Just looking for tips about travelling with a van behind a Pajero from Cooma to Bega via Brown Mountain. I have travelled the road before a couple of times in a car with no van and recall it being steep and windy so am looking for comments in experiences with a 2400kg van on behind. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
I have driven up it with a 3000kg van in tow
You will already know that it is narrow and winding if you have driven it. Just slow right down, select low gear and take it slowly to the bottom. Only 10ks of bad stuff.
Yes - the road is steep and winding, but large milk tankers and log trucks use this road every day with no dramas. At the top, there is a truck parking bay where the B Doubles unhitch and go down the mountain, to return later and pick up the second trailer. Engage a lower gear at this point - the speed limit drops to 80 km/h anyway. At Piper's Lookout (abut 5 km), there is a fantastic view (also a toilet) and safe parking area. From here on, I always engage 1st gear and even then in a few places I still have to use the brakes, but it is a case of just sit back and enjoy the flowers, ferns etc. Watch your mirrors - you may get a buildup of cars behind you. There are a couple of places where you can pull over and let them past. After the last (really tight) hairpin at the bottom, gradient eases up a little and I use 2nd or 3rd gears from then on.
This is no big deal - yes it is steep and winding, but if you make a conscious effort to stay on your own side of the road, no problems at all. Hell, I even rode my bicycle down and up this hill ( albeit quite a few years ago).
Yes - the road is steep and winding, but large milk tankers and log trucks use this road every day with no dramas. At the top, there is a truck parking bay where the B Doubles unhitch and go down the mountain, to return later and pick up the second trailer. Engage a lower gear at this point - the speed limit drops to 80 km/h anyway. At Piper's Lookout (abut 5 km), there is a fantastic view (also a toilet) and safe parking area. From here on, I always engage 1st gear and even then in a few places I still have to use the brakes, but it is a case of just sit back and enjoy the flowers, ferns etc. Watch your mirrors - you may get a buildup of cars behind you. There are a couple of places where you can pull over and let them past. After the last (really tight) hairpin at the bottom, gradient eases up a little and I use 2nd or 3rd gears from then on.
This is no big deal - yes it is steep and winding, but if you make a conscious effort to stay on your own side of the road, no problems at all. Hell, I even rode my bicycle down and up this hill ( albeit quite a few years ago).
Very good advice.
Select low gear, slow and steady wins the race.
Travellers on this road expect to find slow traffic.
The bottom of the Brown is marked by a coupling/uncoupling bay. Only a few kilometres of relatively flat road is the small town of Bemboka. Most people stop there for a well earned coffee break.
One tip - the Brown is ten kilometres long; when you start the descent check your odometer then count off the kilometres. Otherwise it will seem to take forever to get to the bottom (or top!).
If you don't mind a few extra kilometres then an alternative is the Mount Darragh Road. Past Nimmitabel turn off to Bombala then from that town take the Mt Darragh Road to Pambula. Not as steep nor long as the Brown, although a bit narrower. There are two one lane bridges - one leaving Bombala and one at the bottom. That road comes out at South Pambula with an easy run to Bega.
Note that about 25kms from Bombala there is a road sign posted to Pambula - last time we went past that road it was unmade and rough - suggest going right into Bombala.
The advice given by Erad and Radar about using gears is good - mostly with the Ranger I use 3rd with 2nd for the steepest and tightest turns.
