Chambers pillar

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 15:12

ThreadID: 87757 Views:2537 Replies:4 FollowUps:12

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Member - dave

Hi
I am travelling to the centre in August 2011 and want to drive out to Chambers pillar. i have a series 80 cruiser and towing a 5.5m off road caravan. Does anyone know if the road is ok for this rig or am I better off leaving the van at Maryvale? Thanks for your help
Dave

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Reply By: Hairy (WA) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 15:31

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 15:31

Gday,
Dont go leaving it at Maryvale if you want to see it in one piece again! LOL

The Chambers Pillar road from Maryvale is really no worse than what you would have travelled on getting to Maryvale. Its quite possible to tow a van in, depending on current road conditions but I personally would leave it in Alice and do a day trip or overnighter.

Cheers

AnswerID: 460788

Follow Up By: Member - Bucky - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 19:29

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 19:29

G day Hairy
Hows it all going in the West, Mate ?

Tow anything into Chambers pillar you want, as long as it is buile as a true "off road" van/anything, just keep to the Chicken Track.
We went in on the Chicken Track in 2006, and came out on the suicise track, which was interesting towing the camper, but doable.
I would not do the suiceid track wiith a propper off road van.

So Dave if you read this, just keep to the RHS track, on the other side after the "jump up", on the way in , and to the LHS before the "jump up" on the way out, and you will be fine.

Cheers
Bucky

ps... hope this makes some kinda sense, just up from night shift, and have started my holidays,,,... Bring on cape York

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:11

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:11

Bucky, what are you calling the chicken track and the suicide track?

Motherhen

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Follow Up By: Hairy (WA) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:39

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:39

Gday Bucky......yeah, loving it! Best thing we've ever done.
Cheers

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Follow Up By: Member - Bucky - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 06:56

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 06:56

Motherhen
basically the left way in, on the down side of the Jump Up is the suicide track , and the right track, is the Chicken Route.
So I was told, but I did both, so it makes no difference to me, but in a Van I can see the validity.

Cheers
Bucky

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Follow Up By: Member - nick b - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:44

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:44

What that !!!! when I use to go there , there was only one track & you needed a tough LANDROVER to get in .......LOL ......hay Baz

re nick

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Follow Up By: Hairy (WA) - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:52

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:52

Nothings changed.......you still need a really tough Landrover (or certainly not a standard one!)

Or any old Toyota will do. LOL

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:54

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:54

Hi Bucky, I recall there were two tracks after we crossed the range, and i think we turned right on the second when we went there and returned on the other - sort of one way traffic, but these were regular tracks in the flat area, so not what you are talking about. There was only evidence of one track crossing the range - as said i thought it a bit scary with our high caravan but it didn't bother my husband who was driving.

Mh

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Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 16:43

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 16:43

Hi Dave

We took our 18' Bushtracker (high clearance off roader) out to Chambers Pillar in 2008 and the road from Maryvale was bad at the time. Other times it has been reported as being good depending on time of last grading. A couple of loose sandy patches took a bit of pulling through and the corrugated patches were quite bad. We ran tyres on 25 psi cold all round. The South Road from Alice to get there had some badly corrugated patches too. Crossing the Charlotte Range with a caravan was a bit scary for the navigator, and some caravanners baulk at it. Announce on the UHF on the specified channel when crossing the dunes (hard crests). Mostly the campers were heading in at much the same time in the afternoon, and all left together next morning so first one announced for the group and we met no oncoming traffic. There are only eight camp sites; not level either. We got the last one but luckily long enough for us to back into, so get there early to be sure you get a place to fit your caravan in if you decide to take it. We returned to Alice via the Hugh Stock Road and Stuart Highway. We had debated whether to go as it was quite a way and not in our general direction of travel, and we pleased we did go. See My Blog for 2008.

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Follow Up By: Member - Bucky - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 04:02

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 04:02

And don't you love the corrugations, just after the gate !
I swear the windscreen was gunna jump out of the Navara.

She just stood there and shook, even with 20 psi in the tyres, and about 18 in teh camper.

I buggered up on the "Jump up", (wrong gear selection) and had to back down from 3/4 way up...and the second time up I did it in bog gear, and the Navara just ate it up... The things we do !

Cheers
Bucky

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 12:44

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 12:44

Hi Bucky, I remember the corrugations further on being pretty awful. Not far past the gate we met the sand and were glad we weren't towing with the Patrol. F250 power and weight gets us through sand we wouldn't have risked when using the Patrol, and of course plenty of power for the climb. The track in was probably the worst we met that year - a trip which included the Gibb River Road plus Mitchell Falls and Kalumburu, the Tanami, Palm Valley and the Mereenie Loop. A wonderful trip though.

Mh

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Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 21:57

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 21:57

Hi Dave, have been to the Pillar twice, both as a day trip from The Alice. Couldn't avoid it the second time but IMO it's just too big a trip for a day. 350 km return is too much on the corrugations. BTW between '05 and '09 the dunes in the last 10 km have been bulldozed through to make it easier but less fun.....W

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:10

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:10

Yes, it must have been a long day Warrie and after all, most of us want to photograph sunset and sunrise on the pillar and surrounding rocks. I got some reasonable late afternoon photos before cloud obscured the sunset and spoilt it for the others. Sunrise was wonderful next morning. Best thing about sunrise over sunset is no need for a long walk.

Mh

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Follow Up By: carnaby - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 01:34

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 01:34

hi Motherhen,
we did in in 2010 as a day trip from Alice took route as above i wouldnt tow a van over those roads
great day
called in at rainbow valley on the way back got good sunset pics over the hills fantastic good drive in a 4x4 without a van
alan

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 13:00

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 13:00

Hi Alan - must have been a long day. We planned to go to Rainbow Valley on our return but we were driving towards an approaching thunderstorm on the Hugh Stock Road, and it really hit us as we approached the Stuart Highway. At the Roadhouse they said not to go into Rainbow Valley with the rain and a lot was forecast. We went back to Alice, where they refused to believe we'd had rain when they'd had about four drops.Rainbow Valley had to wait for a day trip and not at sunset as we went through Owen Springs, Rainbow Valley and on to Henbury Impact Craters. All for the best, as there wasn't really room for our rig to camp at Rainbow Valley.

Mh

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