Simpson Desert crossing

Hi Zook

Keep your eye on the roads tab on this site for latest info , it shows that you can not cross at the moment although you can get to french line from Mt Dare.

Could be a while before you can cross fully.


The maps you get from dessert parks pass are adequate but not much use unless you can put your location on the map so I'd get at least a basic gps.

Really you should get one which records your track , so that if it all goes wrong you can at least drive back the way you came.


Stick to french line for now, a few months ago , when we went last, the lower roads were very hard for a lone vehicle.

Hi Zook,

Firstly "easy" in the Simpson is a relative term, Some tracks are not as difficult as others.

Secondly, at the time that you plan to cross the Simpson late May, early June, it is unlikely that the Eyre creek bypass will be open (hopefully it is!). So you may not be able to cross over all the way to Birdsville.

Another option is to head out via one track & come back by another.

The easiest way to the Simpson is from Alice, down the Stuart Hwy to Kulgera, across to Finke then down to Mt Dare & Dalhousie Springs.

Hema Desert maps are good, as are the Westprint maps supplied with your Desert Parks Pass.

We were out there last week & Lake Poepple was wet as well as the K1 lake.

Zook, have you travelled much on remote, big dunes before? If so, fair enough and disregard the rest of this.
If this is your first experience of them and you are travelling alone, I'd really recommend trying to find another vehicle and joining up with them for the crossing, especially with the uncertainty as to water and the tracks this year. Two vehicles working together is much easier and gives a useful safety blanket if you get into trouble. If nothing else eventuates, you might consider staying at Mt Dare or Dalhousie Springs at the start of the Simpson crossing from the Alice end for a day or two and see if you can join a group.

Zook,
I agree with the above.

I wish to add that while it is best to have company for recovery, a pair of Maxtrax will enable a single car recovery. While we had 4 vehicles, I recovered on a few dunes using my Maxtrax. Best money spent on recovery gear. It was quick and did not cause stress for any other vehicle.

As to finding another vehicle, I have witnessed people join up at Birdsville or Mt Dare. This maybe an option too.

I have enjoyed the WAA line and would recommend it, but I haven't heard that the French line is easier. I have, however, had people refer to the Rig road that way.

But all is nought if you need to get through and Eyre Creek is closed!

I was 7 months pregnant when we went across the French line in our 80 when she was standard I think we only had goodyear tyres on too. No troubles for us. We spent a extra day out there helping others. You will be surprised at the amount of traffic. As others have said I think the worst of it for anybody will be that its not open in time. Good luck with that. Wouldn't be surprised if you meet up with some one on EO to tag along with.
I bet its amazing out that way now.
Cheers
Sharon

Be careful and have fun. Heed the warnings about being prepared. This was last year. We did the WAA line , then the French line. It was great and not so busy. We wanted the isolation and if you get in trouble, set up camp, put on the billy and wait. You should have time for that. Have a plan in place and carry a Sat phone.

Most of what I would have said has been covered well by others. Just one observation about which is "easiest". Hard, harder, hardest is more appropriate I think.

I did part of Rig Road and all of French line last year in a solo double crossing. The French line was the harder of the two. Generally sand dunes steeper and more chopped up by the traffic. BUT one day on the Rig Road was far and away the hardest day. The winds had blown the sand around the day before. The crests of the dunes were now very sharp angled. There were no vehicle tracks because the wind had covered them all and I was first one over them that day. Sometimes it was hard to be sure of the track. More than once I did a backtrack on top of a dune that had an impossibly steep descent. The track was usually 50 metres left or right at an easier spot. It did not take much imagination to see how one could become badly unstuck.

If travelling solo I would recommend staying on the French line as there is enough traffic that you are not on your own for very long.

Flynnie

The French Line is actually the hardest way to cross the Simpson. As with other commentary if you want to that on your own then take a lot of care and a satphone.

Whilst there is a lot of comment on the conditions in the area at the moment we have access to local information based as we we have a lot of commercial clients operating in the area. As a result we treat that private information with respect. But it does allow us to comment from fact. Comment regarding accessing the road closure website for Transport SA and the DEH Simpson update are the way to go along with checking with Mt Dare and the DEH at Port Augusta along wtih the Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta and Birdsville police before making the decision to cross

At the moment the only way to get in and out of the Simpson is via Dalhousie. I consider it extremely doubtful that the Warburton will open this year. I also consider that the Eyre Creek including the bypass will most likely not be open until around August to September. We are well aware of the volume of water still coming down the system and there is enough still in the system to warrant care and at least a plan b. Then I have been wrong before as I am reminded most days

In regard to your comment regarding the "fastest" way to get to Dalhousie from Alice Springs there is no such thing. The shortest distance is not necessarily the fastest time and given the amount of rain this year and the Finke race then the challenges continue to climb. If you go via Finke expect a rough run. If you go via Old Andado and Mt Dare then also expect a rough run

Purchasing your Desert Parks pass gives you a great set of maps. You certainly do not need a GPS. Use the old trick when maps were in vogue. All you do is zero your trip meter at each intersection that way you know exactly where you are and can explain it in simple terms rather than providing a GPS coordinate that could be in one of two or three data sets and so completely unworkable to the person you are speaking to.

Interesting read, I'm looking to cross in a bout the same period, same route.. 08 series TD landcruiser. Will keep an eye out on this topic as it might be an idea to team up for the crossing ?

Interesting read, I'm looking to cross in a bout the same period, same route.. 80 series TD landcruiser. Will keep an eye out on this topic as it might be an idea to team up for the crossing ?