Main Range Walk

[Captain517]

Is there a 2 day walk with an overnight camp on the main range walk?
I have heard there is one with a camp site near Mt Townsend but cant find any detail. Lots of bits that dont seem to add up to a full overnighter.
Rob

[johnw]

No campsites directly on most of the main range circuit as such, as camping isn't allowed within the catchments of the glacial lakes. Yes, people do camp on the saddle between Mt Townsend and Mt Alice Rawson. Some track notes at the link below cover it. It's worth getting a copy of the book Snowy Mountains Walks by the Geehi Bushwalking Club which describes a number of day and overnight options around the main range and other places, including small detailed topo maps.

http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/kosciuszko-np-south/charlottes-pass-main-range-loop-camping-at-mt-townsend.html

Or a 4 day option from Guthega:
http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/kosciuszko-np-south/main-range-circuit-from-guthega.html

[wildwalks]

Hi Rob

John's comments are great - avoid camping in the catchments. So if staying on saddle between Mt Townsend and Mt Alice Rawson, camp and toilet on the western side. The good views come at a cost though, it is exposed to the winds, and there is only water up there after rain. And thanks John for the plug

My favorite area to camp up there is in Wilkinsons Creek. Lovely open mostly flat area, plenty of water and a great spot to watch the sunset if you wander down to the rocks at the far western end. Plenty of water.
Check out
http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... -loop.html
a day walk, but used the side trip down to Wilkinsons Creek to break it into two days.

Enjoy the walk

Matt

[johnw]

And thanks John for the plug

You're welcome Matt. Your site is evolving well and is very handy. Sometimes time poor, I find it useful to research quick day trips (stolen walks?) that fit a particular timeframe. The advanced search tools are very good for this. Also to refresh my memory of the logistics of past walks.

[wildwalks]

Thanks John
Thanks for your kind words, glad you are finding it helpful.
Glad you found the Advanced search, some people are struggling to find it, then use it. I have started work on a map based search tool, hopfully get to finishing it the second half of this year. But it should have the same features plus a few more options with a more visual search results. Always things to work on.
Matt

[iaindtiler]

the mt Townsend campsite is fab if the weather holds. was up there after xmas and it is an esy two day hike with the night spent on mt Townsend. the pad to get to mt Townsend is not easily followed, but visably you can reach mt townsend without the pad. back to the weather, sunset/night was lovely, morning not so , as the photos show . also arguably has the best views of surrounds and mt Kosciosko in the region.

[johnw]

..the pad to get to mt Townsend is not easily followed, but visably you can reach mt townsend without the pad. back to the weather, sunset/night was lovely, morning not so , as the photos show . also arguably has the best views of surrounds and mt Kosciosko in the region.

Yes, pretty open walking around there. Fom memory I've seen a few cairns at the saddle near Kosi which I suspect would eventually pick up the pad. Although when I went up there a number of years ago we went via the top of Muellers Peak for some reason. Eventually stumbled onto the pad. I think Mt Townsend is arguably a more satisfying objective than the doddle up Kosi, even if it is a few metres shorter. At least it looks and feels like a mountain.

[wildwalks]

I think Mt Townsend is arguably a more satisfying objective than the doddle up Kosi, even if it is a few metres shorter. At least it looks and feels like a mountain.

hear hear
There is no guessing when you have got to the top of Mt Townsend

Some other photos around the summit of Mt Townsend
http://www.wildwalks.com/i.html?image_id=266804

[north-north-west]

You can camp just about anywhere up there except, as has been noted, in the lake catchment areas. There was a map - at Rawson Pass, I think - highlighting the specific areas that were off limits, and it's surprisingly limited.
I've had some magical nights up there, just north of the Ramshead, around the Abbotts and Townsend, near Twynam, various spots by the river. There are also some wonderful campsites on the northern side of Sentinel Spur, on the flats besides the creek. That's a truly beautiful place to spend a night.

[Jellybean]

My favorite area to camp up there is in Wilkinsons Creek. Lovely open mostly flat area, plenty of water and a great spot to watch the sunset if you wander down to the rocks at the far western end. Plenty of water.

Here's a couple of pics:

1st, looking across the valley in which Wilkinsons Creek lies, from Mt Townsend towards Kosi

2nd, down at Wilkinson's Creek itself, looking back towards Mt Townsend.

As Matt said, plenty of places to camp and plenty of water. We had it to ourselves when we were up there.

Cheers,

JB

[Jellybean]

I think Mt Townsend is arguably a more satisfying objective than the doddle up Kosi, even if it is a few metres shorter. At least it looks and feels like a mountain.

hear hear
There is no guessing when you have got to the top of Mt Townsend

Some other photos around the summit of Mt Townsend
http://www.wildwalks.com/i.html?image_id=266804

Agreed! (Attached is another perspective from the top of Townsend)

.. and, to me, The Sentinel is an even more satisfying objective (even though it's shorter again)! (the attached photo doesn't come close to doing it justice, I'm no photographer)

[iaindtiler]

here,s a little map showing ye the campsites. hopefully it will help ye.

[Captain517]

Thanks,,, that makes it all much clearer!!
Rob

[wildwalks]

You can camp just about anywhere up there except, as has been noted, in the lake catchment areas. There was a map - at Rawson Pass, I think - highlighting the specific areas that were off limits, and it's surprisingly limited.
I've had some magical nights up there, just north of the Ramshead, around the Abbotts and Townsend, near Twynam, various spots by the river. There are also some wonderful campsites on the northern side of Sentinel Spur, on the flats besides the creek. That's a truly beautiful place to spend a night.

I think is the map you ar thinking about

There are also limits to camping in daywalk area and withing the ski reorts.

Matt

[eggs]

File note:
This discussion has been extended in some recent posts on this thread:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3205&start=90#p115612

In short - the onsite maps of restricted areas [as shown above] seems to indicate that Chapman's campsite near Townsend violates the rule.
But the text in their official documents [including a test for being in the watershed] indicates that camping would be allowed there !!??