Christmas Trip - Completed.

[kanangra]

Back safe and sound after my annual Christmas trip. More details later but route went out from Carlons Farm late on the 27th to camp at the junction of Breakfast Ck. and Coxs River that night. Rained all night and still raining as I broke camp. Headed up river to the Harrys junction and then through the Lower Jenolan canyon to breakfast at the Mumbedah junction. A fresh in all the rivers brought quite a bit of silt and sediment down. Arrived at the Moorara Boss track for lunch. Then up steeply most of the afternoon to the Boyd Plateau. Camped the night at Whalania Hts in drizzle and mist. Beautiful morning, clear skies as I set off for Kanangra Walls. Took breakfast at Kanangra Ck. and was at the lookout by 10:15. Quite warm now but still a fair bit of water about on the plateau. Lunched in Gabes Gap. Found the haul up Mt High and Mighty a strain in the heat. Finally attained the summit of Cloudmaker only to find the summit cairn much reduced in size and not an old boot to be found anywhere. With water supplies quite low I descended quickly to Dex Ck where there was a good flow of the most delicious cool water. Most of it was draining the hanging swamp which has been burnt so I don't know how that will affect its water retention in future? Had the place to myself ( I wouldn't see another living soul the whole trip ) so settled in for a very pleasant evening as the air cooled and the evening light waned. Away early next morning for the long haul across the tops and then down Strongleg Buttress to Kanangra Ck. Best water of the trip and took a dip in a large pool just back from the Coxs junction. Ah this is the life. Then it was up Yellow Pup which I took in one haul to Mt Yellow Dog. 1:15 mins. Lunch at Mobbs Soak and back to the car by 3:00PM. Great trip. Shame I left the camera at home.

K.

PS Much as I tried I didn't get the pack weight under 10kg. With 2 litres of water it was 13kg fully loaded. But then I did bring a few luxuries like a radio to keep up to date in the cricket.

[johnw]

Well done K. Sounds like a good trip. Having only done a handful of trips from Carlons to Mobbs/Splendour Rock, Breakfast Ck/Coxs etc I remain curious about what lies beyond there and K Walls. One of these days...

Returned last Sunday from my own laid back Christmas trip to the Snowy Mtns with wife and elderly in-laws. We stayed in an apartment in Jindabyne for a week. As the only bushwalker in the group, I managed a few solo day walks around the main range. Some old favourites and a bit of off track rambling but nothing too serious. Bit of residual snow still lying about but very dirty looking. I did manage to "peak bag" Little Twynam (previously unclimbed by me) by following Blue Lake Creek down towards Headley Tarn then crossing and ascending via the Crummer Spur. Continued up to summit of Mt Twynam itself then went out onto Watsons Crags "Dome" before heading back along the usual route via Carruthers Peak saddle. I counted nine tents in the vicinity of The Sentinel and it was great weather for camping up there. Another day I decided to simply walk the Lakes/Main Range circuit but then went exploring along the Snowy River and Merritts Creek on the way back. It actually rained that afternoon and I got to break out my Vista jacket and gore-tex pants briefly. Yay ! I had wanted to visit Mt Gungartan (an unfulfilled objective on my peakbagging list) but unfortunately was short of time on the remaining day I had left for walking, and the weather was looking dubious. Instead I went to Thredbo and walked up to the top of Crackenback via Merritts track where I encountered a wedding party arriving by chairlift of all things ! It was cold, blowing a gale and near white out conditions at times, so it must have been fun for the ladies in their off the shoulder long dresses. I went up the Kosciuszko walkway then headed off track out to summit North Ramshead during an intermittent white out before returning. Still on leave this week so I've been doing some gear shopping, MTB trail riding and a bit of local bushwalking before returning to work on Monday.

[kanangra]

John,

I think from the sounds of it you would really relish the country on the south side of the Coxs. Perhaps 2010 is the year for a K to K walk?

K.

[WarrenH]

When it stropped raining just after Christmas, I spent a couple of days in the region between Nerriga and Sassafras, in the northern Budawang Range and on the northern most plateaus of the Pigeon House Range around Touga (about 40 kilometres NW of Pigeon House Hill). I'm still not sure if I did a bike ride, a bush walk or a swim, mostly.

After reading Morton NP site details just before I left home about the 'New Wilderness', and the thousands of people now visiting Morton (daily) and adversely impacting on the Park, I decided to go to the old wilderness ... the 250 million year old one. "New Wilderness," that is so funny, unless National Parks actually got the landscapers in. For the three days I was in and out, in and out, or in or out of the park (Morton doesn't have a normal park boundary, Morton in the NW is a crazy jig-saw puzzel), I only saw two trail bike riders.

It didn't rain when I was camping, but there was a lot of fresh water, pooling and running over the rocks. There was so much fresh water that it was extraordinary ... especially for this time of year. The abundance of water made the trip very enjoyable, and cut down on hauling weight.

Endrick River, during this post-Christmas trip.



Streams on Sassafras Hill.





I was originally going walking, east of Sassafras but the clay based tracks that I saw were still wet and sticky so I opted for the sandy tracks and the rock pavements of the north western ranges, this was a good change of plan the tracks were very good quality.



There is much rock pavement to walk on around Touga, Queirra and Tullyangela, with beautiful gardens and the walks out to the escarpments are very speccy.





Typical Budawang and Ettrema ambience crossing a dismal swamp ... in the "Misty Mountains."





Cheers.

Warren.

[kanangra]

Gee the colours are good in those shots. The blues are very accentuated.

[north-north-west]

When it stropped raining just after Christmas

Did it? I don't remember that bit, just the rain. And the wind. And the storms . . .

Set out from Dead Horse Gap on the off track ramble along Bob's Ridge. Glorious country, especially the eastern end. Had a ball, scrambling over various little tors, including the highest, then a teensy bit off route on the run down to the saddle at the eastern end of the Big Boggy, but made it down before the rain hit - although only just. Set up in a sheltered spot under the trees and hid from the weather until 6am Christmas Day when I was rudely awakened by my tent deciding it had become bored with all the standard wet-on-the-outside-dry-on-the-inside stuff, and trying some 'interesting' experimental variations. Packed and got the hell out of there. Then started driving nroth, looking for the end of the rain.

Got up to Mt Werong that evening, still raining but at least I had somewhere to hang out the tent under cover so it could dry off. A little ramble around there, then drove up to Yeranderie the next morning, still raining, then west as far as Conimbla, bit of a wander down to Cherry Tree Creek and along the fire trail during a break, then to Holy Camp at the Weddin Mtns - via a torrential downpour that almost drowning the entire town of G-I've forgotten the name.
Climbed up Weddin Bluff the next morning, rambled around south, then back down and drove back towards the real mountains as the weather looked like it might be lifting. Via Yass to Brindabella Road, and along the Mt Franklin Rd to the Ginini carpark. Then in some of the most blatant and shameless peak-bagging ever, walked out to Gingera, along the ridge back to Pryors, up Ginini, and shifted the car to the Franklin carpark, in time to spend a night watching the mother of all storms belting the Brindabellas, bag Franklin and then Aggie, then off to Cooma where I scored some seam sealant for the tent.

Then to Bradley's & O'Brien's Hut, work on the tent, climb Round Mountain (at last), follow the spur down to Ogilvie's and walk back up the road. Next morning, into the Round Mtn carpark, pack, and finally off along Fifteen Mile Ridge. Made it to Far Bald that night, absolutely knackered, over the top and a quick run down past where Boo Bee used to be, to Mackeys and back, then from Far Bald to Doubtful Creek, where the off-track stuff started. Straight up the spur from the creek, along Farm Ridge the next day to Jacky's, Jagungal Saddle and Jagungal itself. Set up camp in a lovely sheltered spot below one of the tors, only to have the wind turn in the night and try to rip the tent to shreds. It was so strong despite all the extra pegs it came in under the floor of the tent and knocked over an almost fully loaded pack . . .

. . . to be continued . . . my lunch break's over.

[kanangra]

Gee Scav. you get around!

[WarrenH]

Then in some of the most blatant and shameless peak-bagging ever, walked out to Gingera, along the ridge back to Pryors, up Ginini, and shifted the car to the Franklin carpark, in time to spend a night watching the mother of all storms belting the Brindabellas, bag Franklin and then Aggie, then off to Cooma where I scored some seam sealant for the tent.

Is "shameless" the word? These are some of the highest peaks in this country. Scavenger one should feel no shame at all, ... if you actually got out of the car?

I bagged Little Ginini amongst the others. I walked about 20 metres from the car to summit ... I did it without rope or oxygen.

In winter it is a different matter the gate is locked at Bull's Head.

Aggie Peak and Mount Franklin from the Border Track.




Warren.

[north-north-west]

Then in some of the most blatant and shameless peak-bagging ever, walked out to Gingera, along the ridge back to Pryors, up Ginini, and shifted the car to the Franklin carpark, in time to spend a night watching the mother of all storms belting the Brindabellas, bag Franklin and then Aggie, then off to Cooma where I scored some seam sealant for the tent.

Is "shameless" the word? These are some of the highest peaks in this country. Scavenger one should feel no shame at all, ... if you actually got out of the car?

Yes, it is shameless, as Aggie and Franklin in particular are about a half hour's ramble from their respective carparks. Ginini is five minutes if you stop to take a few photos.
Mind, I reckon if you survive the drive in and out in wet windy conditions, you deserve plenty of points . . .

[north-north-west]

Now, where was I? Oh, yes, getting blown to bits up on Jagungal . . . definitely a candidate for 'worst night ever' except the wind didn't turn and get bad enough to really bother me until 2am or thereabouts.

So, packed up everything and dressed, inside the tent, then dragged the pack out, rolled said tent into one great sodden flapping lump, shoved it back in the bag, strapped it on, and headed for the footpad down the mountain, 'cause I wasn't going to try for the Toolongs and Bulls in that wind, fog, rain etc.
Of course, it started clearing once I got down to the trees, so after a lot of dithering I decided to cut straight south down the spur, over Strumbo Hill, onto Smith's, over Rocky Bogong, Grey Mare Bogong and down past the spring to Grey Mare Hut, then (and I'm still regretting this decision) via the falls loop to Valentine. Picked up as many caterpillars et al as Melinda's Hannel Spur mob. Up onto the Ghost to a lovely campsite on the shoulder above the creek for the night - which, once again, became rather damper than I would have preferred.

Next morning, packed up everything except the tent and shifted it into Valentine Hut to air out (OK, dry out - the tent still wasn't entirely weatherproof) until the rain stopped. Which it did, somewhere towards midday. Packed up, along the Ghost's ridge and a couple of others then onto the track near that 'orrible creek and up to Schlink, setting up camp just up the valley a bit and keeping fingers crossed that the rain had finished for good. Quiet little amble down to Munyang on the track in the evening. Lot of hut walkers about.
Then up bright and early (Yes! it WAS bright for once!) and up over Gungartan to Tin Hut, set up camp nearby and out to the Porcupine. A nice easy day. Next day out over the Brassies, Mailbox Hill and Bull Peaks to Macwhatsisname Saddle and back, again scrambling over every rocky tor in sight - and there are heaps of them out there. Brilliant day, except for the ebssos.

Next morning, bid a sad fairewell to Tin Hut (I love that spot - and it's a lovely little hut, though it would get cramped easily) and, via a much less prostanthera and scoparia ridden route, back to Gungartan Saddle and the Kerries.

Damn, another lunch break gone . . .

[ninjapuppet]

Kanangra,
Me and 2 friends tried to do a similar trip to yours from friday till Sunday but after realising the speed you were racing at, decided to call it quits after the jenolan river-Mumbedah creek junction. We took a friend along who was quite new to bushwalking, but assured us he was fit.....

Turned out he was less fit than he thought he was and at the rate we were going, it would have taken probally 4-5 days.
Also turned out he has a snake-o-phobia. we probally saw about 5 snakes along the cox/jenolan river, just sunbathing on the track.

also some massive goannas', the largest probally 1.5m long! i never knew they grew to those sorts of sizes. spent the weekend fishing carp (no trout seen), and then back to breakfast creek/cox river junction and back up via ironmongers spur.

... Was just wondering, does anyone know if those goannas are dangerous, or have heard any stories?
My friend went right up to it and pat it on the back and took some photos, but i wasnt keen after seeing its crazy claws.
I saw a large one climb a tree that alsmost seem to defy gravity.

[kanangra]

Ninja,

Sorry to hear that you didn't make it round. I didn't think I was going particularly quickly at the time just kept moving really. I don't think the goannas will do you too much harm.

K.

[HitchHiking]

I have heard of the goannas trying to climb up you out of fright thinking one is a tree. Sounds urban legend like, but fun to tell to folks.