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Toddyh03 Profile
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Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


On the weekend a group of us from 4x4earth and the Australian X-Trail forum completed the 6 Foot Track out of Little Hartley on Saturday then headed to Lowes Mount State Forest to camp and do some exploring on Sunday. The group was Clough in the his Prado with his 4 legged navigator Marlin, Gav in the Crusier with his 2 legged navigator Alicia, Tony in the Navara, Ian in the X-Trail Ti and me in the X-Trail TS with two absolutely rubbish four legged navigators.

We me at the Lolly Bug on the Great Western Highway before heading down Cox's River Road. Very easy drive along tar and good dirt roads. A couple of wrong turns later (obviously the fault of my navigators) and we we started to descent into the valley. From there we followed the track down to Cox's River.



A 15 minute walk upstream to Bowtell's Swing Bridge then a bit of lunch back at the camp ground.
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We then followed the track back up and out of the valley towards Black Range. A few small creek crossings on the way.





Easy drive out to Jenolan Caves Road where we said goodbye to Tony. The rest of us head through Jenolan State Forest and stayed on dirt roads where possible all the way to Lowes Mount State Forest where we set up camp. I don't have any photos of our camp site. After some initial drama getting the chainsaw stuck in a fallen tree (had to use Clough's bottle jack to free it) we eventually got enough firewood and could relax and have a beer or 15.

In the morning we had brekky, packed up camp and then started to explore. Found a super rutted hill climb just near camp. I only got about 1/3 of the way up before the X-Trail cried and said no more. Clough made the full length in the Prado. We turned around here and headed up the other side of the gully trying to find Sugarloaf Point. Took us a couple of goes but we got there.

ImageImageImage

We found another little track that looked like it might head to the actual Lowes Mount so followed that for a bit. It went right along the back of private property where we could see the mount but not set foot on it. Kept following the track as it started to descend away from the Mount.



Past this point it got ultra steep with some thigh high steps and big washouts. We turned around. Just up the track there was a bit of a flex off...

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Who do you think won?

We headed back down the mountain and followed the creek south with several crossings. Some which looked very shallow but were pretty deceptive.





Towards the end of this track we turned up the steepest hill climb of the day. This hill will now be known as Ian's Hill'. Ian got about 1/3 the way up and ran out of puff. Managed to reverse down and let Gav crawl past with 8 cylinders of low range goodness. Ian had another go and with more momentum got further but still ran out of puff. After a few attempts to get going again mid hill the white flag was raised to save the poor clutch and 4x4 system which had overheated and given up. I went up then Clough came up and hooked up to Ian's X-Trail and towed his the last half of the hill. I only have one photo of the hill and as always photos never do hills justice.
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Watch for Clough's very special pink Hello Kitty beanie.



Easy drive out from here before we aired up and went into Oberon for a late lunch before heading home. Great weekend out. Thanks guys for coming out and making is so much fun.

See the route here.

Last edited by Toddyh03, 8/Jul/2013, 10:40 am


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Toddyh X-2048 (c)
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Old: 2010 T31 Diesel modified
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Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6355
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


Nice trip Todd. Would have loved to go along.

The 6ft track climb looked like there were a few tricky ruts in it.
Are you sure that Lowes Mount descent was actually a track. Didn't look travelled much.
Do you think Ian didn't get up the last hill mainly because of a lack of torque from the petrol engine compared to your diesel or do you think his oversized tyres might have had an effect ?

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Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
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Toddyh03 Profile
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Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


6 Foot Track was easy Kev. Those ruts were fairly small and provided you pick your line not a problem at all. There was one exit to the creek crossings that was a bit rocky and one entry that was a bit muddy but still very easy.

Ian's tyres are only 12mm bigger than mine. The issue was definitely lack of torque from the petrol engine. I crawled up at between 1500-2000rpm. Ian has only had his car for 8 months. I think with more experience he will get to know the car better and be able to get it up hills like that. Just learning where to keep the revs, how much wheel spin is too much (to the point where you lose momentum and speed) and things like that.

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Toddyh X-2048 (c)
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Date Registered: 02-2013
Location: Gold Coast
TOTAL POSTS: 38
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


Great trip report. I especially enjoyed the videos. Although I haven't had my X-Trail out for anything more than the beach so far, the intention is to tackle some offroad adventures. Your reports continue to prove how capable the little beasts are.

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Michael X-2919
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Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6355
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


quote:

Toddyh03 wrote:
The issue was definitely lack of torque from the petrol engine. I crawled up at between 1500-2000rpm. Ian has only had his car for 8 months. I think with more experience he will get to know the car better and be able to get it up hills like that. Just learning where to keep the revs, how much wheel spin is too much (to the point where you lose momentum and speed) and things like that.



That's one thing an Auto helps with.

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Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
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Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


I'd like to see an auto do the same hill. I think if you stopped the engine would rev up but the torque converter wouldn't allow the wheels to move. Be very interesting to see how an auto would cope anyway.

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Toddyh X-2048 (c)
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Date Registered: 06-2008
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 5966
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Re:


It was a good little trip, wish I could have stayed for the Sunday, oh well next time.
Maybe a forum trip to see how the auto's tackle the steep hill.


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Tony X-891c

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HERE is my old 2008 T31, ST Series1

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Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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Re: Re:


quote:

cooch t31 wrote:

Maybe a forum trip to see how the auto's tackle the steep hill.



Feel free to organise it Tony. I won't be leading any trips for a while. My recommendation would be bash plates as a minimum requirement. Some of the exits to the creek crossings are a bit rocky.


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Toddyh X-2048 (c)
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Date Registered: 11-2012
Location: Broome
TOTAL POSTS: 547
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


great trip report mate. you always do a good write up

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maxgmoore X-2776 (c)
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9/Jul/2013, 8:44 am Link to this post Send Email PM   Send Private Message Blog
 
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Date Registered: 08-2011
Location: Lalor Park, NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 1663
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Re: 6 Foot Track and Lowes Mount State Forest


Just for anyone wondering I did a quick calc on the slope of 'Ians Hill' based on topo maps. It was around 35 degrees or 70% slope on average. Obviously there was some steeper sections.

To put that into perspective, the climb out of the Kowmung River towards Jenolan Caves on the Caves to Caves trip is around 20 degrees or 36% slope.
The steepest track on the Caves to Caves is definitely the climb out of Werong Creek on Middle Werong Fire Trail which is around 25 degrees on average or 46% slope (with steeper sections obviously).
I did the calcs on the Caves to Caves hills over the steepest sections only, whereas the calc on 'Ians Hill' was over the entire length. Should give you an idea as to just how steep it was.

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Toddyh X-2048 (c)
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