5-6 day walk ideas in the Snowies

[davidmorr]

I am looking for ideas for a 5-6 day walk in the Snowies in late November/early December. I have already walked quite extensively there, and am looking for something a bit different.

So I have walked a lot around the main range, Kiandra to Kosciusko, White's River, Round Mountain to Jagungal and a bit around Blue Waterholes in the north. Earlier this year I spent a week in the Pilot wilderness.

What is there left to do?

Well, I have not been east of Jagungal, in the Eucumbene area. I have not been north of Kiandra much. Never been in Namadgi.

Then of course I could go to Victoria, maybe Cobberas which was very visible from the Pilot.

So I would be grateful for suggestions.

Thanks

David

[north-north-west]

If you haven't been east of Jagungal, you've missed some great country, but my first suggestion would be to drive into Pockets Saddle and do a loop from there. Take the track out to Leura Gap, then either tracks or scrub bash along the ridge south to Bimberi and Murray Gap. Then you can follow the AAWT to just over the Cotter River, go up Coronet Peak and follow the ridges to Namadgi, Gudgenby and Kelly, then across to Morgan and either back along the ridge to Oldfields and out on the track, or over Half Moon to the Horse Camp.
Or cut it shorter and just go from Murray Gap over Murray and then out to Morgan.

There are plenty of tracks and horse pads, and also a bit of scrubby country (bits of the ridge north of Bimberi come to mind), but your exact route would depend on how comfortable you are off track.

[davidmorr]

Thanks for the suggestion NNW. I do not have a topo map for Namadgi so it is a bit hard to work out exactly where to go and how much up and down there is. It certainly looks to be above the treeline most of the time.

It also seems to be in the Cotter catchment and my map says permits are required to camp. Is this a big issue?

[perfectlydark]

Ah I was going to suggest the main range (doing it myself in december) but point is moot

[north-north-west]

Thanks for the suggestion NNW. I do not have a topo map for Namadgi so it is a bit hard to work out exactly where to go and how much up and down there is. It certainly looks to be above the treeline most of the time.

It also seems to be in the Cotter catchment and my map says permits are required to camp. Is this a big issue?

The off track options are mostly scrub, rocks and the occasional bit of fairly open forest. The bits I've mentioned do a lot of up-and-downing, some of it fairly steep, but it's all negotiable with a full pack (If I can do it, so can you). Plus you can link tracks to cover much of the terrain if you'd rather not scrub-bash.
CMA 1:25000 Maps for Rendezvous Creek & Yaouk cover pretty much the whole area I've suggested, in blinding detail. Oh, and I meant Burbidge, not Gudgenby. Gudge is a bit further east.
I never bothered with permits, and although they're probably technically required for some of that, it's just a formality. There's some very good camping at Leura & Murray Gaps, on Bimberi, Namadgi & Morgan, and many places in between, both high and low. Interesting country and somewhat different from the bulk of what you've already done.

[Mark F]

In the same area you can also visit the Blue Waterholes - limestone gorge and caves - a contrast to the surrounding area. No problem with obtaining a camping permit for the Cotter - just ring the Namadgi Visitors Centre before you go.

A nice figure of eight loop is to park at Orroral Valley - Cotter Flats (via the AAWT) - Murray Gap (side trip to Bimberi) - Pockets Hut - Blue Waterholes - Leura Gap - Cotter Flats - Orroral Valley (via fire road and walk down Orroral Valley. The only cross country is from Blue Waterholes back to the old Leura Gap fire trail or just return via the fire trails and Pockets Hut.

[davidmorr]

A nice figure of eight loop is to park at Orroral Valley - Cotter Flats (via the AAWT) - Murray Gap (side trip to Bimberi) - Pockets Hut - Blue Waterholes - Leura Gap - Cotter Flats - Orroral Valley (via fire road and walk down Orroral Valley. The only cross country is from Blue Waterholes back to the old Leura Gap fire trail or just return via the fire trails and Pockets Hut.

Good thought thanks, but I have already spent a fair bit of time around Blue Waterholes and Pockets, and would like to try something new.

Someone mentioend that east of Jagungal, near Eucumbene was good. Any ideas for that area?