01 February 2010

Ziptrek staff leaving work for the day.  From left - Nicky Busst, Pete Weir, Haley Robertson, Toby Lord, Maddoc Hill, Trent Yeo.

Not content with zipping down a mountainside for a living, a group of adrenaline-fuelled Queenstown workers have come up with an extreme way to get to their office – and get paid for it.

Launched today (1 February) to coincide with the first day of New Zealand’s National Bikewise Month, Ziptrek Ecotours’ bike-to-work programme is designed to encourage staff to increase fitness levels and to live the company’s sustainable practice philosophy.

The town-to-office mountain bike ride is not for the fainthearted – it involves a steep (sometimes near vertical) climb from downtown Queenstown to Ziptrek’s Guest Services tree in the forest some 450m above the resort.  Staff are rewarded with extra pay for making the trek under their own steam.

“It takes between 40 minutes and in some cases over an hour of hard core, first gear mountain biking riding to get there,” puffed Ziptrek managing director Trent Yeo.  “It’s seriously hard yakka.  But it fits well with our company philosophy and it rewards our staff for choosing a healthy and environmentally sustainable way of getting to work.

“It feels good to know we’re doing our part to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions as well as contributing to better health, fitness and a chance to enjoy our scenery,” said Mr Yeo.

“We hope our initiative will spur more people to use a bike to get to and from work.  It shouldn’t be too hard in Queenstown – there are plenty of extreme people here who do this kind of biking as a matter of course,” said Mr Yeo.

Ziptrek Ecotours is working with Wakatipu Trails Trust, Vertigo Bikes and Queenstown Mountain Bike Club to promote local community recreational mountain bike tracks. 

 Ziptrek staff homeward bound!  From left - Nicky Busst, Toby Lord, Trent Yeo, Maddoc Hill, Pete Weir, Haley Robertson