How tough is the CSR compared with .....

Submitted: Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 05:20
ThreadID: 88801 Views:4685 Replies:8 FollowUps:6
This Thread has been Archived
The CSR is the last major route left to me in Aus, I will be driving from Halls Creek to Wiluna starting 19 Sept this year 2011.

All my travel in Aus have been in Dec and Jan and I wonder how the CSR compares to the other tracks I have taken. By far the most difficult was the Simpson Desert from south to north and then the Simpson from Mount Dare to Birdsville, West to East.

I have travelled the Gunbarrel, Connie Sue, Garry Highway, Ann Beadell, Sandy Blight and all the other central tracks. They have been tricky in places and very hot at the time of year I can take off but nothing really compares to the Simpson.

Can someone who has done the Simpson and the CSR give me a comparison? I always travel alone but with the usual precautions, 2 * gps, 2 * epirb etc etc etc,

Cheers Richard
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 06:58

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 06:58
Richard,

A very hard question to answer, a lot would have to do with how you are prepared for the trip.

So far you have made it hard by travelling at this time of year when the track would be at its worst, travelling alone and the day time temperatures will be getting hot plus there will not be too many other vehicles about.

The track it self is not that hard, with the right tyre pressure and common sense approach to driving over sand dunes.

The track would be like a combination of all the other tracks that you have already been on all rolled into one.

It can be enjoyable but it can also be life threatening, it is a pity that you can't do this track in the cooler months and with another vehicle or two.

Wayne
AnswerID: 464027

Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:09

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:09
Hi Richard

I have not driven the CSR but a couple of queries about what you have just said....

"I have travelled the Gunbarrel, Connie Sue, Garry Highway, Ann Beadell, Sandy Blight and all the other central tracks. They have been tricky in places and very hot at the time of year I can take off but nothing really compares to the Simpson".

I have driven all the above that you said they were "tricky in places" and then when you say a south to north Simpson trip.....this then tells me you have driven "PURE CROSS COUNTRY" for the north south bit. How did you find the Beadell tracks tricky, as they are all straight forward except the great low range steep section on the Sandy Blight to the top of the Sir Frederick Range.

When driving in that fashion for the south/north crossing, you would have been in the swales all the way, not unless you had to change your direction of travel. From my cross country affairs with the Simpson, yes we have been out through Geosurvey Hill and the Geographical Centre, so I know what I am talking about, you are putting your skills to the test and have to learn how to read the nature of the dunes and the swales that you are driving up.

From our driving experience, there is no way on earth that you can compare pure cross country travel, with that of a well defined track in front of your nose.

Like I have just said, we have never done the CSR, but after true cross country travel, the CSR, just like all the tracks that you have said and the usual Simpson tracks are walks in the park.


When travelling when it hot, the sand will be very fine, so you will have lot lower tyre pressures than you usually do as well as talking lots of water for safety reasons and of course if you are travelling solo, MaxTrax as your number one companion. So to answer you questions, if you have done the cross country south/north Simpson you will find it easy.




Cheers


Stephen
Smile like a Crocodile

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 464030

Follow Up By: Richard Arkle - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 18:38

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 18:38
Hello Stephen

The route North to South I followed started just South of Clifton Downs on the Birdsville Track, over the Warburton Crossing and then up to join the Rig Road.

At the crossing of the French Line I was going to take the Colson track but it was impassable so I turned East and headed for Birdsville. I should have said in my post that I didnt achieve the whole crossing.

The photo below shows the state of the track just after the Warburton Crossing.

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

Cheers Richard





0
FollowupID: 737983

Reply By: Brian Purdue - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:14

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:14
Of course it can be done. You sound like an intelligent man. You have some experience that is obvious. Just take it easy and carefully. Canning and his team cut tracks, cut down timber and sunk wells in the middle of summer. Carnegie walked most of the way, again having to locate his own water.
Be prepared and take it easy. There should be no need to rush you will have the place to yourself. The only thing you will need is company. Do not go alone unless you are desperate.
Have a nice trip. I envy you!
AnswerID: 464031

Reply By: Robin Miller - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:16

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 08:16
The CSR isn't technically hard at all Richard , if you have done Simpson South to North (presume thats the Hay river track not Colson ) then its easier.

Also its easier than a standard Simpson crossing and different.

The CSR is more an endurance test with lots of corro's in places.

A few small dunes to but nothing like the Simpson ones.

Its not rough and slow like Madigan line either.

It was mostly 2wd for us, until it rained, then the flat tracks filled up with long mud puddles which made the drive worth doing.
Robin Miller

Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 464032

Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 09:11

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 09:11
I'd agree with Robin. There are a few sandhills that require caution but with the right tyre pressures, you will be OK. The biggest issue I always found was the sharp left or right handers right at the base of the dune immediately before the ascent. You lose a lot of momentum which makes it all the more difficult to get across.

Corrugations......like nothing you've seen before! They are bad, real bad in many places. It is a test of endurance more than anything.









Canning - North End

Canning - Towards Helena Spring


Cheers Mick



''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 737956

Follow Up By: Ozhumvee - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 09:37

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 09:37
Like Mick and Robin have said it isn't that it is harder than many other places but that it is more and endurance thing as it goes on for so long. Where the Simpson etc are a 4 or 5 day trip for most then the CSR is about 5 times longer time and distance wise.
I suspect though that in midsummer that you will probably drive for longer periods to escape the heat which will place huge loads on the vehicle trying to keep you cool with the a/c. Camping would not be particularly pleasant with no letup from the heat.
The problem is that the harder you push the greater the chance of vehicle damage.
0
FollowupID: 737957

Follow Up By: Fab72 - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 16:43

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 16:43
Mick O...and to think I just blew $30 on the Pat Callihan DVD of the CSR. These clips were worth every bit of $30 and probably more.

Fab
0
FollowupID: 737974

Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 18:14

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 18:14
And you get them for free here on EO Fab lol. Mate there are plenty of short clips in my blogs and over the last 12 months I've been playing around with Windows movie maker and putting some longer ones together. It's always a matter of getting the time. Glad you enjoiyed them and hope they were helpful.

Cheers Mick
''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 737978

Follow Up By: equinox - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 19:56

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 19:56
Dunno Robin,

The Simpson's only got one really big dune from memory (and it beat me too, it was dark - that's my excuse), on the run from Purnie Bore to Birdsville anyway.
I haven't done all of the Canning, only bits and pieces however there's heaps of big dunes on it, not what you have called "a few small dunes". CSR would have a much higher average dune size than the Simpson and I mean total volume of cross sectional area to the dune corridor, not just height.

Cheers
Alan

Looking for adventure.
In whatever comes our way.



Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 737985

Reply By: Member - Rob D (NSW) - Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 16:29

Friday, Sep 02, 2011 at 16:29
One of the problems with the Canning, particularly in hot weather when the sand is softer, is that the tyre pressure needed to get over the sand dunes is not the ideal pressure for the following several kilometres of severe corrugations until the next sand dune.
Keeping in mind the weight of the recovery gear, fuel, supplies and so on, there is a good chance that your tyres will overheat, especially with the hot sun helping, unless you take it very slowly or else keep inflating and deflating your tyres to match the terrain.
I had this problem a few years ago on the Canning and ended up changing to a larger tyre with an increase load carrying capability. The Simpson is much easier on the tyres because it does not have the long stretches of corrugations between sand dunes.
If you relax at a faster pace you can get more relaxation in for a given time.
Regards Rob

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 464062

Reply By: watery - Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 00:50

Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 00:50
I done the CSR in OCT 2002, travelling Nth to Sth is easier, my patrol ute weighed 4.2 tonnes gross, had no problems, apart from 2 new shockies I put on, melted the nylon bushings out, better off with older shockies, not as tight as the new ones. Enjoy your trip, Cheers, Peter.
AnswerID: 464095

Reply By: B1B2 - Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 09:07

Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 09:07
G'day Richard,
Have you looked at the recent Mercedes G Wagen trip and the problems they had with shockers. (the speed they travelled at would be the main culprit). So carry enough spare bushes and a front & rear shocker, I shredded my front upper bushes. I insisted when my shockers were fitted, they used 2 lock nuts and not nylex type nuts. It's very hard to get stop the shocker turning when trying to undo the nylex nuts. Have a practice at changing one at home. We had one vehicle that ripped off the front shocker from the chassis, which required welding back on using 3 batteries. Carry some rods and a welding lens, even if you can't weld someone passing can help if you have the gear. The dunes were not very difficult, but as with all oz trips, the weather could change everything fast.
Enjoy the trip.

Cheers,
Bill
AnswerID: 464103

Reply By: CSeaJay - Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 12:44

Saturday, Sep 03, 2011 at 12:44
Richard it is not worse than others as far as road/track conditions go, but due to the distance between supplies you will be much much heavier than what you needed to be for all the other trips. That places more stress on your running gear. We had bullbars, fuel tanks crack and replaced more shocks than on other tracks, I think it was because of the load.
CJ
AnswerID: 464114

Sponsored Links