hiking/camping in the snowies

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 31 March 04 12:55 pm

Not quite sure if this it the right (sub)forum, but here it goes:

We are planning a hiking/camping trip to the snowy mountains during the easter long weekend.

Does anybody have some good tips/websites for hiking trails and campsites?

We are thinking of the northern part of the snowies since we've allready been in the Thredbo/Perisher area...

Any help is appreciated..

Ebenezer · Post by **Ebenezer** » 31 March 04 1:35 pm

The <a href="http://www.galactic.net.au/bushwalking/">Australian Bushwalking & Camping Reference Site</a> has some stuff. The Kosciuszko page is <a href="http://www.galactic.net.au/bushwalking/ ... l">here</a>.

wildbill · Post by **wildbill** » 31 March 04 1:37 pm

The area around blue water holes is great for walking trips but the main access area can get a little crowded at easter. If you want to check the area out you can come in via the Tantangara dam access road and about 500 mtrs from the locked gate is a horse yards and camping area for the horse guys. This is a good spot to leave your car so you can walk to Oldfields hut, pockets hut and the coolamon plains area. Nothing is more than 10 k's or so away and the area is moderatly flat.
I can email you a file of some waypoints to get you started.
Do a search on google for Currango hut and you will find info on staying there if it suits.

Have fun

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 31 March 04 1:41 pm

wildbill wrote:The area around blue water holes is great for walking trips but the main access area can get a little crowded at easter. If you want to check the area out you can come in via the Tantangara dam access road and about 500 mtrs from the locked gate is a horse yards and camping area for the horse guys. This is a good spot to leave your car so you can walk to Oldfields hut, pockets hut and the coolamon plains area. Nothing is more than 10 k's or so away and the area is moderatly flat.
I can email you a file of some waypoints to get you started.
Do a search on google for Currango hut and you will find info on staying there if it suits.

Have fun

Thanks!
I also found this site: http://www.kosciuskohuts.org.au/GPS.html
The horse campground sounds pretty good... got the coords?

I would love to take a horseback trip, but MrsT doesnt like horse trips if they are longer than an hour

Any way around that gate with a 4WD?

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 31 March 04 1:43 pm

Ebenezer wrote:The <a href="http://www.galactic.net.au/bushwalking/">Australian Bushwalking & Camping Reference Site</a> has some stuff. The Kosciuszko page is <a href="http://www.galactic.net.au/bushwalking/ ... l">here</a>.

Thanks too, that is a good start!

Also found:
http://www.onedayhikes.com/Hikes.asp?HikesID=148

Dingbats · Post by **Dingbats** » 31 March 04 9:09 pm

There is an excellent book on walks in the snowies. I cannot remember its name but is popular and I've seen it in a few outdoor shops.

I walked from Guthega out to Dicky Cooper Bogong and back via the power station in December. A huge amount of the area, even up high, was burnt out last January. It is hard to imagine when it might recover. Its really quite sad

Here are a couple of photos to demonstrate the scale of the damage.

regards. 
Scott

wildbill · Post by **wildbill** » 01 April 04 11:37 am

.

The horse campground sounds pretty good... got the coords? I would love to take a horseback trip, but MrsT doesnt like horse trips if they are longer than an hour
Any way around that gate with a 4WD?

The Northern zone of Koszi is much bigger than most people think and there are plenty of ways around the locked gates. The rangers up there take a very dim veiw to people who disregard the rules and regularly patrol north Koszi in conjunction with the Tumut police. During the colder months the rogue pig hunters get up there with their dogs and the NSW police service does regular fly overs in leased helicopters to track down and catch anybody who is doing the wrong thing. Last winter there were more than a few people had to front Tumut court and get their ear chewed and their wallet emptied.

If you are keen to do some horse treking then give Peter Cochran a call (02) 6454 2336.
http://www.cochranhorsetreks.com.au/.
His farm is only 15k's or so to the east from Tantangara.

The file I emailed you has the turn to the horse camp included "Turn". The camp is only 500mtrs down the track.
If you are into mountain bikes then this area is suitable for them too. I have walked and bikes this area a lot and there is always something new to see each time.

Enjoy
mick

Stubby Holder · Post by **Stubby Holder** » 01 April 04 5:12 pm

We were planning to do some walking in the snowies as well over easter but it appears as though much of the park apart from the main walking tracks is closed. We will probably head off to the Budawangs instead.

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 01 April 04 5:20 pm

wildbill wrote:
The file I emailed you has the turn to the horse camp included "Turn". The camp is only 500mtrs down the track.
If you are into mountain bikes then this area is suitable for them too. I have walked and bikes this area a lot and there is always something new to see each time.

Enjoy
mick

Could you mail the file again? i didnt get it

(got 2PM's though)
Of course I was just joking about the gate (hence the

)...
I'm sure we can carry the camping equipment for 500m

The horseback riding sounds pretty good and the pics on that site look spectacular!
Now all I need to do is find a way to convince MrsT

The Spindoctors · Post by **The Spindoctors** » 01 April 04 6:58 pm

You're welcome to join us on our caching weekend in the area. See High country caching for details.

Currango Hut is hard to get into at this late stage (given that it is school holidays).

Bets of luck and hope to bump into you.

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 01 April 04 10:47 pm

Spindoc Bob wrote:You're welcome to join us on our caching weekend in the area. See High country caching for details.

Currango Hut is hard to get into at this late stage (given that it is school holidays).

Bets of luck and hope to bump into you.

Thanks, let's see if MrsT and friend feel like it too...

wildbill · Post by **wildbill** » 02 April 04 9:04 am

Stubby Holder

The area northwest of Tantangara was not burnt and all the roads and trails are open. You can see the areas affected by the fires here http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDF ... 027_a3.pdf

mick

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 02 April 04 10:56 am

wildbill wrote:Stubby Holder

The area northwest of Tantangara was not burnt and all the roads and trails are open. You can see the areas affected by the fires here http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDF ... 027_a3.pdf

mick

Thats a great map!

Has anybody ever been at the following campgrounds:
Rock flat
Cooinbill hut
Long Plain Hut

Old Camp still looks pretty good too!

wildbill · Post by **wildbill** » 02 April 04 6:08 pm

Do you have a 4WD? if so then there are heaps more camping places away from the madding crowd. You could head up broken cart fire trail to the old mine works on the goobragandra river. Rock Flat is pretty basic and the area accessable from there is pretty rugged and not friendly. The river there (goobragandra) is very drought affected and the trout population is practicaly zero now. Nothing much to see there except the river.
Cooinbill hut is a great place to base yourself if you want to explore the western edge of coolamon plain. There will be a lot of horse people there at easter and it will be pretty safe to leave your car there for a walk into the wilderness areas. Same goes for Long Plain hut. Lots of horse people camped there over easter. From Long plain hut you can walk west over the range to Yarrangabilly river. Take a gold pan and try your luck

..
.

mick

ToolkiT · Post by **ToolkiT** » 02 April 04 7:52 pm

Yeah we have a 4WD (Subaru Forester) but since we go with only 1 car I dont wat to go over too rough a trails...

Thanx for all the tips!