Instroe
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 06-2013
Location: Scoresby, Vic, Australia
TOTAL POSTS: 5
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Mount Wellington Track - Closest drive to Lake Tali Karng
Drove from Melbourne up through Licola, leaving the bitumen on the way to the Moroka Range. Drove past McFarlane saddle where most people stop to walk in to Tali Karng Turned right at Mt Wellington Track (classed at 4WD) - all easy dirt roads up to this point. about 2 kms up the track I crossed the Moroka River with around 300 mm of water depth. I shifted a couple of larger rocks from the other side first. Entry and exit were of average gradient. Selected 4wd in the Exy and cruised through and up the other side. Lot's of rocks and steep sections after this - to be honest if I'd known what it was like further on I would have turned round or reversed out. Still I'd come this far and wanted to get to Millers hut to camp for the night. It got tougher and steeper and rockier, the low speed that I had to move at wasn't comfortable for 1st gear and I had to slip the clutch at times. A few bumps and scrapes underneath but eventually got to the summit of Mount Wellington where there is a cairn and trig point.
Next drove down to the campsite which was just as steep and flakey as the way up. Camped, got up early and did the walk to Tali Karng and back , packed up and started to drive out. I was very nervous since I now knew what I had to get back over. The return trip started out OK but a particularly steep and rocky section had the Exy spinning wheels in 4WD with me slipping the clutch till finally the ESP cut in and wouldn't reset itself. I could smell the clutch and decided to give it time to cool and have a think. Switched off the engine, worried for a bit and looked ahead to pick the "best" route around the rocks. No phone reception, no CB radio, no back up vehicle, on my own, closest person I last saw was at McFarlane Saddle 15 kms away and since I'd just walked 12 kms down and up some very steep trails to get into the lake that morning I didn't want to walk any more. Temp was up in the 30's at this point too.
OK restarted the engine, ESP light was not on, switched ESP off, 4wd lock on, 1st gear, give the throttle some welly and slip the clutch. Up it went scratching and scrapping it's way up this worst section, I was so relieved but knew I wasn't home yet. Tootled along the top in first without any major issues and started the decent, put it into 1st and selected Hill Decent control (which I didn't do on the way in) it worked better than expected and left me to concentrate on steering only, at times it gave a little lurch forward when it went particularly slow but applied brakes again almost immediately, I was comfy, relaxed and enjoying this now. Stopped at Moroka River crossing moved a couple of rocks from the other bank and cruised over and out - the rest was simple.
Bit of a bummer that I got a screw in the front drivers tyre in Yallourn, didn't even know I had a flat tyre till someone flagged me down - no indication in the steering at all.
Anyway - good trip, incredible experience.
The Exy did it - just.
Would I do it again - No, not in my car.
Anyone who's feeling brave and adventurous should give it a shot. Get a friend to stay at McFarlane Saddle in case you get stuck.
I can only guess that the diesel would of had better low speed torque and pulled the car up those hills a lot easier.
Cant figure out how to attach a picture or gpx track log to this post?
--- Instroe Member no X-3461
2009 Xtrail, 2.5l petrol, manual, awd, tow bar.
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15/Jan/2014, 4:02 pm
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darvidanoar
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 07-2013
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
TOTAL POSTS: 66
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Re:
A great read. You had me on the edge of my seat all the way :-)
Well done on your adventure and thanks for sharing.
--- David
Member No: X-3186
2012 Nissan X-Trail ST-L
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15/Jan/2014, 9:08 pm
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