The ride starts from the Rifle Range car park (as reviewed in the Rifle range XC ride review in this section) Melways Map ref. 265 J3. Park your car here.

Head up Buttermans track going towards Yarra Glen for about 4 Kms. This is a good warm up for the single track that takes off to the left at the intersection of Wallace Rd and Buttermans Track. You'll have to jump a fence, and look for the track. It is not that hard to see, but not too obvious either. Follow this track all the way. It goes from a rough fire trail into a very cool single rack after about 500m. This single track goes right up the valley and has lots of logs, switchbacks and off camber tech bits to negotiate. It's not hard to find your way, just keep heading up the valley. After about 1 km of single, you'll reach a steep road that takes off to the right. Go up this and you'll meet Wallace Rd. Go left at Wallace and left at the intersection of Wallace and Skyline. Go all the way along Skyline until you reach the end. Skyline has amazing views as it follows the ridgeline that is above Steels Creek Valley. If you look to the right, you'll see the peak of Mt St Leonard across the valley with its big tower. Look for the ride review in this section on the Mt St Leonard climb. That ride rocks!

Once you reach the end of Skyline, you'll see a small track take off to the left - a fire trail - take this. This trail goes around the side of the peak you are on. After about 400m, there's an intersection with a trail taking off to the left down the hill. Take a look at it - you'll be riding up it in about 1 hour! Keep going straight ahead. The trail from here on is a fairly well maintained fire trail and it follows the ridgeline all the way towards Kinglake. Eventually you'll come to a gate after a short climb. Jump this and keep going. The only intersection is a trail that takes off to the right and joins Brennans Rd. Don't take this. Keep going left. Off to the right is a knarly fire trail. If you follow this you'll get to the bottom of Brennans Rd which is the start of the Kinglake / Steels Creek ride (also reviewed in this section.) The ride down Brennans is steep fast and very dangerous - just the way we like it.

But we're going left on this ride because the next section is awesome. It's the SLV part of the ride. A long fast downhill that has short turns with long turns thrown in. Thus the 'Short / Long Variations', or SLV's. (I know, a stupid name but we like it) This downhill eventually takes you right to the bottom of the valley. It's a crack up. You can absolutely fly down this but be careful of the odd hairpin - just where you don't expect it to be. At the bottom you'll go left and climb all the way back to the top - right to the point that you looked down before about an hour ago. This climb is tough - granny probably for most and very technical with lots of rocks. At the top, turn right and follow your footsteps back up Skyline. Where the road splits in 2 for the second time take the high road and you'll go past a house. Go right just after the house and follow the track that takes off here. It's pretty hard to see, but if you just keep heading in the same direction, you'll see it becomes more obvious. It heads down a silly steep downhill to the bottom where there is a dam. Go left here and follow the trail until you come to the first single track you rode earlier that takes off to the right. Follow the single track (it's downhill and much faster now) back to the intersection of Wallace and Buttermans. Then it's the 4-km ride back to the car.

Everyone who has ever done this ride has loved it. Sure, it's tough, but well worth the effort.

Diets