Simpson Desert, which way?

WAA Line was my favourite and i have crossed via French and Rig also....
French was way too busy..,,,, and the Rig was great but the WAA a bit better...
I would actually suggest both but not the French...
Go over one way and come back the other..
You get to see a little of the French anyway

I was out on the French line for 40klm going West and found it ok but when heading East on the Rig Rd was differnt story, the drift was making it hard going and a test of ones skill but enjoyed it,that was Easter this year , it would have changed again by now, the sands are always shifting, Go and enjoy a wonderful piece of Australia

Doug

Alan,
You have asked a good question, a question that many people ask me about.

If you are a veteran Simpson traveller, most will always say an east/west crossing, for the fact that it is more of a challenge, due to the angle and height of the dunes.

For a first timer, I would suggest a west/ east trip, again easier approaches to the dunes from the west.

Having said that, the most important factor that many people overlook, including people that have travelled it a number of times is tyre pressure. As a general rule, the lower the pressure, the easier trip you will have over the desert. On an average year, with firm sand, a good starting point would be 18psi front and about 20psi at the rear. Earlier this season when the sand was very dry and soft, we were running 14psi front and 16psi rear. You will be surprised what a 2psi drop will do in terms of momentum through soft sand.

There are only 3 main ways over the desert, The Rig Road, the WAA Line and the French Line . The French Line is the most popular, but due to many people not driving correctly or not using the correct tyre pressure, is the most cut up. The WAA Line is very similar to the French Line, but has far less traffic, therefore you do not encounter the same problems as the French Line (I also personally like the WAA). The Rig Road was once clay capped, but over time, the clay capping has been badly eroded away, so care must be taken when approaching these dunes. The Rig Road is the easiest way, and also the longest way through the Simpson.

Once on the QAA Line, the dunes become taller and further spaced apart, but again driving correctly, are no problem.

Enjoy your trip and I know that you will travel it again in the future.

Stephen

Having crossed the Simpson more than a dozen times over the last 25 years I usually suggest to friends that ask for the best route to travel west to east.
To get a good idea of the different types of conditions in the desert I also suggest they travel across to Purni from Dalhousie, turn down the rig road where it first parts from the French line to Mokari. Follow the rig road to Walkandi, turn north up to the Lone Gum, then continue north to the WAA line where you travel east until you hit the Knolls track. Travel north up the Knolls track to the French line where you turn east again to Poeppels. From Poeppels go up to the QAA and then across to Birdsville.

Other's can ell you witch is the best way to go and what tyre pressure's to use . What i will tell you is , keep a check on your pressure's as they will go up as you travel . We crossed west to east this year with 18 fount and 24 rear . Got stuck on a dune and when i checked the pressure's again was quite surprised to find the rear had gone up to 41 with heat build up . Lowered them down again and had no problems going over dune's after that . So , keep an eye on your tyre pressure's . Errol

We did the whole French and QAA lines only a month ago and something that I found interesting was that travelling west to east, I noticed that on many of the dunes there was a sharp right turn just over the top and on the eastern side. That would mean that if you went east to west, you would have to turn right and left while going up the dune. This would have to make it easier going west to east.