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Jenolan / Yeranderrie
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Have been discussing with a few cycling friends (ie not hard core mtb enduro freaks) riding from Jenolan to Yeranderrie. Has anybody done this? Google via the road says it is about 140 km, but there are obviously shorter (but more up / down) routes, not all of which can be traversed by 4WD beforehand to prove concept.
Any tips / hints / informed suggestions?
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There are guide books out there that describe the route you could also go via Mittagong and Wombeyan caves. We did it easily in one day in our 4WD but some sections were eye opening steep, rough, river crossings, snakes, you name it. But might be easy for a mtn bike with a good granny gear!
It was remote so take radios/GPS/ EPIRB is my advice and heaps of water + food. If you Google Yerrandrie you should come across 4WD clubs who regular use and document the tracks. A book called "4WD Treks Close to Sydney" has GPS references ( lat/long) which I would also recommend as you are making turns in the bush and without our GPS it would have been much harder.
It was one of the best trips I have ever done in terms of scenery.
I have driven from Sydney to Yerranderie in a shitbox 20 yr old Corolla. Went via oberon, was mostly paved til we got to the Mt Werong Rd, which turns into the uni rover trail. I suppose from Jenolan you would take the ridiculously steep south climb out, and then you would go via Gingkin and Jaunter to link up to Mt Werong Rd and the uni rover trail, would be about 110km. I don't know much about that route but it could be miserable anywhere around there because of all the logging going on, there are wide paved roads that look like they should be major highways but are only there for the logging trucks. Mt Werong rd is nice, and the Uni Rover Trail has a few shallow creek crossings but nothing the corolla couldn't handle. Would be fine on the bike unless it rains a lot before you go. I reckon the Mt Werong and uni rover part of the ride would be awesome. Like NorcoNut said, just take plenty of water, an emergency beacon which you can hire free from Katoomba police, topos (there's a lot you'll need - Jenolan, Edith, Shooters Hill, Gurnang, Yerranderie and Bindook - easily $50 worth) and probably gps as well. If you get to Yerranderie its well worth the trip up to Yerranderie peak. Just note the actual town is private and you have to pay to be in the town, its a bit odd.
I reackon Hyundai EXCELS (the early ones) are underated offroad too.
So there is a number of ways in there as the route we went on we had big ruts and rocks with our wheels regularly in the air, low range climbs, difff locks engaged etc etc - a few moments spent wondering if our Prado was getting out.
Our route was via Wombeyan Caves ( you can camp there) then Lime burners trail, down to Colong stock route ( to Yerranderie) then back to Jenolan via Banshee Hill fire trail, Dingo Dell, then Kowmung River fire trail
I did the offroad Caves to Caves trail in my Nissan Patrol a few years ago. It's a great drive, so assuming your fit and can safely cross some of the bigger river crossings it would be great on a mountain bike.
We went from Janolan, through Dingo Dell to Yerranderie. I have some GPX logs of the trip if you want to have a look at them
Ask Flynny. He should know, or will definitely know someone that knows.
I did the Jenolan / Yerranderrie drive with an old Toyota Corolla 15 years ago, great (but long) trip, hairy crossings (for a non 4WD car). Great historic silver mining town, partially restored in a unique remote setting (at the western shore of Warragamba dam). The town was cut off when they built the dam.
Here is an option: Ride in, fly out...there (used to?) be an old grass airstrip where you could fly in and out on a small Cessna from Camden airstrip...took 20 mins (great views) and cost something like $ 60 pp. Take your bike, ride in for over 8 hours, fly out in 20 mins.
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They would have to clear the runway from grazing kangaroos before the plane came in...real bush-scene not far from Sydney.
http://www.yerranderie.com/welcome.htm
for all the input. Probably have to buy some topos and do a recce in the Prado. I had a 4WD book with GPS coords for the drive through Dingo Dell, but bu**ered if I know where its got to.
I don't think Jenolan to Yeranderrie is looking like a day ride for us, so need to do some re-thinking I suspect. Or take lights.......