Dave's Nov 2017 AAWT planning

[Daveisbludging]

Hi all,

I'm planning on walking the AAWT S-N in November 2017 and arriving in Canberra for Christmas. I've used the Karen Cody trip as a starting point and think I've figured out food and water drops. Once I've got the basic framework in place then I'll start looking at side trips. Does anybody have any comments or suggestions on below?

Daily Distance (km) Approx Daily Ascent (m) Approx Daily Descent (m)
Day 01 Walhalla-O'Sheas 13.4 360 335
Day 02 O'Sheas - St Gwinear 20.1 1335 220
Day 03 St Gwinear - Stronachs 17.7 310 655 Food drop at Stronachs. Thomson Valley Rd
Day 04 Stronachs - Red Jacket 21.8 765 1410
Day 05 Red Jacket - Black River 26.0 1250 1135
Day 06 Black R - Rumpff Saddle 14.9 1240 565 Food drop including water at rumpff saddle. Jamison-Licola Rd
Day 07 Mt Skene - Low Saddle 17.5 715 1110
Day 08 Low Saddle - E Barkly Rd 12.4 815 440
Day 09 E Barkly Rd - Chester Yd 15.3 855 645
Day 10 Chester Yd - V Gantner Hut 13.8 885 535
Day 11 VG Hut - Catherine Saddle 10.2 540 1070
Day 12 Catherine S - Barry Saddle 12.3 935 1200
Day 13 Barry Saddle - S Selwyn 16.2 1130 840
Day 14 S Selwyn - Murrays H site 15.2 950 800
Day 15 Murrays H - Diamontina Hut 16.8 1215 905
Mt Hotham rest day & food drop
Day 16 Diamontina H - Cope H 23.3 640 670
Day 17 Cope H - Ropers H 17.2 360 310
Day 18 Ropers H - Cleve Cole H 11.4 780 790
Day 19 Cleve Cole H - Mt Willis H 18.6 915 855
Day 20 Mt Wills H - Horsefield C 20.5 471 1176 Food drop at Omeo highway. 6.4km from Mt Wills
Day 21 HC - Mitta Mitta R 8.2 10 554
Day 22 Mitta Mitta R - Beloka R 16.2 1041 270
Day 23 Beloka R - Buenba Ck 19.6 521 833
Day 24 Buenba Ck - Buckwong Ck 18.3 615 250
Day 25 Buckwong Ck - Limestone Ck 15.9 670 855
Day 26 Limestone Ck - Cowombat Flat 21.9 785 535 Side trip over Cobberas? Add 1 day
Day 27 Cowombat Flat - Cascade FT 21.6 460 330 Side trip to the Pilot and Little Pilot
Day 28 Cascade FT - Dead Horse Gap 20.7 675 350
Thredbo rest day & food drop
Day 29 DHG - N Mt Twynum 20.2 965 645
Day 30 N Mt Twynum - Whites R H 14.5 320 480
Day 31 Whites R H - O'Keefe H 30.6 640 730
Day 32 O'Keefe H - Happy H 26.4 500 600
Day 33 Happy H - 4 Mile H 14.5 350 350
Day 34 4 Mile H - Witses H 20.3 455 560 Food drop at Kiandra
Day 35 Witses H - Hainsorth H 22.3 400 430
Day 36 Hainsworth H - Dunn's Flat 23.7 545 480
Day 37 Dunn's Flat - Orroral R 22.4 480 910
Day 38 Orroral R - Namadgi Centre 21.9 810 1120

PS: Sorry about the formatting

[Mark F]

You could try for Day 30 to head over the Rolling Grounds to Dicky Cooper Bogong and drop down to the Schlink Hilton. This would even up the distances between day 30 and 31.
Day 36 From memory Dunns Flat is not particularly memorable. Much nicer to camp in Murray Gap under the snow gums on the S side of the gap.
Day 37 If possible continue to Honeysuckle Ck to camp so that you get to Namadgi VC mid afternoon. It makes getting into Canberra somewhat easier. If that is too far there is often water in the creek about 1 km before you get to the locked gate on Orroral Ridge Road.

Day 4 - Camping at Red Jacket is no longer permitted.

More generally I suggest not being too definitive on the overnight stops between food drops. Walk as much as possible while it feels right and a have a zero or short day if conditions or motivation are not conducive.

[Lophophaps]

If you put the information with dots ...
Day Description .......................... Distance .....Up ... Down
1 Walhalla-O'Sheas ...................... 13.4 ........360 ....335
2 O'Sheas - St Gwinear .................. 20.1 .......1335 ... 220
3 St Gwinear - Stronachs Food drop .. 17.7 ........310 .. .655
Or maybe make a table and paste a screen shot.

Bad weather on many ridges will slow you, maybe stop, and an extra rest day is advised.
There's no water or camping at Diamantina Hut.
I see no point going to Cleve Cole unless you intend to summit Bogong.
Day 20 - I cannot see this campsite Horsefield Creek. At Chapman 316 or so just keep on slogging down the road to Taylors
Johnies Top is a major upness.
Day 29, Twynum may have no water, and if the weather bombs there's no campsite until Mann Bluff.
Suggest forget Whites River and go to Dicky Cooper Bogong, then down to Schlink Pass. Whites River has crook water, and the top of the descent spur is hard to find.

[Mark F]

Horsefield Camp not Creek. It isn't a formal name. I believe it comes from Karen Cody's AAWT writeup and seems to be a late afternoon/evening likely unscheduled stop.

[madmacca]

Minor nitpick, but day 6-7 seems to involve some double counting between Mt Skene and Rumpff Saddle. You may want to check distances and ascent and see if this alters your planning around these days.

[north-north-west]

Minor nitpick, but day 6-7 seems to involve some double counting between Mt Skene and Rumpff Saddle. You may want to check distances and ascent and see if this alters your planning around these days.

I assumed the plan was to camp at Rumpff where the food drop is and climb Skene the next morning, or drop down to collect the food and water and have a high camp. Personally, I much prefer camping up top - Rumpff is rather a dark, damp and drear spot, although it is more convenient for collecting water.

[Lophophaps]

NNW, good point. If the option exists, put the food drops high at campsites. This makes it far easier than slogging out of a valley with an extra 5-10 kilograms of food. Johnnies Top os a good place for a food drop, big climbs on both sides. Just hide the food drop well. Even if there's a walk to put in a high food drop, it's easier then than a low placement on the trip.

[GBW]

We placed a drop just off Barkley jeep track with 10l water for a day's rest. There's a nice area about 500m off Jam-Licola rd up the hill. Agree Rumpff offers little in the way of views.