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Hi All - I'm a 4by newbie (4 weeks now 
) and thought i'd post a lil' report...
Well last friday morning (9/10/09) I was feeling horribly sick and highly contageous and I just couldn't go to work :wink: So, a trip with the lads up to Saunders Gorge was on the cards given it was the last (week) day of school holidays. I'd read a few posts about this place with the general consensus being that it is an easy track...
Anyway, took hours for the kids etc to get organised so we didn't get on the track til 12 o'clock. Plus, I got stuck behind the worst driver I've ever been behind, which meant the trip up the hills took FOREVER!!!! I really wanted to leave my bullbar impression on her boot!!! But, I decided to be patient. After all, I was very very sick :lol:
I wasn't expecting a difficult track. And, 15 of the 23ks really are a fairly comfortable stroll. Now, remembering that i'm new, I did find the remaining track to require quite a bit of concentration and caution!! There are some very deep ruts and large rocks and quick travel over them would definitely do damage to the undercarriage if you don't have a 2" lift. We had been warned about the descent from Rocky Point Lookout. A lot of people with SUVS and automatics (leaving the vehicle in Drive rather than low gear) have dug out some big obstacles because of riding the brakes rather than crawling in 4Lo. Pics of this are below taken from the front seat (they don't do justice at all) and one shows the size of the slope after this.
Anyway, a lot of people are taking the short cut and bypassing this whole climb and descent. I, on the other hand, was keen to test the Prado's capabilities, as was my wife. So, the climb up was bumpy and fun. The start of the descent was relatively easy until... you are basically confronted with giant steps :shock: ! That's when you hear 'can we go back' coming from those in the rear. Um, reversing up a very rough 45 degree slope? I don't think so. Only way is down people :lol: I was very please with the prado. We took this slope VERY slowly because you would do some serious damage otherwise. This is why some people have created a U turn bay at the top... A way of backing out... Not me though. We scraped a few times but never enough to do damage. You just need to pick the best route and stick to it, and because of the damage it now is necessary to ride the brakes a litte and easy her into the dips.
A few sighs of relief and off to do the rest of the track, now even more confident. Another 4by had actually stopped over the gully and parked so they could eat lunch and watch me come down... "We got some pictures of you coming down! Pretty rough slope"... Obviously, they had bypassed. After talking to him though, I should have given him my email and asked for the pics! Oh well... The last 5 ks or so of the track are continually rough, and by the end of it you will be begging for some bitumen just so that you can relax. I never realised how much concentration safe 4x4ing takes. I needed a nanna nap when I got home!
So, although not extremely challenging, they are excellent beginners - or dare I say - intermediate tracks. I'm sure that if more people went there they would actually say that it was harder than expected (at least half of it anyway). The increase in traffic is making the track harder which is exactly what we want. We do a lot of sand driving in SA so this place is very good at brushing up your skills over rocky terrain. And, at $45 it is well priced I think.
The owners were questioning me whether I had an SUV when I called up. It sounds like they are going to stop allowing them on the track because they just aren't built for it in my opinion. Some of it - yeah - but not all. And, if one were stuck when I was there I certainly wouldn't waste my time getting them out. You do really need low range for this track. This is excellent for beginners to learn the difference in gearing in 4lo as well because we don't use it too often. They do get some groups through there, and i'm not sure whether PP has visited there before for a day trip. But, it would be good, especially if they allowed you to do the track in reverse, because this would be a new challenge.
On a different note - I was at Deep Creek the weekend before and there were plenty of SUVs (CRV, x-trail etc) down the 4x4 only tracks. It had rained in the morning and if it had continued to rain a little more, they wouldn't be getting themselves out too quickly. Anyway, I managed to get the prado dirty that weekend also. In the two beginners trips that I have had, I am totally confident in the Prado's ability. My wife comments nearly every time we get in the car - "can this car get any better"? It just seems to be able to do anything...
Sorry for the long post... I've addes some pics below.
Cheers -
iz
Letting tyres down to 28psi
The first part of the track is pretty easy going
Having a look at the old gold mines
And copper mines
The boys persist on sitting in the very back. I'm sure this is the worse place to sit while travelling the rough tracks. Feeling a bit queezy...
Time to stop for lunch then at the top of the lookout
The descent from the lookout. The photo's do no justice....
Old stone walls. The scottish were paid 1 pound per chain (22 yards) of completed wall. Hard work...
I love my prado
) and thought i'd post a lil' report...Well last friday morning (9/10/09) I was feeling horribly sick and highly contageous and I just couldn't go to work :wink: So, a trip with the lads up to Saunders Gorge was on the cards given it was the last (week) day of school holidays. I'd read a few posts about this place with the general consensus being that it is an easy track...
Anyway, took hours for the kids etc to get organised so we didn't get on the track til 12 o'clock. Plus, I got stuck behind the worst driver I've ever been behind, which meant the trip up the hills took FOREVER!!!! I really wanted to leave my bullbar impression on her boot!!! But, I decided to be patient. After all, I was very very sick :lol:
I wasn't expecting a difficult track. And, 15 of the 23ks really are a fairly comfortable stroll. Now, remembering that i'm new, I did find the remaining track to require quite a bit of concentration and caution!! There are some very deep ruts and large rocks and quick travel over them would definitely do damage to the undercarriage if you don't have a 2" lift. We had been warned about the descent from Rocky Point Lookout. A lot of people with SUVS and automatics (leaving the vehicle in Drive rather than low gear) have dug out some big obstacles because of riding the brakes rather than crawling in 4Lo. Pics of this are below taken from the front seat (they don't do justice at all) and one shows the size of the slope after this.
Anyway, a lot of people are taking the short cut and bypassing this whole climb and descent. I, on the other hand, was keen to test the Prado's capabilities, as was my wife. So, the climb up was bumpy and fun. The start of the descent was relatively easy until... you are basically confronted with giant steps :shock: ! That's when you hear 'can we go back' coming from those in the rear. Um, reversing up a very rough 45 degree slope? I don't think so. Only way is down people :lol: I was very please with the prado. We took this slope VERY slowly because you would do some serious damage otherwise. This is why some people have created a U turn bay at the top... A way of backing out... Not me though. We scraped a few times but never enough to do damage. You just need to pick the best route and stick to it, and because of the damage it now is necessary to ride the brakes a litte and easy her into the dips.
A few sighs of relief and off to do the rest of the track, now even more confident. Another 4by had actually stopped over the gully and parked so they could eat lunch and watch me come down... "We got some pictures of you coming down! Pretty rough slope"... Obviously, they had bypassed. After talking to him though, I should have given him my email and asked for the pics! Oh well... The last 5 ks or so of the track are continually rough, and by the end of it you will be begging for some bitumen just so that you can relax. I never realised how much concentration safe 4x4ing takes. I needed a nanna nap when I got home!
So, although not extremely challenging, they are excellent beginners - or dare I say - intermediate tracks. I'm sure that if more people went there they would actually say that it was harder than expected (at least half of it anyway). The increase in traffic is making the track harder which is exactly what we want. We do a lot of sand driving in SA so this place is very good at brushing up your skills over rocky terrain. And, at $45 it is well priced I think.
The owners were questioning me whether I had an SUV when I called up. It sounds like they are going to stop allowing them on the track because they just aren't built for it in my opinion. Some of it - yeah - but not all. And, if one were stuck when I was there I certainly wouldn't waste my time getting them out. You do really need low range for this track. This is excellent for beginners to learn the difference in gearing in 4lo as well because we don't use it too often. They do get some groups through there, and i'm not sure whether PP has visited there before for a day trip. But, it would be good, especially if they allowed you to do the track in reverse, because this would be a new challenge.
On a different note - I was at Deep Creek the weekend before and there were plenty of SUVs (CRV, x-trail etc) down the 4x4 only tracks. It had rained in the morning and if it had continued to rain a little more, they wouldn't be getting themselves out too quickly. Anyway, I managed to get the prado dirty that weekend also. In the two beginners trips that I have had, I am totally confident in the Prado's ability. My wife comments nearly every time we get in the car - "can this car get any better"? It just seems to be able to do anything...
Sorry for the long post... I've addes some pics below.
Cheers -
iz
Letting tyres down to 28psi
The first part of the track is pretty easy going
Having a look at the old gold mines
And copper mines
The boys persist on sitting in the very back. I'm sure this is the worse place to sit while travelling the rough tracks. Feeling a bit queezy...
Time to stop for lunch then at the top of the lookout
The descent from the lookout. The photo's do no justice....
Old stone walls. The scottish were paid 1 pound per chain (22 yards) of completed wall. Hard work...
I love my prado
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