G’day All,
What an adventure this turned out to be. We had arrived in Warratah a day earlier to snow and then headed off to Guilford (about 15klms away) and the educational hut to meet up with the Tamar Valley 4Wd Club.
After Friday night drinks and getting to know the members of the club (who are just awesome I may add), a few possible tracks were mentioned. I luckily had my ears on auto pilot and didn’t hear the words Coldstream Track on Saturday. Probably just as well as I may have backed out fearing panel damage and sleep overs. You may remember the Coldstream Track if you follow 4Wd Action and Roothy. Roothy’s famous trip to the West Coast of Tassie was to tackle this very track. The crew he went out with ended up on the track for three days after much mud, winching and broken cars…ouch.
To say I was a little surprised to find out what track I was on early the next day was an understatement…but alas too late to turn around…just follow the merry convoy of wildly modified vehicles!
The track itself started with a nice water crossing, deep in parts…as is all water around Tassie (bonnet height alarms nobody…sometimes those without snorkels too, they are a mad keen bunch of 4Wder’s here in Tassie) but safely negotiated by all except for an well placed boulder which seemed to attract just about everyone’s front diff. Onwards the track started to get muddier with many tight sections where zig zags were required to get around fallen trees. I think the first big fallen tree, where the track was built up and over the tree is what broke my rear sway bar. As we went over there was a fairly large bang which had everyone looking. The damage was only spotted two days later whilst inspecting the car.
Continuing on, mud, tight corners, more mud, ruts, more ruts, overgrown trees, bog holes and steep greasy, clay hills.
This track was the sort of track where sometimes you had about 2-3 cms on either side of your truck to clear trees. Any slight mistake was going to end in panel damage…and there was plenty of that today.
Our XXXX moment came when trying to drive around a big fallen nobbly tree which was kindly placed on a sloping bank and at the top of a slippery down hill slope. Trying to give my self clearance, I misjudged the space I needed and watched the front of the car and passenger door slide right at the biggest most nobbly part of the tree. Waiting for the crunch was painstaking…and amazingly it didn’t come, although I wasn’t looking forward to inspecting the passenger door which was resting against the tree. Maz (what an amazing bloke with so many great stories to tell (and the daddy and caretaker of the club)) was first to my window and simply said “turn off your engine, hop out and take 5 mins.” Well I thought that meant panel damage. However to everyones amazement the car was restingon the tree but with no pressure and no dent to the car. Maz had actually saved the day making me think about the situation before trying to reverse away. Check out the photos…simply amazing! Anyway with the use of the winch we pulled the car side ways enough to chock the rock slides with small logs to push the car out of the way and with somevery handy chainsawing we managed to very slowely drive the car out of danger…simply miraculous.
Fortunately, this was the worst to happen to my car all day, others dented panels, broke parts, damaged tyres and the list goes on…all in the name of fun hey.
There were many close encounters on the track and too many to list and finally we made it to the river crossing which was fortunately not too deep. At the other side of the river was a very, very steep incline right out of the river and continuing for about 500m. Only one way to negotiate this, right foot and if in doubt more right foot. Not too many cars made it up the hill first time or unassisted but I am happy to report that with the help of two new BFG Mud Krawlers on the front and two engaged diff locks we made it!!! That been said there were a few stages were the car was just sat on the hill, all four wheels spinning with me swinging the steering left and right hoping for the tyres to bite. What an awesome way to finish an awesome day out with an awesome club and some of the best people we have met so far on our Tassie escape.
With the adrenalin still pumping and night fastly approaching we quickly fixed a crook alternator on the car of Maz and drove back to the Guilford Forestry Hut arriving after dark.
What can I say…been there done that…phew, no damage and completed in one day…eat your heart out Roothy…but what an awesome track! Would I do it again………………..yes after a long thought.
Photos and vids on the way
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia