Geosurvey Hill to the Colson Track

Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 14:26
ThreadID: 137804 Views:2707 Replies:3 FollowUps:2
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Hi, has anyone done a Crossing from Geosurvey Hill westward to the Colson Track. I know a few people have done it in an easterly direction but was wondering if anyone has gone the other way?
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Reply By: Les - PK Ranger - Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 15:31

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 15:31
No, but have done from near Poeppel Cnr (Mirroponga Pongunna Lake) to the Geos, and it is VERY tough going.
Mid year 2015
We bailed out about 6km east of Geo Hill, due to very high fuel use with steep eastern dune faces, went WAY back past Geo centre again, and down to French Line to bail to Mt Dare, only just making it.

Many dunes took several goes, often lead vehicle would make it, but sand then disturbed so next would have to take another route / line.
Very slow, and between dunes slow with spinifex clumped ground.

We successfully went the other way in 2017, and after seeing the dunes behind us knew then we amde the right choice back in 2015, we would not have made it, even though distance wise it was a lot closer to continue to Colson, and out via Madigan / Old Andado / Binns Tk.

Currently organising another one through there this year . . . a double NT Simpson crossing.
Madigan East - West to Mt Dare.
Geo centre (at least, maybe Hill + 100km return) . . . via French Line, Colson, old shot line from just up Colson to lower Geos corridor, then from centre cross country to Beachcomber on Hay River Tk, back to BV.
AnswerID: 623804

Reply By: aussieranger - Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 18:31

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 18:31
Thanks Les, yes we are still working on whether we will attack east to west or vice versa, may not be worth the heartache or the fuel lol.
AnswerID: 623810

Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 21:54

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 21:54
Yeah, east - west untracked really is tough on man and machine.
There were a couple of days (like 10 - 12 hours) where we only managed 50km - 55km odd, very slow going.

Tackle it west - east first perhaps, give some of the other direction a bit of a go, and maybe you can have a crack at it another time once you test it out a bit.
I do remember a few dunes looking back thinking no way could you get over that travelling west, which means moving up or down a corridor maybe 100m or so, looking for a suitable spot to get over, and there are good ramps etc, just sometimes they don't work out and you have to get back down and start again, or one or maybe two vehicles will make it, then sand is too broken for third or forth to go that way.

I'm certainly looking forward to getting out there again, in particular the 70km odd totally off tracks on a bearing to Beachcomber, zig zag crossing dunes best we can for that part . . . the rest will be fairly straight forward I think.
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 19:37

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019 at 19:37
Hi aussieranger

I would go as far as to say it is totally impossible.

What I can tell you is out in the centre of the Simpson, there are many dunes that will make Big Red look like a little Red.

The virgin dunes are deeply covered in dense cane grass, mogals, that are often hard enough from the west and daunting from an east approach.

One thing that we learnt from the very first dune that we crossed was a retread would be impossible and the only way out would be a very slow rock and roll down the dune swales to the French Line. Our first night out in the remote Simpson was at the bottom as a rather small dune, and one chat in our small group with a very worked over V8 Cruiser, said it would be an easy job to tackle, so he locked in both front and rear lockers, and after 7 tries, could not get more than half way up, so he had to admit defeat.

Those that say it is possible will have never been out there, as this is no ordinary Simpson trip.


Cheers


Stephen






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AnswerID: 623813

Follow Up By: aussieranger - Monday, Mar 11, 2019 at 13:29

Monday, Mar 11, 2019 at 13:29
Hi Stephen, thanks for your comments. I have decided to go west to east, no point in trying too hard or breaking anything in the attempt, especially out there.
cheers
Gary
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