 5 pm without lighting.
What trails will be open?
We know from previous experience with night riding that tracks often run a steeper grade at night. We also know that depth perception on high-trail speed/jump tracks can be exceptionally challenging in the dark. For our first few rides, we will have some closures in place whilst we, as a business, gain some confidence in what we are undertaking. Some double-black terrain and jump tracks will remain closed through this process. Ultimately, we want to keep as many trails open and available to guests at all times, but we must do so safely.
Will the walking trails/climbing trail be open?
Yes, however, if you are intending to load the chair for a ride back down, we advise allowing 2 hours to reach the top. We would also recommend the same minimum of 500 lumens. Experienced walkers/uphill bikers only.
What clothing should I wear?
Shortly after sunset, temperatures drop more quickly than at any other time during the day. We strongly advise 3 layers – a base layer, an outer layer and a windbreaker. Think, if the chairlift were to stop at the upper section of the hill for 20 minutes or if I were to crash and get hurt, would I be cold?
Will the chairlift be open for sightseers?
Yes, the chairlift will be open for sightseers who want to check out the views of Christchurch at night. If you intend to come in to ride the chairlift at night, we ask that you also bring a torch with a minimum output of 600 lumens.
Will the Café be open for food/beer after a night ride?
Are you kidding me, absolutely the Café will be open for a minimum of 1 hour after the last chair is called. Night riding is a social form of biking, and enjoying a beer/feed with your crew after a ride is a fantastic way to round out an evening.