Main Range Circuit from Guthega - camp sites and water quest

[viktor]

Thinking to do Main Range Circuit from Guthega with me wife and kids 12 and 14 as per http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... thega.html
We never walked in the area ... so few questions:

- any camp sites available in Guthega or nearby? (we are coming by car in the evening so would need a sleep before the walk)
- description says that "Water supply from the Ponds creek is unreliable". Is it an issue this time of the year? Going to walk on Christmas. Any recent rains in NSW?
- as we never been in the area - just wondering if this walk is a good choice to get familiar with the place (we have 4 days there) - any better ideas for a loop track with kids?

Thanksalot,

Viktor

[north-north-west]

There's always been water in Pounds Creek when I've been there, including in high summer during the drought. I'd treat it at that time of the year if the level's low, though.

There's a campground beside the road, signposted, about half an hour before Guthega at the most. Check your maps, it should be marked. There are toilets and picnic benches and the like there, although it may have a bit of a crowd at that time of the year. I usually just pull off the road into one of the power line access points for the night. There are also a couple of places on Link Rd where you can pull over and pitch a tent, but no facilities.
There's a camping area near Island Bend, too, but I don't know what sort of facilities it has.
There are also toilets at the GPS carpark, but it wouldn't be the best spot to pitch a tent for the night.

[ferozious]

Island Bend is a large camping area. THe turn off is signposted and once you turn off the road there are several junctions leading to various campsites. The best ones are down near the river where there are pit toilettes and fire pits.

The road maps and Kosciusko map advertise a camping area at Sawpit Creek where the Kosciusko Road crosses it. I have tried looking twice (at night) for this but only ever found a camping site where you need to book and pay.

The walk up from Guthega to Twynam is a long ascent - I'd only reccomend it if the kids have done some overnight bushwalking before and enjoyed it, otherwise it might spoil their mood to start the trip with a long climb.

The detour out to the Sentinel is superb but on the way there is a bit of a rock scramble which might be hairy for kids.

[viktor]

Thanx guys for your answers.
Kids are stronger than me, done Overland track, Frenchman Cap, Walls of Jerusalem etc. So, some ascent or rocks should be fine.
Need to run to the shop and get some maps now.
I guess these will be good enough?

Kosciuszko 1:100 000 Map Series 8525
Jacobs River 1:100 000 Map Series 8524
do I need 1:25 000 ones?

Perisher Valley 1:25 000 Map Series NSW-85252S
Chimneys Ridge 1:25 000 Map Series NSW-85241N

[viktor]

quick note - just got the right maps, do not need to reply, thanks.

[kjbeath]

Looks like a nice trip. The walk notes are good, but should make it clearer that getting caught on the main range in bad weather, especially the campsite near Townsend, is not a good idea.

[Liger]

re maps: the Kosci 100 sheet is AGD66, not GDA. Check the 25 sheets - they probably are GDA, so watch for the slight differences.
re bad weather on the main range: it is a very bad idea to be unprepared, but if you have the right gear it can be quite adventurous (a tent next to ours measured -4C inside the tent on Monday morning near the Sentinel).

[viktor]

Funny.. back from the trip and saw warnings about bad weather only now..

We started on Dec 23 rd from Gutheda. Arrived around 15:00, started walking to the camp at 16:00. It is only 2.5 hr walk to the Ponds creek camp.
Weather was fine but around 17:30 there was a sudden change - with huge wind (even so it was 200m below the saddle), rain and hail.
We took our time to find the camping spot (not easy with the rain and fog so you cannot see anything - and no track).
So, was good adventure. Kids changed in dry clothes, had nice hot dinner, rain stopped eventially.

Next day - all day gustily wind and occasional rain. Kids had difficulty walking as wind was moving them from the track. Camped at Wilkinson Creek. Decided to hide behind two big boulders (this is 5 min above the valley). Very nice spot. Decided not to do Townsend due to weather.

Third day - fog all day. Passed Kosciosko. Very few people (it is a Christmas after all... mostly overseas tourists... )

Fourth day - very cold morning (it was near Charlotte pass, I guess +5), but very nice day after that. Pleasant walk to Gutheda over mt Twyn.

We were reasonably prepared with good gear and reasonable experience. So, we never were wet at night, all was safe. But I see the point in your warning re weather. You need to be prepared to walk in that area.

Altogether - we enjoyed it very much. Might investigate options on walks around Townsend/Wilkinson Creek and come back.

[elinekl]

I'm keen to do this one just before christmas. Do you really need a map or can I get away with the wild walks descriptions?
Cheers,
Eline

[icefest]

Would you drive from Melbourne to Sydney without a spare tyre?

You can walk without a map but it's safer and more sensible to take one.

[Lophophaps]

I'd go a bit further and carry a spare map or photocopy inside the pack. I've lost a map in strong winds, another disintegrated after days of rain, and I read about a party that lost the only map and all their track notes on icy snow on the summit of NSW mountain. If carrying a copy, a 1:100 will usually suffice. Knowing how to use a compass is quite useful.