Got an email from Flynny and have updated the Description in the Hassans Trail page… here for your edification.
 (Sounds even better….)
 
Hassans Walls is the name of the escarpment cliff on the south side of Lithgow, which has what’s billed as the Blue Mountains highest (1130M), most expansive views. From the Lookout you can see Mt Wilson, Mt York, Mt Tarana and Mt Blaxland and the whole Hartley Valley below. To the south are the Kanimbla and Megalong Valleys and Mt Bindo (1363 m). It’s pretty good, I guess, though I’ve seen more spectacular vistas at Faulconbridge and Mt Banks. The trail starts about 500M short of the top where there’s a lookout building-come picnic spot and several walking trails to the cliff edges. Plenty of signs around to warn you off (I figure they must have lost a few by accident and perhaps a few taking “the quick way out”…).
 
The trailhead is a gated track with a no-vehicles sign (OK for bikes) that heads up another ridge before going down the Lithgow side of Hassans Hill.
 
Small area for a bit of parking next to the gate. It was a glorious Saturday and I didn’t see anyone else there so assume it doesn’t get too busy. I could have ridden up the Hassan’s Hill Road but decided I would have to do that wherever the car was parked (and in the end I rode up twice).
 
500M past the gates is a huge turning circle – helicopter landing pad size – and then a trail split: the first of many along the way. The first trail I rode is called Channel 6. To find the actual start you take the left fork and then right into single trail before the DH trail starts. Paralleling the road, Channel 6 heads to a line of power poles and down a fast firetrail to a couple of comms dishes atop a small bunker (the Channel 6 Transmission Towers maybe?). At that point the trail stops in a very tight turning circle (Telstra minivan size) unless you want to go near-vertical down a rocky decline…. But if you’re still sane, then backtrack about 20 M before the dishes to discover a technical but very rideable narrow singletrack through bush, with good views of the Lithgow through the trees.
 
Unfortunately the trail’s not that long and within 5-10 mins I was at street level… and sticking close to the hill I rode around and back up the hill to try out the second trail, The Downhill.
 
From the top, same start, but this time you head left at the fork and keep left, following the trail till you get to another firetrail downhill veering right…or – off to the side – a man-made jump that looks like it’s part of a loop… but is actually the start of a really, really great DH singletrack that heads down and across a much longer valley.
 
Someone’s done some great work here, forming beautiful berms – about 20 of them, going down the side of the valley. Stunning track reminding me of a well-maintained Ourimbah. After these beautiful berms it gets a bit technical here and there so take it easy. Really memorable though. Crossing the saddle of the valley it flattens out for about 200M then hits a much steeper section. The day I went it was dry and dusty and I walked a few bits that were fairly slippery. But downhillers looking for a superfast singletrack will eat it up. The record, according to Flynny who works at the local bike shop (Insane Cycles) is 2 minutes & 48 seconds. The rest of us mere mortals might take between 5 and 10…
 
Has to be one of the best in Sydney, and rightfully so, since it’s Flynny says been used for years to host state, national and international DH races.
 
Just one point. If you hear gunshots, don’t worry. I was casually sliding down a dusty section and heard a series of bangs, thinking, “Shit!” Deliverance Day: the rednecks are up here taking pot shots at anything that moves…
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Pays not to jump to conclusions: Though the gunshots got louder as I descended, I could hear voices and eventually heard someone in an official voice say, “Ok the next round I want you to shoot…”. Turns out there’s a gun club situated near the trail, with a saddle between. Saw a few cars parked but don’t see the range itself. The DH trail (Gun Club track) does in fact cross down behind the local shooting range and technically you are not suppose to ride it while they are shooting.
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From there on down the trail flattens out and you head more west towards the road and then round the streets (keep hugging the hill) and up again.
 
All up maybe a 15-20 minute ride on the down and 30-35 mins up. But they tell me there are approximately 14 more tracks to explore (all starting as firetrail then becoming singletrack, which are usually short and technical – a DH paradise..?)…including the Hartley Valley Road which is apparently a great ride up as well…
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Spring & Autumn the best times of year.
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[When I get the chance to head back I’ll update the maps & the gpx to highlight some of the other trails…]