Just thinking out aloud here, but wondering if it is worth considering adding a 'EXTREME' to the trip rating system?. Whilst it wont be used all that often, I am sure there will be a few trips similar to those to Ellis Track that are worthy of that rating. I might be wrong, but some have seen this trip posted by Kelvin & Simon and put their hans up without knowing exactly how hard it is going to be, even though Kelvin did explain how hard the track is and the possible consequences.

For 'extreme tracks, such as Ellis, I would have a pretty rigid criteria;

WINCH - (That is a 'give me')

MINIMUM TYRE SIZE  & TYPE - (33" minimum & muddies)

LOCKERS/and or TRACTION AIDS.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE - (At least 2 years)

As I said, extreme trips may not come up all that often, but something to consider I believe.

I thought that was the criteria for hard trips. 

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I thought it fairly obvious that hard will be possibly hard and that those who are keen to go know what to expect and have already got reasonably set up vehicles. Anyone running a trip is more than likely going to explain what is required to participate in their description.  Im a strong beleiver in being self recoverable on all trips, not just hard, winch should be on any car going bush imo. 

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I've ran a hard trip and to be honest I had half the group wasn't capable of doing a hard trip and subsequently had to modify the days plans. I've noticed some doing the Ellis trip are doing it without at least one locker. Doing the chicken tracks just wastes a place on a hard trip.  My next hard trip I run I will be screening people wanting to go. I like the idea of an extreme choice 

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Yep with you Allan, there is a BIG difference in a hard trip and somthing like Ellis, anyone attempting Ellis without lockers and / or 36 in tyres obvously has never been there and seen it, eitherthat or they just dont care what happens to thier car.

A extreme rating is a great idea

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A good example is the Ellis Challenge. There is a bloke on 32" and no lockers taking up space on the first trip. If it is a littlke wet he wont even make it up the chicken track. Another one says he has a winch but I know he hasn't. I'm thinking about going early driving Ellis then parking up top and walking down to watch the joke as these try hards try something WELL beyond their car and their personal ability. As a trip organizer I want to be able to remove a person from a trip thier car (or themself) isn't going to cut it or is just going to unreasonably slow the rest down

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I agree, as a trip leader if a car and driver was not suited to to any described trip I would ask them to consider the impact on the others in the group at the start of the trip BUT the flip side is that I have seen very un assuming drivers in standard looking 4bys outdrive know it alls with big lift and big tyre 4bys with all the bar work and bolt on crap so its not as simple as it might first appear

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