TRIP REPORTS Snow Trip 2021 - The Search for Snow 1 August 2021 This trip was intended for 2 weeks earlier but with restrictions being applied, the trip was rescheduled. And as I write this restrictions are back on so it looks like I took the lockdown window and headed north. The previous days rain had passed and the weather was clear and sunny. After meeting up in Warburton, we headed up Mt Donna Buang Rd to the rainforest walkway. The main walk was closed due to recent storm damage but there is still the 15 metre high viewing platform. From there it was dirt road through some spectacular forest along Acheron Way. Apart from a few decent potholes and a couple of landslides where half the road had collapsed in the valley below (which the engineers are probably still working out a fix), this was uneventful and we entered Marysville in time for morning tea.
From Marysville it was a short run past the Lake Mountain turnoff to Cambarville. I think the toilet block was “temporarily closed” the last two times I have stopped here so it gives a new meaning to temporary. Heading north and the dirt road gets a little steeper and maybe even the air is cooler but no snow yet. It wasn’t until Royston Gap (on Royston Rd) that the white stuff appeared. At that point we were about 2 km east of the Lake Mountain trails. But it lasted less than a kilometre and wasn’t enough to even cover the road. A bit of snow play was about it. Somewhat disappointing but Rick pointed out on the last snow trip 2 years ago the snow was down to Cambarville so this wasn’t the weekend for snow. Still it was good to get into the hills again even if the old truck remained in 2WD the entire time. Back to Cambarville and individually head for home. A few enticing steep tracks running of the Warburton – Woods Point Rd (not marked) for exploration later in the year. 12