havachat
Forum Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2013
- Messages
- 931
- Location
- near Healesville Victoria Australia
- Car Year
- 2002
- Car Model
- Forester SG
- Transmission
- 1.447 low range 4.44 diffs
I had been keeping my eye on the weather forecast and it was looking like last Wednesday would be ideal for an off road day snow trip.
With an arctic blast hitting southern Australia Tuesday night I told my boss I would be not be in making the most of the snow falls! Snow was forecast down to 300 metres !!
The plan was to head into the Mansfield State Forest up to Tomahawk Hut. Packed my Sorels, snow chains, Treds, creeper winch and shovel.
Wednesday morning massive falls of snow being reported, invited the wife and headed off to Mansfield for an early lunch at our favourite lunch spot. Form here we headed towards Merrijig turning off towards the bush tracks off Buttercup Road.
The first mistake was I invited the wife, the second mistake was i did the first creek crossing without warning her
followed by the next creek crossing (third mistake). Okay the water was flowing fast but the creeks were pretty shallow.
As we headed up Buttercup Road the Forest was being covered in more and more snow. We passed a campsite of some very cold campers trying to make the most of a smoking fire! We then headed on onto Carters Road and the red mud track soon was totally white with only a couple of vehicle tracks.
At this point I stopped and put the snow chains on as it was starting to get a bit slippery on the steeper sections.
We continued on and soon it was becoming obvious that there may only be one other vehicle out there and the UHF radio was silent.
As we neared Buckland Spur Track, even with the snow chains the track was becoming slippery. At this point I was thinking we are not going to make it to the hut and it was time to turn around.
As I pushed around a left hand bend in the track and could see Buckland Spur Track, yes the next mistake ! The back of the Forester without warning spun out to my left
Needless to say I was being given plenty of advice! On getting out of the Foz I accessed the situation with the rear wheels off the track and the For at a right angle to the track.
I got the shovel out and dug down to give the rear wheels something to bite into and whacked the Treds under them. I easily got back onto the track and used the Treds several more times until I was pointed back down the track.
At this point I had walked up to the other track and saw there was deep soft snow along it so there was no chance of getting to the hut.
So it was time to head back.
Heading down the track it snowed several times and we still did not see any other vehicles and stopped several time to take photos.
The as the snow started to thin out we came across a couple in a Toyota Hilux doing a u-turn and chickening out !!
We then headed out of the forest to Sawmill Settlement and then back home.
It still turned out to be a good trip and demonstrates that you always need to carry the recovery gear!
With an arctic blast hitting southern Australia Tuesday night I told my boss I would be not be in making the most of the snow falls! Snow was forecast down to 300 metres !!
The plan was to head into the Mansfield State Forest up to Tomahawk Hut. Packed my Sorels, snow chains, Treds, creeper winch and shovel.
Wednesday morning massive falls of snow being reported, invited the wife and headed off to Mansfield for an early lunch at our favourite lunch spot. Form here we headed towards Merrijig turning off towards the bush tracks off Buttercup Road.
The first mistake was I invited the wife, the second mistake was i did the first creek crossing without warning her
followed by the next creek crossing (third mistake). Okay the water was flowing fast but the creeks were pretty shallow.As we headed up Buttercup Road the Forest was being covered in more and more snow. We passed a campsite of some very cold campers trying to make the most of a smoking fire! We then headed on onto Carters Road and the red mud track soon was totally white with only a couple of vehicle tracks.
At this point I stopped and put the snow chains on as it was starting to get a bit slippery on the steeper sections.
We continued on and soon it was becoming obvious that there may only be one other vehicle out there and the UHF radio was silent.
As we neared Buckland Spur Track, even with the snow chains the track was becoming slippery. At this point I was thinking we are not going to make it to the hut and it was time to turn around.
As I pushed around a left hand bend in the track and could see Buckland Spur Track, yes the next mistake ! The back of the Forester without warning spun out to my left
Needless to say I was being given plenty of advice! On getting out of the Foz I accessed the situation with the rear wheels off the track and the For at a right angle to the track. I got the shovel out and dug down to give the rear wheels something to bite into and whacked the Treds under them. I easily got back onto the track and used the Treds several more times until I was pointed back down the track.
At this point I had walked up to the other track and saw there was deep soft snow along it so there was no chance of getting to the hut.
So it was time to head back.
Heading down the track it snowed several times and we still did not see any other vehicles and stopped several time to take photos.
The as the snow started to thin out we came across a couple in a Toyota Hilux doing a u-turn and chickening out !!
We then headed out of the forest to Sawmill Settlement and then back home.
It still turned out to be a good trip and demonstrates that you always need to carry the recovery gear!
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