Bogong High Plains/Young's Top/The Fainters. Dec. 27-31/2024

[paidal_chalne_vala]

https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/bushw ... st-5839683

You can read a trip report with photos by clicking on the above weblink.

[Camminata]

Good report and pics , the horsey party and the horse shat! would have peeved me off , next time I venture out on Youngs Top I will return via Swindlers Gap as you suggested maybe late Autumn/winter.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I can suggest that there are a number of ways to reach Young's Top and McNamara's hut.
1. Mt. Hotham airport to McNamara's hut and then over Young's Top.( solid bush bashing and Navigation is required).
2. Omeo hwy./Blue Duck Inn/ Callaghan's Road/ McCoy's Track . Park your car after the 3rd or 4th gate and walk up the 4 WD track to Mcnamara's hut. Proceed from there.
3. Brandy Creek fire trail on the G.A. Rd. to Paling spur and over Young's Top to Young's Hut.
4. Pretty Valley Pondage to Young's Hut and then either over Young's top to McNamara's hut or use a GPS to find
the actual start of the Paling spur walking track and use that route to create a circuit via Swindler's Gap and Dibbin's hut.
The Horsey people use the track from the base of Paling Spur/ over Swinder's Gap to Dibbin's hut to create
a route that is serviceable for walkers too.

The entire Young's Top area is a fine place to work on your navigation skills and
enjoy a beautiful region that is mostly bereft of other people.
It has much appeal and is a less scrubby version of the Northern Prom . is , in terms of being a place
with a wilderness vibe and it is remote and mostly unblemished
by pole lines and signs etc..
I marked the route on my GPS using way points in advance . The actual Young's Top walking track is a route that is sometimes hard to find. We walked it both
ways and found new ways to drift
off the pre ordained route on the map. The key is to stay high and don't stray too far off the shoulders of the terrain.
The Land forms are easy enough to match with the actual hard copy Topographical map. The GPS gives you a more accurate actual position
of where you really are and using a compass in the other hand which direction to proceed in order to rejoin the actual set route.
If a person cannot use a real compass & a real map then a GPS will not be much use overall.

[Ironfox]

Nice report and pics PCV. Yes- the Youngs region is an interesting area of the high plains and usually quieter. I’ve regularly seen lots of feral horses around there.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

We saw two feral horses on day 3 near Mcnamara's hut. There are wild horse traps set in
place in 2 or 3 areas on Young's Top.