Help planning a multi-day walk in Kosciuszko.

[Kainas]

I want to head to Kosciuszko this December/January for a 6-7 day bushwalking with my husband.

I am staring at maps and reading trail descriptions, and searching through old forum posts, but I would appreciate if someone gave me some simple thoughts about the area.

What track/tracks should I be looking at? Do the tracks leave from Thredbo or Charlotte Pass or both. We are driving down from Port Stephens, is it possible to pitch a tent a few kilometres into the trail, so our first day is short?

ETA: I have yet to do any off-track bushwalking, my navigational skills are limited to some weekend orienteering. The Main Track via Guthega on the wildwalks website looks perfect, but I am worried about the degree of bushwalking experience.

[north-north-west]

There is a track from Thredbo that follows the river to Dead Horse Gap, and a track from there up to the Main Range. There are also good access points at Guthega and Munyang.

Depending on weather conditions, off-track navigation on the Main Range and nearby areas goes from dead easy to deadly. Townsend, Mueller and the Abbotts, Sentinel, Watsons Crags, Little Twynam to Illawong are all easy options. Granite Peaks/Rolling Grounds to Whites or Dicky Coopers/Schlink a little more complex but not that bad - plus there are pads for much of it.

Camping is technically prohibited within a certain distance of the tracks, and within the alpine lake catchments, but there are still plenty of places to pitch the tent to make for a short day. If starting from Charlotte Pass, you could take the track over Stilwell and camp anywhere on the route down to the Rawson Walkway, for instance. Or peel off to the left from the Dead Horse Gap track once you get up near the Ramsheads, and camp there. Both lovely areas with relatively easy off-track nav provided the weather is clear.

[Lophophaps]

Kainas, NNW has given good options for the Main Range. Another area is coming in from Round Mountain. This is generally flatter, has more places to camp, has heaps of open off-track walking, and lacks the tourist clutter of the Main Range circuits. From Round Mountain there is the possibility of walking then base camping in one or two sports of your choosing. Jagungul is well worth the effort. Details can be provided.

You need to have good gear, fitness, navigation and food for seven days. There's time for getting all of these to a suitable standard by December.

[Kainas]

Thanks for the feedback. I know there are chairlift(s?) from Thredbo. Are they worth taking to the top? Not that I won't to skip any hardwork, but I am guessing it would save a few hours walking and show the scenery from a different vantage point. I would be interested in opinions.

ETA: scratch that, I found the info on wildwalks.

[Kainas]

You need to have good gear, fitness, navigation and food for seven days. There's time for getting all of these to a suitable standard by December.

Yes, hence the planning. The last multi-day we did was about 6 years ago in NZ when we put the Routeburn and Hollyford tracks back to back, and my body feels like it has gotten softer and older since then (I should add, we stayed in huts on those walks). I am putting myself out there again, more walks, taking up orienteering to begin the process of learning to navigate in the bush. I have a couple of multi-days walks that I want to do - as goals!!

Does the main range track need to be walked in one direction rather than the other?

[north-north-west]

Does the main range track need to be walked in one direction rather than the other?

No. Start at any one of a number of access points and go wherever you want. It's also a fairly short walk for seven days - the full circuit including the climb up from and back down to Thredbo can be done in one day. Even exploring all the main peaks (Ramsheads, Rawson, Mueller, Townsend, Alice Rawson, Abbotts, Northcote, Clarke, Carruthers, Sentinel, Watsons, Twynam) wouldn't take anywhere near that long. Although it would give you time to also explore a bit of the country east of Alpine Way. Navigation from Dead Horse Gap along Dead Horse and Bobs Ridges and/or Chimneys Ridge is easy enough in good weather, and you get a good circuit by returning from Chimneys via Terrible and Paddy Rush's.

As Lophophaps has said, Round Mountain is a good option for quieter country. Also saves you paying the park use fees. And Jagungal is wonderful.

[Kainas]

I would like to do Mt Townsend and Mt Kosciuszko, for all the usual reasons, but also I wanted to take my kids along on this trip. (note: past-tense, wanted, I no longer want!)

Initially the plan was a slow multi-day hike with my 3 and 5yo. However, I rethought the sanity of that. It is a fine thing to do on a walk like Yuraygir, in which I can turn a 4 day walk into a 9day one, with 4 or 5 exits points that I could summon a taxi to, and multiple drop points at caravan parks for food/clean clothing.. and of course, that is pretty difficult to get lost on.

But I want to explore this area a bit so I can judge when it is time to bring my kids for a multi-day walk in the area.

Thanks for all the advice, I am doing my best to get my head around the area. I am coming close to a plan, when I do I will get some opinions, I think it will be 4-5 days around the main track (and spurs etc), and then options to visit some smaller tracks on the way, eg stay the first night at Bullocks Flat. Find another optional 2-3 day walk for the return trip. That way we can be flexible with the time we need... I still have to convince my dad to mind the kids for me

[peregrinator]

As Lophophaps has said, Round Mountain is a good option for quieter country. Also saves you paying the park use fees. And Jagungal is wonderful.

I'm planning on walking in that area next summer. Just wondering if either of you know of any convenient spots to car-camp on the first night after the drive up to the NP.

[Nuts]

Three Mile Dam off the link road was always a fave.

[Lophophaps]

O'Briens Hut may be an option. See
http://www.khuts.org/index.php?option=c ... Itemid=188
There's a toilet and reasonable camping at the Round Mountain car park. If you get to RM carpark by, say, 4 pm in summer and feel like walking, you can get to RM Hut or take the other track to the Toolong Range and Dershkos Hut. This hut is way too far for a late start. However, there are plenty of lovely campsites on the track. Huts are on the map at
http://www.khuts.org/webmap/map.html#zo ... FFFFFTFFTT
That last bit of the URL sounds like my air mat defalting, or a mate on about day eight of a trip. The huts should be a backup, not part of the main plan.

If taking young children to alpine regions, some care is needed, even in summer. The weather can get bleak any time of the year.

[Mark F]

There's a toilet and reasonable camping at the Round Mountain car park. If you get to RM carpark by, say, 4 pm in summer and feel like walking, you can get to RM Hut or take the other track to the Toolong Range and Dershkos Hut.

I occasionally leave Canberra at 4pm on Friday in summer for Round Mountain and walk into RM hut before dark - its only a 1/2 hour (2km) walk. Similar distance to a creek crossing the fire road to Dershkos hut if heading in that direction.

From Round Mountain hut it is only another 20 minutes to the Tumut River on the Farm Ridge fire trail if daylight allows.

[Lophophaps]

Mark, I think the party will have young children, who may take an hour or more for those options. The Tumut will be colder and has limited toileting areas. Anyone that gets from RM Hut to the Tumut in 20 minutes is sprinting. From the RM Hut turnoff it's not far downhill to the creek on the Dershkos track, and a short distance up to flat ground near the Cool Plain track, such as it is. A lot depends on the time, weather and party when they reach the start. This comment applies to anywhere.

If doing that loop I'd go clockwise, as this makes the last days easier, less climbing and the Tumut river crossing done.

[Kainas]

No, no children. Sorry, I wasn't clear enough when I explained it. I had originally intended a family bushwalking trip. However I decided that it would be better for my husband and I to do some of the walks alone first and become a bit more familiar with the area before contemplating bringing children along.

[Mark F]

Lophophaps, I haven't sprinted in years but they did grade the fire trail through to the top of Farm Ridge (not the whole length thank heavens) a couple of years ago cutting out the awkward overgrown section between the hut and the intermediate creek crossing so it is a fairly quick down hill 1.8km (approx). For me much slower on the way up.

Agree that camping by the Tumut can be very cold - a perfect example of cold air drainage and the attendant inverted tree line.

[Kainas]

Forgive this question. I promise I have been staring at maps trying to figure out what you meant, but it isn't obvious to me.

The suggestion about O'briens hut, RM, Tumut River, etc. Are you suggesting that as a good place to overnight before driving the car to the next trailhead? If so, where is the closest entry point to the main track from that direction. I had intended to drive down via Jindabyne, I had not even considered coming in from that direction.

[peregrinator]

Lophophaps, I have confused the issue by barging in to this thread with my question earlier today. That was in response to the suggestion you and NNW made about walking in this area. It just so happened that I'd been planning to go to there next summer (also without children -- and no adult company either, so if I have to sprint no one else will have to suffer!). I suppose I could have started a new thread but that seemed a bit unnecessary. However, apologies to Kainas if I have offended.

Anyway, thank you Lophophaps for your tips (and links to excellent resources) and also thanks to Mark F and Nuts. At the rate this information is flowing, by the time next summer comes around there might be a cast of thousands up there.

[Kainas]

This is my first draft. Before I plunge in any further with more detail, any advice is welcome. I am possibly looking to add an extra day in there somewhere.

Option #1 (Draft)

Day 1
a)Drive from Shoal Bay to Bullocks Flat
Overnight at Bullocks Hut??
(ETA: consider option b as deleted. Comments have helped me, thank you.
b)Drive from Shoal Bay to Round Mountain (via Cabramurra etc)
Overnight at Round Mountain. )

Day 2
Drive to Thredbo
Begin walk at Thredbo.
Thredbo to Mt Kosciuszko 10km 5hrs
via Dead Horse Gap and Thredbo River.
Mt Kosciuszko to Wilkinsons Creek 3km 1.5hrs?
Overnight at Wilkinsons creek

Day 3
Wilkinsons Creek to Foremans Hut Ruins 10km 4-5hrs
Overnight at Foremans Hut

Day 4
Foremans Hut to Illawong Lodge
Overnight at Illawong lodge (if possible, otherwise Pounds Creek Flat).

Day 5
Illawong Lodge to Mt Townsend 12.5km 5hrs
Overnight at Mt Townsend Plateau

Day 6
Mt Townsend to Thredbo 10km (via the chairlift) 3-4hrs
via North Rams Head??
via express lift with a bistro meal at the EagleNest Bistro.
Overnight at Thredbo (somewhere with showers!)

Day 7
Drive home.

[Mark F]

Edited in light of you posted itinerary. The Round Mountain area was an option somebody suggested earlier in the thread.
Day 1. Don't go to Round Mountain but camp at Thredbo Diggings or Ngarigo Camp Grounds on the Alpine Way near Thredbo or see my suggestions below.

What I am suggesting is trying to avoid camping and then driving a short distance to the trail head. I find getting started on the walk in the late afternoon saves heaps time the next morning due to not faffing around packing up and driving 30 minutes before starting the walk. It can also avoid disturbed sleep due to traffic and late night arrivals at the camp site.

The Round Mountain is a common entry point for walks in the Jagungal area. It lies south of Kiandra on the western side of the Main Range a bit to the NW of Jagungal. RM hut etc are a relatively short distance from Round Mountain car park. Round Mountain is a starting point good point from Canberra as one drives down the Naas and Boboyan roads (about 1/2 gravel) from Canberra to Adaminaby to join the Snowy Mountains Highway to Kiandra. This cuts out the dog leg from Canberra-Cooma-Kiandra and saves about 1/2 an hour.

Other options I use when arriving late afternoon in Koscuiszko are walking from Munyang Power Station up to Horse Camp hut or the Aquaduct hut for the evening. This gives access to Schlink Pass where you can head south along the Main Range towards Koscuiszko or head north towards Jagungal.

From Thredbo I get the chair lift up and walk to North Ramshead to camp. You only need to follow the boardwalk to Koscuiszko Lookout, turn left and go about 500 metres although this a quite exposed location. It gives you a good head start on the day walkers heading for the Koscuiszko summit.

From Charlottes Pass you could walk a bit past Mt Stilwell and find spot to camp but haven't done this myself. There is no camping allowed on the Snowy River below Charlottes Pass on the Blue Lake track.

[north-north-west]

Shoal Bay to Thredbo via Cabramurra rather strikes me as being the long and hard way around. Fine if you want to do a bit of car-touring, but wasted time and fuel if you're planning on just walking from Thredbo. The route through Canberra and Jindy would be much quicker.

[Lophophaps]

Kainas, your words were and are clear - you said "past tense" when describing taking the kids. My mistake.

The first draft looks okay. It's hard to show the following on this forum. I make up a table with columns date, day of the week, day of the trip details of the day, distance and time. This allows me to see at a glance what is happening.

If walking on the Main Range I see no need to go to Round Mountain. If you have time, and if it's allowed, camp at Dead Horse Gap. If you get there before, say, 4 pm, think about walking up from DHG. There's a nice campsite a way up the hill, good water, 122578, at ~ 1780 metres. Pads to follow and go up, easy navigation. This will take you over Ramsheads, open hills, lovely walking

I agree with Mark that if you can get on the walk on the day that you drive in it will save time. All his other points are excellent.

I'd avoid camping in Wilkinsons Creek - too crowded, water suss due to human wastes. If you go on another 40 minutes or so to the far side of Townsend there are brilliant campsites with brilliant views. There are camping restrictions; I have a map somewhere.

I'd just walk along the Main range as far as Tate, with a side trip to the Rolling Ground and the ridge north of Tate. Then reverse the route, hopefully camping in different places, like high on Pounds Creek or east of Twynum. I see no need to go down to Illawong Lodge as that means going back up. Take in Watsons Crags and The Sentinal.

Mark, yes, the track has been regraded, up to about 1500 metres on the south side. It's lovely and grown in after that. There's a good creek at about 1600 metres, where the track does a dogleg. This is several hours from the car park and is a good place to camp.

[Kainas]

Thank you all, as always your advice is invaluable. I know much of this will become clear once I have visited the area, but until then all the input is wonderful.

I am going to rejig my draft, try to start up the Dead Horse Gap and camp on day #1 (all your comments make sense).

[Kainas]

However, apologies to Kainas if I have offended.
.

Not even slightly. I am as interested in your questions and responses as you are in mine (possibly more).

[Kainas]

I'd just walk along the Main range as far as Tate, with a side trip to the Rolling Ground and the ridge north of Tate. Then reverse the route, hopefully camping in different places, like high on Pounds Creek or east of Twynum. ... Take in Watsons Crags and The Sentinal.
[/color]

I am using this link on wildwalks and thisone on khuts.org to research the rough plan. Do any of these trails have names, so that I can search for them. I am a bit concerned about going off well-beaten tracks as my navigational skills are very basic (but improving). Would these places be too much for me?

I have heard Watsons Crag and The sentinal mentioned before (I dare say on this forum) so I will do some more googling.

[Lizzy]

Hi Kainas,
A couple of years ago a friend and I did 3 day circuit trying to incorporate the "top 10"
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=11599
It could be easily made into a longer walk by adding more side trips or taking more time (recommended!). It is mostly on track with a some of the side trips of track. Of course the November snow cover made it a bit trickier and also more fun!
Anyway hope it gives you a few ideas- some lovely country out there
Cheers
Lizzy

[Lophophaps]

Kainas, the maps are a good starting point. However, it is much easier if you have paper maps. I'm not sure what maps are available. A 1:50,000 scale is best, the 1:25,000 maps are too many in number. if you buy some maps soonish you will be able to see the walk and become familiar with the maps that you will use.

The places we are suggesting take your navigational skill level into account. The terrain is mostly open, and in fine weather quite easy to walk, off track or on track. In any case, most places have a track or pad. At worst, if the weather clags and you can't see where to go, stop and camp.

[Kainas]

Thank you. Funny I just bought some maps online about an hour ago. I shall pause the planning until they arrive.

[Kainas]

My maps have arrived. I am going to start looking at them over the next couple of weeks. A spanner has been thrown in the works, I just found out I am pregnant, not far but far enough to make me pause the planning for a few months (and if all goes well, I dare say this walk won't happen until at least the following year).

I think it might be time to ask some questions about people's experience bushwalking while pregnant - but I will save that for another thread.

Thanks everyone for your help, I am sorry to have to let the walk go for now.

[DarrenM]

Congrats Kainas!

I think it might be time to ask some questions about people's experience bushwalking while pregnant

I've never been pregnant so can't really help there but now you have plenty of time to explore the maps.

[Lophophaps]

A spanner has been thrown in the works, I just found out I am pregnant, not far but far enough to make me pause the planning for a few months (and if all goes well, I dare say this walk won't happen until at least the following year).

Never heard it called a spanner before ... Great news! The last nine months of pregnancy are the hardest, and for the child, the first 20 years. You now have time to learn to navigate, and about spanners.

[Kainas]

Ha. Plenty of time to plan "dream bushwalking trips" and daydream about them.