by paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 06 Feb, 2018 12:38 pm
I went up to the seasonal closure gate in December 2017 in My RAV4. My RAV 4 is an older 2003 model with higher clearance . High Clearance is the key to driving this rough old track.
It is steep and
there is nowhere to turn around once you commit to driving the last 8 kms up to the seasonal closure gate.The turning circle there is a welcome sight.
Early on , there is a creek you must ford. Get out and walk it first if you have any apprehensions about driving your car through a creek crossing.The first time I tried to drive through it in Dec. 2017 I saw that it was flowing much too quickly and it was too deep.
The weather has been drying the area out so you should be OK. Just put the car into low gear and drive slowly and steadily through Snowy Creek. The actual Stony Tops track is rough, steep and narrow.
Once you reach the two ways take the left hand turn. Keep driving up and watch out for loose rocks, rain wash out gullies and fallen branches. I am not going up there again until I pay off my lay buy chain saw and accessories. If a tree falls down especially on the return journey then you will be stuck and stuffed, unless you can chainsaw your way out.
At the seasonal gate along a side track there is a campsite where you will find picnic tables but no water.
You could BYO water , set up a base camp there and then walk the last 7 kms to the top. The track from the gate onwards is Monster 4 WD material.
The drive back down was a sphincter clenching contest. Use a low gear and pick the right line, concentrate! . Keep the speed very low on the descent. It is steep and there are sections of the track where a mistake or lapse of attention could be scary and unpleasant.
Allow one hour to get from The Old Germantown Bridge to the seasonal closure gate.Do not try this in a Subaru or other kind of SUV if it has rained a lot the night before. Bits of the track are clay and would be slippery unless you have ALL TERRAIN tyres.
That said ,I noticed that DSE/ DWELP had recently ( Dec. 2017 )sent the bulldozer through that route and they had cleared the track on both sides as a fire break.