Caves to Caves - Part III - Recovery should be a four letter word...

Our plan on departing Yerranderie was to retrace our steps to Mount Werong, where we would then proceed to Boyd River via Dingo Dell and the Kowmung River Fire Trail. On the Banshee Road into Dingo Dell we had our fist hint things might get a bit more exciting with a small NPWS sign stating simply 4WD ONLY. Hmm. I had been wondering to myself if we were going to see any steep hills requiring low range during this trip. Sure, some of the hills in and out of Yerranderie required first gear hauling the camper up them, but nothing thus far would have presented a challenge for a normal car, carefully driven. All this was about to change...

At last we engaged low range for the descent into Dingo Dell. As we continued down into the valley we realised that the trail was very steep in places, and the surface was clay in several places. We were looking forward to lunch at the bottom, but the clouds started to close in, and a shower of rain greeted us as we pulled into the camp site.

Descending on the Banshea Road to Dingo Dell

The creek at Dingo Dell campground

A little word in the back of my head said we needed to get out of there... now. Jo echoed my thoughts by voicing them, clearly and succinctly.

The Little Fisherman was most disappointed as we elected to continue our journey up and out of the valley before the rain set in - delaying two of the most important things in the world - an opportunity to wet his line AND lunch.

As we headed north from Dingo Dell towards the Tuglow Caves, the track seemed to be even more steep that the entry. We then stopped at the bottom of a steep and badly rutted section for a pause, a think and to drop another 5psi out of the tyres.



The track from the bottom to the first erosion hump had been badly chewed out, with a very steep lip to the flatter section, before another steep run to the next and subsequent humps. We were in a tight spot - unable to really turn around - and we wanted to get out of there before the showers returned.

The view from the bottom

Letting down the tyres some more!

The track was dry enough - the rain hadn't yet made it too greasy on top, however there was a nasty rut on the left that would have swallowed one of the little helpers. There was one way to get up - and that was by staying on the high side, so with Mum standing by with the camera we gave it a go.

I think I can

I THINK I CAN!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... oh bother. Just as Terry's front wheels made it to the flatter section, the rear slipped left and into the rut. Stuck. Forward progress impossible. The Little Helpers learnt a new word... :(

Almost made it.....

I thought I might be able to back down for another run, but as the rear of the car had slipped into the rut, the camper remained on the higher side. I edged back about a metre. It became apparent that the trailer was at such an angle to make any further reversing impossible. Stuck. Backward progress impossible.

Now the front wheels are stuck in the rut too!  

I was to think alot about that metre in the next hour or so.

Proper stuck. Jo for once didn't offer an opinion, she just said very clearly and I suspect through clenched teeth "Get us out!".

It was just after midday - lunch time. We were stuck down the bottom of a greasy slope with no idea what lay ahead, but hoping to goodness it wasn't as bad as what we had come through. The guide book said it was steep on the other side of the Kowmung River... and we hadn't even got there yet! Oh boy.

The rain was holding off - just. Food was on everyone's mind, but Mum just wanted to get to the next camp and set up before the rain came in. I couldn't believe it, but we were in for a proper recovery.

Thank goodness for the tree!

Almost set up... once the work started the camera was put away :)

So out came the hand winch, and for the next hour or so, I inched Terry and Matilda up the slope and onto the flatter area on the uphill side of the erosion mound. The boys watched from a safe distance - delighted with the spectacle, and Mum did a fantastic job trying to get any traction she could whilst I simply pulled on the winch lever. 5 centimetres at a time, Terry and Matilda slowly came over the mound. 5 centimetres a throw and I cursed every centimetre of the whole metre I had lost trying to get back down the slope.

Eventually we were up and over the mound. We stopped, disconnected the winch and crossed all our fingers and toes for the next bit, but Terry sailed up the slope without a drama. Until we got to the Kowamung River.

We pulled up in a parking area and I walked down to the river. The entry was steep, muddy and chewed up, not a great start. My main concern was the exit, but I couldn't see it, so it was bathers on and a very very chilly wade through to the other side. My relief at finding the exit was straightforward was short lived. The ascent up the other side of the valley was steep as any we had been on, but looked well maintained. We had to give it a go.

With wipers on and the showers more persistent now, we slithered into the river and engaged first low for the haul up the other side. Terry was working hard at 4000 revs at the bottom, but these were rapidly dropping by the time we made it to the first erosion mound. Thankfully we picked up pace and continued at a steady 3500 revs for the next five minutes or so as we climbed several hundred meters out of the valley and to the plateau where we were able to proceed in 2wd to our camp at Boyd River.

Our timing couldn't have been better. As we banged in the last peg, down came the rain. I breathed a sigh of relief that we weren't at the bottom of Dingo Dell - or we would have been there for a very long time.

Boyd River Camp

Jo also said that the winch was worth every cent of its purchase price... and the $400 hose clamps were worth it too!

Would have loved to have taken some more photos - but we weren't staying in the valley a moment more than we had to!