29-30 March -2014 - Wonnangatta Valley - Easy / Medium

[luigi]

Hi Fellas.
Hi Mike. I'll be there too.
Regards, Wayne.

[Mike57]

Still planning to go on the Friday and camp at Horseyard (any other early starters welcome join me), probably meet you at the Pinnacles, I'm guessing you'd be there about 11am. I might be heading to East Gippsland afterwards so may leave you at Arbuckle Junction and head back down Marathon instead of Tamborintha.

Steve

Say 10.30 am to 11.00 am at the Pinnacles, unless everyone on the trip has already been to the Pinnacles and we don't need to go there again. Is it channel 26 that you normally use? We could find you on the CB or call into Horse Yard Flat on the way through or see you at the Pinnacles. I will travel down in the morning.

Mike

[gwagensteve]

Weather permitting Seonaid and I are in for this.

Steve.

[Mike57]

Excellent!

Then the list of attendees now is:

Mike - Jimny
Richard - Siera
Christover - Vitara (Chris to confirm closer to the date)
Steve125 - Siera
Chen - GV
Wayne - Siera
Tony - Landcruiser (one of my 4WD mates who will come as a temporary member)
Gwagensteve - Landrover 110?

If you could all PM me your mobile numbers because my phone did a software update last month and probably due to user error I lost all the numbers I had entered directly into my phone (still have all the numbers that were entered into my Outlook directory on the PC but all the club numbers are gone). I will give you all a call a couple of days beforehand just to confirm it is on and that you are coming. Also useful for checking if someone is running late. I will send you my mobile as well.

Happy New year.

Mike

[Mike57]

Thanks to all for sending me your mobile numbers. (Wayne I got yours from another post).

I just spoke to the ranger at Dargo. Billy Goat Bluff Track is a little cut up at the moment but just needs caution to be exercised. They jack hammered the rock ledge a year ago and had it all in good shape but too many big vehicles going along it this season have cut it up and it is starting to deteriorate again. It is fine if approached with caution and slowly.

Hearne Spurr has been bulldozed and is by far the easiest track into the valley from the direction we are taking so we will take that route. Zeka Spurr had a bulldozer over is after winter so that is pretty easy going as well (the way out on Sunday).

The ranger advised that a big rain event around Mt Hotham (50 to 100mm) in the 24 hours prior to our trip will bring the rivers up but is dissipates within 12 to 24 hours. I got the river height web site details to check as well. That should not be a problem for us at all, these rivers are normally no more than 500mm deep in summer at the crossing points.

So Billy Goat Bluff will be the main challenge and probably 10 kph most of the way but it is only about 10 km long. I have done this as a novice (well more novice than now even) and if taken slowly there is no problem. Saturday will be a long day but we plan to get into the Valley by 5.00 pm all going well and without spending too much time taking photos along the way. We will need to get a prompt start from Statford on the morning of the 18th.

I will be in touch a few days before the trip to confirm it is on.


Mike

[gwagensteve]

Thanks for the update Mike.

Steve.

[Greg]

8 cars! Great work Mike. Looks like all that forward notice is going to pay off.

[Richardnclark]

Thanks for the update Mike! Cheers Richard

[steve125]

Change of plan. I will now meet you all in Stratford on the Saturday morning so I can avoid driving in the heat forecast for Friday. Just need to decide which car to take, thinking of being soft and bringing the Navara. If Billy Goat is the worst track, I think it should be OK.

[Mike57]

Steve

It looks like being OK by Saturday and I will check the CFA warnings on Thursday and again on Friday. I would say the Navara should be fine. Do you have highway tyres on it? You might not be able to let as much air out of them as you would otherwise for the rocks but even with rain it should not be muddy or slippery, just a shale surface at worst.

Mike