Tantangara Take #2.

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Tantangara Take #2.

Postby kanangra » Fri 04 Jan, 2013 5:55 pm

Well my annual Christmas trip to the Northern Kosci area went very well again this year. Perfect weather. In the end I could find no one to go with me again so it turned out to be a solo walk. I set out from Wares Camp just off the Tantangara Rd just after dark on the 27th. I made it into Schofields Hut just after 10PM. I based myself there for the next two days with day walks to Mt. Morgan and Big Bugtown Hill. On the third day I walked around to Kiandra and stayed the night at the all new Broken Dam Hut. Then on the last day I walked back out to Wares. Accomplished all I set out to do including a couple of very long days. I will post more details when I get a chance.

K.
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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby kanangra » Sat 02 Feb, 2013 8:56 am

It has taken a while but here are some more details on my day trip from Schofields Hut to Mt Morgan and return. I figured this would be a long day and it was. I left not long after 5 and didn't get back till just before 9 that night. According to my GPS it was about 62kms. I went via Circuits Trail and Gulf Ck trail to Boundary Trail. Here I turned right then after a short distance left onto Gulf Ck trail again. This led down to Farm Ck where i had breakfast. Not far from there you leave Tantangara map sheet and go onto Yaouk. Any way I came to a T intersection where I turned left and walked north to the Murrumbidgee River which I crossed. On the northern side in a clearing was some ruins including a stack of bricks. I came to a major intersection where I turned left onto the Bogong ck trail. This I followed north passing turn offs on the left to Platypus Hill trail and Clear Ridge Trail. I was pleased to note this last one because on my return I was intending to walk out via the Clear ridge and although no trail was marked on the map I had seen what I thought looked like one heading up there on my trip the previous year. The trail then dropped steeply into Bogong Ck then up before dropping even more steeply into Bung Harris Ck. Then up again to link with Lone Pine trail. I had walked in on this trail last year. This led steeply up to the entrance to the Bimberi Wilderness marked with a sign. Here I left the trail walking through a grassy upland to a spot with a view of Mt Morgan where I stopped for lunch.

After lunch I followed a pad across a swampy area and then up the side of Morgan to the summit ridge. Here the top is not obvious with 3 main out crops all vying for the high point. I ascended one to the north but once on top it was obvious this was not it. I then walked south and climbed the southern most peak but once on top again it became apparant that the one in the middle was higher. So I back tracked and climbed the middle peak and sure enough there was a small pipe in the rock and a plastic cylindar which contained a sodden log book. the views were fantastic in all directions. Immediately to the west was my next objective, Half Moon Pk. It was getting on so I walked south before descending to the low saddle between Morgan and Half Moon. This turned out to be very swampy but I did manage to get some much needed water. Then up steeply onto Half Moon. This time i didn't back track to the summit but continued south on Clear Ridge. Before long I stumbled upon an interesting feature. A large flat area which obviously filled with water after rain. There was a remnant pool amongst the reeds and marsh grasses. Perhaps a similar feature to Scabby Tarn? Despite being called Clear ridge the going wasn't all that open with thick timber and pockets of scrub. The ridge dropped into a saddle but beyond here things began to open out until it became only scattered timber and grass. Then once on top again I hit Clear ridge Trail the turn off to which I had passed earlier in the day. I turned right and followed this to the west descending steeply back down to the Murrumbidgee river. It was 6:30.

It was a beautiful sunny evening. I had the whole place to myself. It was eerily quiet. After cooling off in the river and feeling quite refreshed I set off on the final 10 ks or so back to the hut. I had travelled this way before so I set the auto pilot and headed off. It really was slendid having the open Gulf Plain to myself as the sun slowly set bathing the whole landscape in softer hues. a lone brumby galloped away and then I saw a mob up on the hill. At last the march flies retired for the day and the final hour or so back up Circuits Trail was passed in the delightful cool of evening. I reached the hut just as the last of the light was fading and the moon was appearing above the Nungar Range.

What a day. I had really been looking forward to this for months. I had thought it was feasible in a day but couldn't be sure. Clear Ridge Track had been the key. I had reasoned it must be there but as it wasn't on Yaouk sheet I couldn't be certain. I was pretty stuffed by the end though. I didn't even make a fire that night. And i didn't need much rocking either.

K.
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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby crollsurf » Tue 05 Feb, 2019 8:31 pm

Tantangara Take #3 maybe but definitely not on the epic scale that kanangra goes to. It's nice country out that way.
http://croll.me/2019/01/29/hut-hoping-at-tantangara/
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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby Zapruda » Wed 06 Feb, 2019 6:46 am

crollsurf wrote:Tantangara Take #3 maybe but definitely not on the epic scale that kanangra goes to. It's nice country out that way.
http://croll.me/2019/01/29/hut-hoping-at-tantangara/


This is a great trip report, Robert. The Nungar Plain and area northeast of there (Peak back ridge!) are some of my favourites, and a staple for me in the cooler months. in fact, I think the whole part of the park north of Kiandra is underrated and often forgotten about by walkers. There are several multiday loops that can be made in the area. It is quite understated and beautiful. Thanks for that, its got me dreaming of some colder weather and big open plains.
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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby Zapruda » Wed 06 Feb, 2019 8:07 am

You have to be careful about horse talk in those parts... That's Cochran country up there :evil:. I believe his family ( The Mackays?) built several of the huts up there as well as had grazing leases.

That's the only bad thing about the area. Too many feral horses and too much damage.
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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby kanangra » Wed 06 Feb, 2019 8:14 am

I really enjoyed that report and the photos. Brought back many good memories. I can confirm that the route you took across Nungar Plain was originally a 4WD route. I got bogged taking my old L300 across there back in the '80's. In the end a ranger pulled me out. Oops.

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Re: Tantangara Take #2.

Postby puredingo » Wed 06 Feb, 2019 2:03 pm

Unreal, mate. Thanks.
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