Mount Franklin Walkabout

Jivrashia said :

Ant… I did try the track when the weather was fairer with my Holden Astra (front-wheel drive) in mid-autumn.
It was very challenging. The last 12Km of the track is along a very narrow rugged road.

Seriously people, please consider the danger before you try it. The last 12Km is treacherous. You don’t want to be caught out in the unforgiving climate of high altitude. Or, in the worst case, your vehicle tumbling down a steep mountain side.

In your case, I am sure that a 4WD would be necessary.

However, please bear in mind that it wouldn’t save you from the scenarios you’ve outlined in posts above. All 4WD does is give a bit more traction, and in teh case of some 4WDs (but not all), more ground clearance. They’re not some kind of magic starship.

I chuckle at people who assume that my car got through becasue it’s 4WD. I have to explain that, for it to be 4WD, I have to get out and lock the hubs, so usually don’t bother. It’s just not necessary most of the time. A pleasant luxury, not a necessity.

You see a lot of 4WDs in difficulties in the snow country, and a lot that aren’t, and a lot of non-4WDs also with no issues.

It comes down to the driver, every time.

As for snow Demosthenes, we are having a very warm winter so far, and the rain we got in the lead-up wasn’t spectacular. We’re in a pretty severe drought.

Mt Franklin used to be a popular club ski field, my family spent a lot of time there, during 60s winters. It’s hard to believe now, the snow levels are receding.

No worries.. Well back on to snow rather than transport – I think we’ve established that the courageous can go up without a 4WD although I would still feel much safer in a 4WD.

I understand we had average rain for June and July so the snow looked great to me – but should it be deeper this time of year? Not that I complaining – we had a great time. If all you want to do is play around and go tobogganing that site looks perfect – much cheaper and closer than Selwyn et al – and possibly at a higher altitude than Selwyn too?

I’m getting rather excited about snow shoeing / hiking – the ANU Mountaineering Club has a large number of activities scheduled.

It looked great – thanks for posting the pictures.

ant said :

What is it about those pictures that leads you to think one must have a 4WD to survive it? The road appears to be in very sound condition, the snow is light, you can actually see the road (that’s always nice), it’s flat…

Ant… I did try the track when the weather was fairer with my Holden Astra (front-wheel drive) in mid-autumn.
It was very challenging. The last 12Km of the track is along a very narrow rugged road.

Seriously people, please consider the danger before you try it. The last 12Km is treacherous. You don’t want to be caught out in the unforgiving climate of high altitude. Or, in the worst case, your vehicle tumbling down a steep mountain side.

Jivrashia said :

Postalgeek said :

You’re chicken livered : )

Guys. Even in the condition shown in Demosthenes’ photos?

Any national park ranger willing to comment?

What is it about those pictures that leads you to think one must have a 4WD to survive it? The road appears to be in very sound condition, the snow is light, you can actually see the road (that’s always nice), it’s flat…

As for park rangers, well, I won’t tell you the story of the time a friend stuck a 4WD decal on his merc to get through the chain-fitting station at Perisher. As he returned to his campsite at Island Bend. I was impressed, the merc weighed a ton and had normal highway tyres on it. No mean feat.

And yet back in the days when they built Pryor’s Hut, and the Franklin Chalet, 4WDs were soemwhat rare beasts, especially among the folk who built such sheds. My family spent many winter weekends up there, and we sure didn’t have a 4WD. Hey, they’re great, they’re great insurance, but remember that plenty was done before they became numerous.

driver ability and a bit of thought make all the difference.

Is it a bit shallow for this time of year? Either way we had a great time.

something up there keeps timing these low pressure systems to fall mid week and the highs on weekends… can’t get better than this.. Good chance the roads will be open again this weekend?

“A high pressure system over northeast NSW is moving slowly east and is expected
to be located over the Tasman Sea by Wednesday. A deep low pressure system south
of WA is expected to move east to be located near Tasmania by Wednesday. Fine,
although windy, conditions are expected in the region today and much of Tuesday
under the influence of the high. Isolated showers are expected to develop late
Tuesday as a vigorous cold front associated with the low approaches the region.
Passage of the front will bring scattered showers falling as snow above 1300
metres on Wednesday. A high developing over NSW on Thursday will result in the
snow showers easing and a return to fine conditions from Friday through to the
weekend.”

No.. I do not advise taking a risk. There was a 4WD bogged up there as it was and weather can turn. That’s why I waited so long to find a friend with a 4WD and some spare time coinciding with favourable weather and open roads.

I’m very keen to get up there again though.

Seeing cyclists up there was interesting, I’d like to do that although I’m not sure how safe it would be with cars flying around.

Postalgeek said :

You’re chicken livered : )

Guys. Even in the condition shown in Demosthenes’ photos?

Any national park ranger willing to comment?

Jivrashia said :

Call me chicken livered, but I think anyone who has travelled the road to Mt Franklin car park with anything less than a 4WD is either very brave, or someone who likes to run into a brick wall at full sprint just for fun (aka stupid).

You’re chicken livered : )

A more user friendly link

http://photobucket.com/ginini

Hmm can someone tell me how to embed images? Well check out the album anyway – really great drive up and fun all round. Ginini is 1600 metres so I have learned that altitude is the key – no point wasting time at lower altitudes. As soon as we hit about 1400 metres white started appearing, and then a blanket of the stuff up top. We were very fortunate I presume.

Well we had a fantastic time up on Mount Ginini yesterday – fortunately all the roads were open

[IMG]http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv71/helpmeobeonekenobe/Mount%20Ginini/19072009305.jpg[/IMG]

http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv71/helpmeobeonekenobe/Mount%20Ginini/

I’d hang off for a couple more weeks, as winter hasn’t really hit yet.

I must be incredibly stupid then as I’ve been up there in my little Charade plenty of times. However, perhaps a 4WD is necessary for a certain kind of driver.

Driving down into ACT yesterday, I’m pretty sure I could see where the top of the ski run at Mt Franklin starts, and there was snow on it. It’s the hill to the right (looking across Canberra) of Gingera, which appears to have plenty on it too.

I’ve been up there a number of times in a very off-the-rack, but relatively new Falcon with no dramas. Probably wouldn’t push my luck after a lot of rain, but it’s been a long time since a lot of rain…

Call me chicken livered, but I think anyone who has travelled the road to Mt Franklin car park with anything less than a 4WD is either very brave, or someone who likes to run into a brick wall at full sprint just for fun (aka stupid).

You shouldn’t really need the 4WD capability, although it’s nice to have. The walk from teh carpark to where the chalet used to be is pleasant, and you’ll see the old ski runs, now growing back over. It’s a pretty area.

I went up there last Monday, I drive an XR6 and managed to get up there fine, the roads are a little bumpy in places but they were grading the road too, bit churny in places but just take it easy. Very cold but we didn’t see any snow:(

I came through from Mount Franklin Road to Cotter Road via Piccadilly Circus in a RFS Tanker in recent months. While (whatever the road is called) is quite rough & bumpy just after where the road becomes unsealed, from Piccadilly Circus, Mount Franklin Road is of an all right standard, we (just) got pass a few family sedans heading up to Bulls Head. But like I said before, that first stretch is the worse bit, but then again I’ve been told stories of Police sedans flying at 100k’s plus along similar grade roads in Perth chasing drug growers.

my friend has a 4WD and we have a Namadgi map. He has off road experience. So is there much to see from the Mount Franklin carpark on foot?

In the old days when I used to go up that way, you’ll see snow quite a way before you reach the top of the mountain. Depending on the snow and the trails you take, in some areas you may need to engage your 4wd mode.

” . . . we have a 4WD so we’re quite confident to drive as far as 4WD’s are supposed to go.”

I’m sorry if I’m misunderstanding but it reads more like you’ve bought a 4WD than you have off-road experience with a 4WD?

Hubby the keen bushwalker took me up there once in summer and no 4WD was required then but caution certainly was.

If this is any indication I guess it is a bit ‘warm’ and not much action up there

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/IDCJDW2804.latest.shtml

That’s what I mean – surely there are some shaded areas around.. It’s been fine and sunny weather so would it be worth it? There really is heaps of traffic up there? What’s the walk like up from Mount Franklin car park which is apparently as far as one can get (ironically due to ‘snow’ that no one ever sees?)

I would go early before to many people get up there and whilst the temperature is low enough to keep the ground firm (and snow, if there is any). The road can get fairly churned up later in the day and whilst that shouldn’t be a problem in a 4WD it can mean a big cleanup 🙂
Not sure how much snow you will find, it melts fairly quickly in the open areas, but the south facing slopes and gullies should still have plenty.