Not sure of the exact format this year, check the Targa website. Usually Saturday is the Special Stage in Mansfield, and then Sunday the Buller hillclimb. Sunday they usually close the Buller road late morning/lunch time and it doesn't re open again til evening. Pretty cool weekend to be in the village.
If you're up for a decent climb, try 4 mile spur which leaves around Sheepsyard Flat and pops in at Zwier's Zig Zag. It's pretty full on and in your face! The trail is pretty overgrown at the top. Once you hit Baldy you will have ascended over 1200m not considering the downhill bits.
West Ridge - more scenic yet if you start on the trail head at Dougherty's Road it's a much smaller climb.
Thank you for the information
@mx_boarder. It was somewhat amusing, of all the weekends to plan a quiet hike but you were right, it was a fun weekend to be there. I was aware there are bike events now and then but it was only djam's message above about Cup Weekend that prompted me to check. Targa hadn't even been on my radar. Once I knew about it though, I thought I might even see some cool cars and enjoy the Village atmosphere. Road closures were my main concern but checking websites, all okay providing I made Mirimbah before 9.45am Saturday. The road was closed for a few hours then. No drama if I'd been blocked, Plan B being a hike to Paps Lookout.
Saturday was a Mansfield-based exercise as you thought. So with most activity concentrated off mountain, I thought Buller would be reasonably deserted. Spot on.
@Timmossy, 1200 vertical metres? That's not a hike, that's a death wish
. The roughly 500 vert metres from Village to Summit, then around Summit & Moonlight Ridge for several hours, then back down again, felt plenty!
A fine spring day at Buller
Driving to the Village around 9am, marquees were set up at Mirimbah and Hellcat Creek (make that Chalet Creek. Auto correct is too funny). We saw a few Targa cars on their way down, plenty more scattered around the village. Although I'm not a car enthusiast, I was impressed. I also saw the humour in my very ordinary small sedan parked between a bunch of very shiny Lotuses and Porches
We climbed to the Summit and had the mountain to ourselves from the moment we touched the dirt road at the Arlberg. The day was gorgeous, sunny and mild with just the lightest breeze. With spectacular views to forever, the Summit seemed an appropriate and peaceful setting to pause at 11 am for Remembrance Day.
Looking northeast, Mt Buffalo was clearly visible. It's the pair of sharp peaks just right of centre on my 4th photo. A close up of Bogong shows what appears to be a trail of snow snaking its way down the southern side.
There were still a few patches of natural snow around the Summit to remind us of the terrific winter past, as well as the two large piles on the terrain park. If only there was enough snow in the Chutes, I would have been all over them, of course
Over our picnic lunch, we watched a pair of huge birds soaring around the ridge, hovering, then plummeting like darts onto prey. I think they could have been Brown Falcons or similar, but whatever species, they were quite enthralling.
Macleay's Swallowtail Butterflies flitted in circled around the fire hut and photobombed my pictures. We took care not to step on the many Ladybugs along the trails. This mountain is so beautiful in any season.
One line left on Fast One, what you'll need to be to get it. 2nd chute about 4 turns long.
