Hannels Spur

[melinda]

Hi all,
I'm thinking about doing Hannels Spur with a few mates. Has anyone done this in one day??? (Bottom to top.) Is there any water on the way up???
Any info would be great!
Cheers, Melinda

[north-north-west]

Well, it's the way Strzelecki climbed Kosciuszko, and he went all the way up and back in one day (including summitting Townsend) - though he got back well after dark and needed a signal fire down on Geehi Flats to guide him.
You'd have to be ruddy fit, but. It's steep, loose footing in places and a very faint footpad most of the way, with few markers and a tendency to disappear at the most inconvenient times. Plus some very thick regrowth on the flatter sections, especially the one just below Moira's Flat.

There's good water at Moira's, which is about halfway up, and another little trickle of a stream just above the treeline a bit below Byatts - and a good campsite near the trickle, actually. Stunning views. Then a big creek on the meadows past Byatts as you start to round the Abbotts.

It's a brilliant walk, and well worth the effort, but I'd really advise taking three days over it so you can appreciate the place properly. Do Alice Rawson and Mueller and Townsend, and maybe go down via Townsend spur and back to Geehi via the river. Last time I was there you could still follow the remains of an old vehicle track along the riverbank, though it may be too overgrown to be practical now.

[melinda]

Hi Scavenger,

Think I've got the fitness. (Famous last words!)

The reason I'm thinking about doing it in a day is because we'll only be in Smiggins for a week (Xmas) and we were planning day walks.

I'm thinking if we took some light overnight gear we would have a fall back if we didn't manage it all in a day. Thinking about coming out by Charlottes Pass.

Gee, if Strzelecki could do it up and back in a day ..... No problemo.....

Might get back to you with more questions if you don't mind.

Cheers Melinda

[north-north-west]

No sweat, though I won't be back here until Monday night, and I head out Wednesday straight from work.

You'd want to start very early, meaning overnighting at Geehi Flats. And have transport organised to/from the other end. And you wouldn't want to underestimate Strzelecki's stunt - it'd be a long hard day with a very late finish. Take good torches with plenty of spare batteries.

[sef]

One way, it's not that bad a day trip. If you're fit, go for it - big packs would just add to the hassle.

That said... it's pretty average until you get to treeline. If you want a challenging day trip on the main range, head down Townsend Spur to the Opera House Hut and then up back to the range by whatever interests you. Some spectacular, full-on country down there.

[melinda]

Hi Sef,
I'm glad to hear someone saying that its not that hard. I think we are good for it. (As long as it is not too hot!)
The distance is not great, I guess its just 'keep on keeping on' UP.
I don't do big packs at the best of times, but I get your meaning.
A day pack with no overnight gear means commitment.
Not too sure where Opera House hut is?? (KHA only mentions it is being rebuilt.)
PS. When I hear the word 'challenging' in relation to bushwalking I know it really means 'hell hard!' Heh, but I'm game...
Will let you all know the outcome of our little jaunt.
Melinda

[north-north-west]

Not too sure where Opera House hut is?? (KHA only mentions it is being rebuilt.)

Get a map.

You might not find it that hard. I did, but I'm probably more than twice your age, with dodgy knees, and was hauling an overloaded pack.

btw, if you find a silver bracelet up there in one of the scrubby sections below Moira's - a short heavyish flattened curb chain - I'd really appreciate getting it back.

[melinda]

Hi there Scavenger,
I tell you what, if you're twice my age your knees have got to be really bad. Mine are pretty doggy too! And I sure don't think Hannels will be a walk in the park! (Well it will be a walk in a park, but it won't be a walk in the park ... if you get my meaning. What????)
If we find the silver bracelet I'll let you know.
Now regarding maps. OK, after having a better look at the Kossie Huts Association website and a better look at the Perisher Valley 1st ed I'm seeing a tiny wee dot at 144725. Hmmmh!
Guess thats the Opera House.
Melinda

[north-north-west]

Sounds about right. You're a good guesser.
Thought I thought it was on the map. I know I have a map somewhere with it shown, but that could be any one of half a dozen . . . maybe the Geehi Bushwalking Club book . . .

And whatsisname is right, too - that's a good walk down that way. Hard work getting back up to the top, but it's brilliant country, really rugged and very few visitors.

ciao
And have a good time.

[melinda]

Hi Scavenger and Sef,
We did Hannels. Wow, what a walk!
We started at 6am, carrying emergency overnight gear only.
The bottom was pretty overgrown, the middle was pretty overgrown, the top was OK. (For most of the day we were covered in caterpillars and their webs, especially the people out the front.)
Managed to catch one of the last chair lifts down to Thredbo at 5pm.
Didn't find your silver bracelet Scavenger, but to tell the truth I didn't really have time to look. We didn't stop long at Moiras or Byatts.
The views were spectacular as we gained height. You really felt like you were on top of the world, well .... Australia!
Melinda

[WarrenH]

Having done both Hannel's Spur and Townsend Spur, I question the posters that make the climbs/descents, sound like it's mere child's play.

Can I touch you guys who have? ... because (if) by perchance, your Super-human youthful abilities might rub off onto me? ... that would be cool.

First image below is Townsend Spur (from a hole in the canopy, half way up), the next image is of Hannel's and that's one kilometre along the ground a third of the way up.

Post your shots! Walkers do not do the biggest climbs this country offers, without our cameras?

[WarrenH]

I found another shot going up ... when not too far from Byatts and looking up to Abotts. Abbots Peak is a crazy anti-climax, within the climb. When you are on Abbots, it is just another dawdle across to Alice Rawson (and Mueller's or Townsend).




The view from Alice Rawson across to Watson's is totally awesome ... and steep.




... and there are times when on Townsend and Mueller's, looking (north) past Alice Rawson Peak, can be a 'von Gerrard'.




Warren.

[matthew]

Hi Melinda,
i am considering doing this walk into Thredbo via Hannels later this week with my two teenage kids. However, we intend to complete it in two days with an over night camp along the way. I have two concerns that i seek your input on. How thick and high is the undergrowth, as i doubt my short-ish daughter would appreciate bashing through face high re-growth for a day? And is the track head hard to find at its beginning. (I assume one takes the 4WD track off the alpine way not far past the Geehi bridge and follows that to the creek??) Any other tips for this walk would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Matthew.

[kanangra]

Warren,

I love the first and last one.

K.

[WarrenH]

Kanangra, thank you. I've plenty of photos, but I think others should post. It would be good if Melinda would post some shots.

Matt, in case Melinda doesn't see your post. The best place to start the track when going up, is at Stony Rises on the Swampy Plain River. The hut 'Doctor's' at Geehi Flat is near the start of the track. The green track is my interpretation of the first half of the route (going up) and is as accurate as I can make it, with out obscuring the ridge details.




Soon after the start, just after the lower flatter terrain, the next kilometre is the steepest part of the walk. In some of the overgrown sections of the track stinging nettles can be an issue, and the nettles can be an issue at the creeks, if you are looking for water. If your party is slow and you need to camp below the tree line on the first night, Moira's Flat is about the only good spot to camp. Have a good trip.

Warren.

[melinda]

Hi guys,
I've only just returned from Tassie, so will get some Hannels photos up in the next few days.
Would just like to give Mattew a quick message.
For access to the beginning of the the walk follow this link to the KHA website: http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/Hut%20 ... orbes.html
Once you reach the burnt out hut there is a bit of a scrappy track that heads towards the mountains. There is a National Parks sign at the beginning of the Hannels Spur track just before it starts to ascend.
However unless your teenage kids do a lot of bushwalking and are very fit, I WOULD NOT recommend this walk for them.
The track is virtually non existent for much of the way and the regrowth is constant on the bottom two thirds of the mountain. (3-4 meters high and so thick that it was impossible to pass at times, we had to go round it. We were crawling under, climbing over, pushing through very thick regrowth and fallen timber, people were taking it in turns to be out the front as it was so exhausting!))
I was there with a group of very experienced bush walkers including some excellent navigators and even then we had problems at times because of lack of vision due to the regrowth.
There are many beautiful walks in that area that would be more suited to teenagers.
Melinda

[melinda]

Hi all,
A few photos from Hannels:

Lots of caterpillars (464x618).jpg (41.78 KiB) Viewed 33098 times

And Warren,

Having done both Hannel's Spur and Townsend Spur, I question the posters that make the climbs/descents, sound like it's mere child's play.

Can I touch you guys who have? ... because (if) by perchance, your Super-human youthful abilities might rub off onto me? ... that would be cool.

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm there? For your info the youngest person on Hannels that day was 35, the oldest 71. I'm somewhere in between. I never said Hannels Spur was mere child's play, but it certainly was exciting!
If we have the fitness and desire to do a walk like this in a day, that is our business.
I'm working on my 'Tiger' status
Melinda

[WarrenH]

Hi all, ... any info would be great!
Cheers, Melinda

If we have the fitness and desire to do a walk like this in a day, that is our business.

I'm sorry to have offended you Mate, I though "any info would be great." I took you on your word. Your fifth post actually tells the story.

Do you want to join my Hannel Spur walkers support group? Its called 'The Overly Precious Hannel's Spur Walker's Support Group Now That I've Walked Up Hannel's Spur'. By the way,I was talking to the ghosts of Strzelecki and von Mueller. Please don't be so vain as to think that you even rated for that part of my reply.

'The Australian Bush' and a Geehi River Rock. 1973.




Warren.

[geoskid]

Do you want to join my Hannel Spur walkers support group? Its called 'The Overly Precious Hannel's Spur Walker's Support Group Now That I've Walked Up Hannel's Spur'. By the way,I was talking to the ghosts of Strzelecki and von Mueller. Please don't be so vain as to think that you even rated for that part of my reply.

'The Australian Bush' and a Geehi River Rock. 1973.




Warren.

Ouch. Whats the significance of the photo Warren.?

[WarrenH]

geoskid, the lower slopes of Hannel's Spur are at the confluence of Swampy Plains Creek (once called Geehi Creek) and the Geehi River, that's where this rock is. The reflections are the hues in late autumn of the montain forests of a western spur of the main range ... called Hannel's Spur.

Hannel's Spur when going up terminates here on the summit of Kosci'.



Warren.

[melinda]

Warren,
You tell me, is this friendly or informative???

Can I touch you guys who have? ... because (if) by perchance, your Super-human youthful abilities might rub off onto me? ... that would be cool.

I was excited about Hannels,and still am.
Not quite sure where the aggression is coming from.
Melinda

[WarrenH]

Melinda, as you wrote "... that is our business."

... and my business is mine also. Goodbye.

Warren.

[kanangra]

Warren,

Tell me that photo of the rock isn't a painting? I can see the brush strokes.

[WarrenH]

Kanangra, it isn't a painting but a scanned image from a Kodachrome trany.

A 300mm lens with a 2X teleconverter gives the ripples a much compressed perspective. This Geehi River rock is one of my all time favourite shots.

Warren.

[north-north-west]

[quote="melinda"]
The track is virtually non existent for much of the way and the regrowth is constant on the bottom two thirds of the mountain. (3-4 meters high and so thick that it was impossible to pass at times, we had to go round it. We were crawling under, climbing over, pushing through very thick regrowth and fallen timber, people were taking it in turns to be out the front as it was so exhausting[quote]
It's become much worse since I was there, obviously. There were only two sections that were that bad when I did it, December '06.

re camping on the ascent: there is space for a small two-man tent on the flattish section just below Moira's - or there was, three summers back - but it's cramped and that's one of the most overgrown sections of the whole climb. No water, either. But Moira's is an easy day up from the Flats, and better camping. In fact, with a reasonable early start ( I didn't get away until 11ish) Byatt's or the creek flats a little further around would be easy enough to reach in decent weather.

warren: great photos. Wish I'd had weather like that on that side of the Abbotts.

melinda: good to know you made it and, more importantly, that you enjoyed it. Next time, can you take a machete and clear the track for me a bit?

[melinda]

Hi Scavenger,
Next time I do it I'll be taking a machete to clear the track for me! And one of those Kevlar vests that I hear people dreaming of a lot!
We also had a look at the Sentinel on a different day. Wow!!
Melinda

[north-north-west]

Personally, I reckon a Newt Suit would be the go.

[melinda]

Hi Scavenger,
Didn't know what a 'newt suit' was, so I googled it. And found this:

newtsuit_front.jpg (15.21 KiB) Viewed 33059 times

Might be a tad warm on a hot day!
The big question is: Does it fly???
Melinda

[north-north-west]

Does it fly? Only underwater.
I don't think the heat will be a problem - I believe they're temperature controlled. Might be a bit heavy, but . . .

[melinda]

Hi Scavenger,
I'll keep it in mind for any serious pack swims.
Shame it doesn't fly!
Melinda
PS Is the poem your work???