Freeze Ur Nuts Orf - Day Run to PolBlue

We're going for a day run up to PolBlue (Barrington Tops NSW, 1,550m above sea level).

Date: 20 July 2013

Time: Arrive at Gloucester BEFORE 10am, departing at 10am at THIS LOCATION (click to see Google Maps street view) - you can see the bowling club, there's a little road and parking area just beside the main road. We'll be in there until 10am.

It is possible that the road will be closed - NPWS won't let cars up the mountain if it's belting down with snow.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING:

* Warm clothes. Gloves are highly recommended. If you've got skiing clothing, this is preferred.

* Food & Drink - you might just want sandwiches & coke, but stoves are handy

RECOMMENDED:

* Snow chains
* Cameras
* UHF Radio - we'll use CH15.

IF YOU HAVE IT AND HAVE ROOM

* Recovery gear. It shouldn't be needed unless someone slides off the road on a patch of ice.

WHAT'S TO SEE
* Devil's Lookout - spectacular views across the southern expanse of the Barringtons and the valleys below.
* Wildlife - last time we were there, kangaroos came within a stone's throw of us
* Possibly snow - it's not snowing up there at the moment but in 2 weeks we might see some. Overnight temperatures are certainly low enough.

HOW HARD IS THE DRIVE
Normally the road is suitable for 2WD vehicles (normal passenger cars). It is kept in reasonable condition but potholes can be found and they're often filled with water. When the ground temperature falls below freezing, they ice up. If you are worried about a few mud splatters on your car, don't come along.

TRAVEL TIMES
Gloucester is 2 hours north of Newcastle and it takes about 2 hours to get up to Polblue in good weather. If it's snowing it will take considerably longer. West of the Walcha Rd turnoff the Scone Rd becomes graded dirt.

RETURN OPTIONS
You can go back home the way you came - that's what most of us did the last time. However if you live nearer to the New England Highway you might consider continuing west towards Scone. If you're travelling down from Tamworth, you can come down Walcha Rd (sealed all the way into Gloucester).

ooww
ile check my roster
the return going down thunderbolts trail back to moonan is a great track??
turn off at polblue??
i would grade it as mostly medium with 1 or 2 hard bits no extreme
brad knows the track

Sounds good will have to see if we can make it, might be a bit cold for the boy.

I can loan ya an extra blanket if the ac fails

I could be in depending on health should be a nice day

Mate, it's been a very long time, will be really good to see you again.

yes would be nice to see you craig
we r in

ok you twisted my arm see you there

great
see u there craig

I would love to , however i have a soccer game to coach at cardiff at 9:30. Bummer would of loved
To catch up and see barrington. next time for sure. ben

sparra04 said:

I can loan ya an extra blanket if the ac fails

Click to expand...

He'll only be 12 weeks by then. Don't really want him getting sick. Talk to the missus about and let you's know.

i have 2 workmates possibly coming
1x d22
1xhilux
the plan is to come to polblue with you guys then head home via thunderbolts ect all the way back down to moonan pub
and probably booking a room for the night
i hear they have a great fireplace
and refreshments

Isn't Thunderbolts Way the all sealed road from Walcha to Gloucester?

Unless you are planning to exit off the west side down to Moonan Flat, then drive north through Ellerston and beyond, then back east to pick it up where ever.

Wrong thunderbolts terry
There are heaps of trails leading off Barrington tops
Thunderbolts is just one that comes off the main Barrington/copeland road
It then changes names a few times and there are heaps of trails heading down to phesant creek road(sealed road to moonan)
The route from the top back to moonan via the side of the mountain is 4wd only for about 40k
even more so in the slop thats up there now

its one of the back roads the locals use to get to polblue for the snow when Nat parks closes the main road

Could get interesting up that way. There's a cold front south of the Great Australian Bight and a pair of low pressure systems heading west across Perth. They should enter NSW by Saturday/Sunday. Might not have the cold front which I'm guessing will actually move south, but anything could develop in the next week especially if those lows move just off the coast of NSW and sit there, dragging cold air up from the south. If that happens, we'll have snow up the top.

That might cause NPWS to close the road. IF they are closing the road, there's a nice bakery and pizzeria in Gloucester if we just want to put our feet up and have a hot beverage and a feed. What do you guys think?

I'll call the NPWS ranger on Friday and see what the conditions are and what their intentions are. There's a station halfway up to Polblue so they should have a good idea what it's like.

well my workmates are out,overtime rules ok
tony
what route are you taking home?

are you keen on going back to moonan the dirty way?
very scenic drive
craig?
brad?
andrew?

We were going to go drop our caravan on the way in to Gloucester and come back down to it for Saturday night, but that does depend on someone else getting some work done for us.

So what place are you staying in? Is it that little pub near the bridge on the road out of Barry?

Old.Tony said:

We were going to go drop our caravan on the way in to Gloucester and come back down to it for Saturday night, but that does depend on someone else getting some work done for us.

So what place are you staying in? Is it that little pub near the bridge on the road out of Barry?

Click to expand...

we were planning a stay at the pub for a boys night(mrs wasnt coming)
thats not happening now,not sure if traceys coming or not(work??)
ide still like to go home the back way rather than back to gloucester if i can get at least one other car to come
its a great drive and you dont have to stay at moonan,its just a late finish getting home bout 9pm
on the other hand
we could have our picnic at polblue
do some tracks?
come back to gloucester and get a cabin for the night(too bloody cold for the camper) what park are u staying at tony?
ile make a decision thursday
cheers

Taking the van depends on whether or not a certain guy gets some work done for us, and I've got my doubts about his ability to deliver, so I think we'll plan for a no-van-weekend.

There are cabins to stay at in Gloucester (by the river behind the bowlo). I think the rates are something like $120 a night or so.

We could go the long way - I'll see what she thinks.

As for tracks up there, I don't mind as long as you think they're safe and we'll have time to do them. I'll discuss it here and see how far we can go. I reckon I can take enough food and drink for the little guy and we'll be right - we can take his jammies too.

last time we did those tracks we left polblue bout 2ish
brad and beck were with us
got home bout 8ish
i would rate them a medium
muddy if its wet
no hardcore stuff
std ute would be fine