snowy mtns base camp - help me pick a spot

[Suz]

hey guys,

i was going to go spend 4-5 nights down at the snowys in a week or two. was thinking about camping in a single spot by one of the huts (in case the weather turns crappola) and just doing day ventures out from that spot. is there a good base hut up in the jagungal that anyone recommends? otherwise i might hang out in the blue waterholes area.

NB: i am not very fit at the mo - so want to avoid massive distances from the access road. also, have a mazda 2 so looking for access by a sealed road.

i also thought about maybe tackling the main range track (but i would kinda prefer to have a base camp) - do you guys recommend that track?

Thanks,
Suz

[north-north-west]

There's a hut on the Round Mtn Rd not far past the carpark that would suit. You can drive right to it - I can't remember the name but someone is bound to. (edit: Bradleys & O'Briens. Weird name but this is the Snowy Mtns.)
It's a very short walk from the road in to the Linesmen's huts (the ones on the 15 Mile, not Derschkos which sometimes gets called that), and not far to Round Mtn Hut although that's a steep bit of track and you'd have to haul the gear back up.

[north-north-west]

While the Main range circuit is wonderful it's overcrowded and you have to pay to get the car in. Round Mtn area is free.

[GBW]

Suz, if you can only drive on sealed roads then you can forget about Blue WH.

There is plenty of nice easy walking around Jagungal. Probably best explored if you carry some gear and wander around the nearby huts...Round Mountain, Derschkos, OKeefes, Mawson, Valentine, Grey Mare...would certainly give you more options than a basecamp.

Derschkos is only 14k from Round Mt and a stones throw away from Jagungal and Okeefes Hut and would be an easy Day 1.

As for the weather...bring a rain jacket!

[Suz]

thanks nnw. i am looking on the map. looks good. can't see any creeks tho…are there reliable water spots up there? or do i need to bring a giant 20 litre bottle?

[Suz]

Suz, if you can only drive on sealed roads then you can forget about Blue WH.

There is plenty of nice easy walking around Jagungal. Probably best explored if you carry some gear and wander around the nearby huts...Round Mountain, Derschkos, OKeefes, Mawson, Valentine, Grey Mare...would certainly give you more options than a basecamp.

Derschkos is only 14k from Round Mt and a stones throw away from Jagungal and Okeefes Hut and would be an easy Day 1.

As for the weather...bring a rain jacket!

thanks GBW. looks like round mtn it is i suppose i should carry gear and wander, I'm just so bad at keeping weight down and a little sick of carrying it - especially while i'm such a flabby monster with no muscles. buying a new pack tho soon.

[Mark F]

Agree with GBW. For a gentle stroll with plenty of time for side trips from Round Mountain car park:
Day 1 - Drive down, wander down to Round Mountain hut for the night (30 minutes) or walk a bit further to the Tumut River.
Day 2 - Farm Ridge fire trail to Okeefes hut (3 hours).
Day 3 - Head towards Derschkos - side trip to Jangungal.
Day 4 - Derschkos back to Round Mountain (4 hours). Time to drive home.

This basic itinerary can be endlessly spiced up with side trips or extended according to your wishes. Each hut to hut section with gear is about half a day.

[Lophophaps]

Suz, the above posts have good advice. Mark's walk is one I suggested to another person a few months ago, fitness similar to yours. If you do the walk anti-clockwise as Mark as posted then the last days are reasonably flat. Going the other way you are faced with a river crossing, with a steepish climb up to RM Hut and then a bit more to the car park. Water is close by, not more than two hours, so you don't need to carry much.

Two comments about the walk described above. There's a river crossing at the Tumut, about shin-knee deep. Not hard. Consider taking footwear for this crossing, and either a walking pole or getting sticks from closer to the hut. It's about 11 kilometres from RM Hut to O'Keefes Hut, and I'd allow four or five hours. If you get away from the car park or RM hut by 8 am then you should reach O'Keefes Hut by mid-afternoon at the latest. There's water on the track at the top of the ridge, the dog-leg at 258078.

[Suz]

thanks everyone, this is basically exactly what id hoped for i suppose i should also get the topo maps for the area. i had a loud on the LPI online shop - looked like i need tooling range and jagungal. that seem right?

…are the huts shown on the maps?

[MeanderingFlyFisher]

Toolong Range and Jagungal do cover the area suggested and does show the huts.
May I also highly recommend the Rooftop- Kosciuszko National Park Forest Activities Map Jindabyne-Khancoban.This is a 1;50000 map which shows a great overview of the area with all huts shown,other areas of interest noted and various other notes which have been of help to me.Just look for tracks marked "steep" and I can guarantee it's true.

[Mark F]

The huts are marked on the maps but be aware if approaching Derschkos from Okeefes that it lies over a little ridge from the Round Mountain fire trail and the spur road approaching the hut from the west shown on the map is gone - just walk over the ridge. Approaching from the north the spur road to the hut is obvious. If camping there are some nice spots up on the little ridge with great views of Jagungal - and they are closer to the toilet.

[Lophophaps]

If camping there are some nice spots up on the little ridge with great views of Jagungal - and they are closer to the toilet.

Is it not rather a long way from Jagungal to Derschkos Hut to go to the toilet? I don't believe I could wait that long.

[Suz]

Toolong Range and Jagungal do cover the area suggested and does show the huts.
May I also highly recommend the Rooftop- Kosciuszko National Park Forest Activities Map Jindabyne-Khancoban.This is a 1;50000 map which shows a great overview of the area with all huts shown,other areas of interest noted and various other notes which have been of help to me.Just look for tracks marked "steep" and I can guarantee it's true.

Thanks MFF - I ordered this one instead of the 1:25k ones from LPI - I prefer 1:50 anyway…

Not looking forward to any steep tracks *sigh* - oh well, will help me build up muscles going up …but going down I just might cry for my poor little knees.

[Suz]

The huts are marked on the maps but be aware if approaching Derschkos from Okeefes that it lies over a little ridge from the Round Mountain fire trail and the spur road approaching the hut from the west shown on the map is gone - just walk over the ridge. Approaching from the north the spur road to the hut is obvious. If camping there are some nice spots up on the little ridge with great views of Jagungal - and they are closer to the toilet.

Okay noted, thanks Mark

Can't *&%$#! wait YAY!

[Suz]

ohhh b.l.o.o.d.y is swear word?

[Lophophaps]

ohhh b.l.o.o.d.y is swear word?

Yes, but it's also what you get from leeches. Just don't use really rude words like "Jagungal helicopter flights", "development" and "sealed road to O'Keefes Hut". This are frowned upon. The 1:50s are much better than the 1:25s, as advised above, better perspective. Also, you don't need to carry as many maps.

Be mentally ready for cold wet weather. I've had a blizzard with significant snowfall in late April, but that was on the Main Range, maybe 500 metres higher. The beauty of Mark's walk is that you can scurry from hut to hut. The downside is that others will also be doing this. Don't forget to let someone know where you are going and your expected return time, in writing.

[Suz]

yeah thanks lophophaps, i will tell the mother where i'll be. lol NOT 'development" NOOOO. i don't mind walking in the cold and will take my winter gear, but i hope if there's precip it's snow! total indian summer we're having tho…expecting rather mild temps.

[MeanderingFlyFisher]

Not looking forward to any steep tracks *sigh* - oh well, will help me build up muscles going up …but going down I just might cry for my poor little knees.

I think I have been misunderstood I just checked and there are no tracks marked "steep" on the tracks suggested but in a few other places on that map.I use the map to plan other trips in the area and have found where it is marked "steep" it is.You get the same info from contour lines but the researcher for the map must have found it tough to mark it "steep".

[north-north-west]

There are sections of the descent to the Tumut River that are steepish, but the rest of that circuit is pretty easy going.

[Suz]

okay thanks MFF (sorry for misunderstanding) and NNW.

NNW do you know if that Bradley and O'briens hut is unlocked? I will be driving down from sydders after work and arriving around 11pm - just wondering if I should book a motel bed in Tumut that night or try n sleep in the hut, there's definitely NO WAY i'm setting up my tent in the dark.

[Suz]

omg just found this sick resource for the area - most of you probably already know about it tho: http://khuts.org/webmap

[Lophophaps]

NNW do you know if that Bradley and O'briens hut is unlocked? I will be driving down from sydders after work and arriving around 11pm - just wondering if I should book a motel bed in Tumut that night or try n sleep in the hut, there's definitely NO WAY i'm setting up my tent in the dark.

Most huts are unlocked. A more important point to consider is how many people will be there, and if you will be woken at 2 am by a party seeking room on a crowded floor. If you have the energy, at 11 pm start walking. The Round Mountain Fire Trail is gentle uphill for maybe ten minutes, past the gate, onto the flat, turn left at the Farm Ridge Trail, then down steeply for a few minutes to RM Hut. There may be people there, probably not. The only hard part is watching for the Farm Ridge Trail. It's on a flat section, which curves right and dives down somewhat steeply to a creek if you miss the turn. Carry a litre of water for the walk to RM Hut.

Staying at RM Hut will save time in the morning - dry tent, 30 minutes closer to the end of the walk.

In time you will be able to put up a tent at night. Not hard.

Be careful about driving late at night. if you get tired, stop.

[tastrax]

omg just found this sick resource for the area - most of you probably already know about it tho: http://khuts.org/webmap

Just be aware that the links off that map to each hut appear to go to the wrong hut

[north-north-west]

okay thanks MFF (sorry for misunderstanding) and NNW.

NNW do you know if that Bradley and O'briens hut is unlocked? I will be driving down from sydders after work and arriving around 11pm - just wondering if I should book a motel bed in Tumut that night or try n sleep in the hut, there's definitely NO WAY i'm setting up my tent in the dark.

Definitely unlocked. If you don't mind roughing it and the weather's not too bad there's room to sleep under the veranda roof. You can just put down a tarp or groundsheet to protect your mat and you'll be fine unless it gets really nasty.

Watch the drive in the dark. I've driven into Round Mtn fairly late at night and never had trouble with the wildlife but it can still happen. Road's very up and down and twisty.

[peregrinator]

NNW wrote: The only hard part is watching for the Farm Ridge Trail. It's on a flat section, which curves right and dives down somewhat steeply to a creek if you miss the turn.

In February 2016 there was a large unmissable signpost which was possibly put in after you were last there, NNW.

[north-north-west]

NNW wrote: The only hard part is watching for the Farm Ridge Trail. It's on a flat section, which curves right and dives down somewhat steeply to a creek if you miss the turn.

In February 2016 there was a large unmissable signpost which was possibly put in after you were last there, NNW.

I think you've attributed that line to the wrong person.

Farm Ridge track is easy to follow if you're doing the route clockwise. In the other direction the turnoff was easy to pick last time I went past there, although that was at least five years ago.

[kjbeath]

If sleeping in a hut hang your pack up, there are usually wires or strings, and also your food. Otherwise the cute little marsupial mice will show an amazing ability to gnaw through textiles, and won't seem so cute. Don't hang them off wooden beams, they have no trouble accessing those.

[Lophophaps]

book a motel bed in Tumut that night

Tumut is about 140 kilometres from the start, maybe two hours of driving. To start at decent time at RM car park you would need to get away very early from Tumut, too early in my view. There's good camping at the RM car park, and RM Hut is a short walk away. The car park or hut appeal more. The Farm Ridge sign post-dates my advice.

[Suz]

okay thanks everyone. slightly weirded out by the thought of starting my walk at 11pm! but i take it you're all old hands at night walking. i will see how i go. I'm encouraged by your encouragement but i might wimp out and try and sleep in the car or something or just cowboy camp in the car park.

thanks tastrax re: the wrong huts on the map. shame. otherwise it looks very awesome.

[MeanderingFlyFisher]

Bradleys and Obriens is about 30 Metres off the road with a good sized car park and plenty of campsites if that is what you are after or stay in the hut.It's easy to tell if somebody else is already there and is only about 2 minutes short of Round Mountain carpark and the trail head you are after.That's where I would suggest if you didn't want to start your walk in the dark.