Detour #220: Climbing Jacob's Ladder, Tasmania, Australia
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It’s named after a stairway to heaven but tasmania’s treacherous jacob’s ladder can be a hellish drive.
As the C432 Ben Lomond Road ascends to more than 5,000 feet above sea level there are precious few barriers to prevent a careless driver from meeting his or her maker.
Jacob’s Ladder begins its climb through a eucalypt forest, opening up to the vast Ben Lomond plateau and its dramatic landscape. As it rises through gaps in the dolerite cliffs on the inner sides are the unyielding walls of Ben Lomond itself, while the road surface is loose gravel, more often than not, topped with ice and snow.
The steepest section sees six interlinked switchbacks carve their way up the mountainside to reach the highest point in Tasmania accessible by road. Through the hairpins the road reaches a maximum gradient of 13 per cent.
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Reaching a dead end in the Ben Lomond ski resort (the oldest in Taz) the road is generally open year round, but you’ll need a 4x4 and snowchains to get there in the winter months.
It’s not a long drive, but the 30 km/h speed limit means everyone has to take their time. And that’s certainly a good idea if you want heaven to wait.