Nestled in the heart of the spectacular Brindabella mountains and astride the Goodradigbee river, Wee Jasper is a quaint little country hamlet with barely anything but its scenery and outdoor activities to recommend it. The cafe and pub are both closed, and this is an eternal shame, as the pub is really rather awesome – with a little built-in library and lots of interesting historical facts on the wall. But there’s still great caving – both guided at Carey’s cave and unguided in the spectacular Dip and Punchbowl caves – bushwalking, an adventure school, horse riding, and boating in the headwaters of Burrinjuck dam.
Gong cave
But the biggest attraction for me is the ride there and back, via a tiny mountain pass called Doctor’s Flat Road. It’s all fireroad or sealed, but the scenery is spectacular. In the 100km from Uriarra Crossing to Wee Jasper and back, some 2700vm is climbed in 10 passes. It’s all rideable on a singlespeed… if you’re prepared to sweat!
The route begins with a (frequently freezing) start at Uriarra Crossing, next to the gurgling Murrumbidgee river. The climbing starts immediately up Fairlight road and through the paddocks of Uriarra. Eventually, the route joins Doctor’s Flat road through some private land and up into the Brindabellas. The first climb takes riders up over 1000m, and offers some spectacular views back over Canberra.
First climb - 2008
From here, a steep and hectic descent follows down to Dingo Dell – a frost hollow in the mountains. After crossing the dell, a pretty climb follows to the Baldy Range, and an entry into National Park. A lot of this terrain survived the 2003 bushfires, so it is genuinely pretty native rainforest. The next descent to top crossing is spectacular, with the road swooping through forest gullies, and around exposed edges for around 400vm.
The Top Crossing ford is horrible in winter and delightful in summer – provided Stan
River crossing!
doesn’t strip naked in it. The third climb follows at an ambling gradient up to the Hume Sawmill remains – and 19th century sawmill relics can be spied for those interested in such things.
From here, the road ambles through semi-used valleys and flats connecting in to Wee Jasper. There are a few more creek crossing, two significant climbs, and numerous pinches en route to the final descent. This is where the landscape opens up towards the Wee Jasper valley, affording spectacular views. Doctor’s Flat road hits the tarmac descent to Wee Jasper, a spectacular winding pass down sculpted hills towards the river.
Descending
After a lunch in the pretty valley, it’s time to return…. and do it all in the opposite direction!
Schenanigans on the climb back out
Ed Rides Bikes 
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