Billy Goats Bluff in a storm, Mt. Buller in Summer and other "interesting" ideas in the High Country

Well, you knew it was coming. In the next instalment of our adventure, we head up Billy Goats Bluff track, ominous storm clouds overhead, but the forecast telling us that it won't rain any time soon. Spoiler: it did. A full on thunderstorm with hail, as we ascended one of the steepest tracks in Victoria.
We head to Horseyard Flat, before deciding to just press on and camp along the river near Licola for New Years. Then we run out of gas - and take a three hour detour to buy another cylinder. We traverse over to Jamieson, seeing some amazing views on the way, then head up to the summit of Mt. Buller - ski resort by winter, but in summer, just a mountain.

[@mt_buller]

Thanks for visiting guys! Love the capture of the butterflies up on the summit - you scored a perfect day for that view!

[@DropTableAdventures]

Thanks! I think we did luck out with a good time - so many butterflies up there. Might have to come back in the snow some day :)

[@lowend5566]

I'm really enjoying your trips guys. Thanks.

[@DropTableAdventures]

Thanks for that!

[@cfmelz]

Very brave man coming down Billy goat in the rain. Well done. Great video 👍

[@DropTableAdventures]

My partner was the one driving, but we were going uphill - I don't know if either of us would be game to go downhill in that weather.... Thanks for the comment!

[@Zamiele]

That looked like a fun drive in the rain :)

[@DropTableAdventures]

Was like driving up a waterfall. Fortunately, mostly solid rock, otherwise this would have been a lot worse.

[@dirttrackimages5189]

Loving these vids and adventures you both are doing. Keep up the good work Video and editing are on point

[@DropTableAdventures]

Thanks! Glad you like them, there's plenty more to come!

[@robzyb]

The music for Billy Goats Bluff really added to the tension. What are "lockers" that the Landcruiser lacks?

[@DropTableAdventures]

Selecting the right sounding music, that has the right length and the right pacing in the right spots is probably the most frustrating bit of the edit! As for "lockers", I'm referring to front/rear differential lockers - a common aftermarket mod. The diff will send power to the side spinning fastest, so if one wheel has no grip, its opposite has no torque. 4wd means front/back axles locked together (as opposed to AWD where there's another diff between them, "full time" 4wds like LC200 are AWD when 4wd is disengaged) so you still have the other axle to pull you forward. The other way round this besides locking left/right wheels together is to have traction control - if a wheel is spinning, apply the brake to just that wheel. In some 4WDs, this system isn't very good, but in the LC200 they did a very good job on it, and it was definitely doing it's thing on the ascent.

[@sliedude]

nice video man. love that area. hey what tarp are you using?

[@DropTableAdventures]

Thanks, glad you like the video, and it's certainly a nice area. The tarps - they're are an OzTrail UltraRig XHD Poly Tarp, I got them from Tentworld. I'm using galvanised steel poles to hold both of them up (there's a 12x12 and a 12x8), with two 3-segment spreader bars (one in the middle of the 12x12, one at the gap between the two). When it rains the gap's a little annoying, so I kinda wish I just bought one big one. But then if you wanted a smaller shelter, you wouldn't be able to leave one behind (I just brought the 12x12 alone on the CSR trip, only used it in Bromus Dam. But good to have because it rained.). Setup is a touch tricky if you're doing it alone, as the whole thing has no structural rigidity until all the guy ropes are in and pulling it from all sides, but at that point, I've had it survive 90km/h wind gusts. They've held up pretty well over many uses, they have a few pinholes visible during the day from setting them up too close to an overly enthusiastic fire, but the pinholes don't seem to be big enough to drip through in the rain.

[@sliedude]

Thank you so much for the detailed explanation. Above and beyond. I look forward to your next videos mate. Cheers@@DropTableAdventures

[@logik1677]

n ice one dude, do you think this is doable with stock wheels and suspension? (hilux)

[@DropTableAdventures]

I'd probably recommend a 2" lift - but in the dry with a spotter and following a good line it should be doable. Maybe I'd recommend AT tyres because I'm not quite sure how well road tyres would go on the sharp rocks...