SH1396, the top of Booroomba Rocks
Tuesday 22 November: Booroomba Rocks via Gorilla Rock M/R. Meet at Lanyon shops at 8:00. We will car pool from there. We will walk north along the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) from Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground before heading off track north-west through bush to Gorilla Rock for morning tea. We then commence the hardest section of the walk through bush east then north with a steep climb and rock scrambling to Granite Dome(SH1396). After lunch we proceed via rock slabs and bush to the top of the Booroomba Rocks Walking Track (BRWT). We may walk along the cliff top to visit SH1353 before returning to the cars via the BRWT and AAWT. Total distance is about 12 km. Total climb is about 550 metres. Map: Corin Dam. Leader: Phillip S. Transport: $10 per person. Booking: Please let me know by noon Monday.
5 of us met.
Summary
Distance: 10.9km | Climb: 500m | Time: 8.35am – 1.50pm (5hrs 25mins), including 55 mins of breaks | Grading: M/R; H(12)
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Video
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Track Notes
I was a bit off my oats today, so it seemed like a hard walk. A bit of a breeze at times, but a hot 30ºC day in town.
Lovely walking along the link track from the Honeysuckle Creek camping ground car park to join the AAWT and so along it to the turn off point. Open woodland with grasses under in places. The track is well worn. 1.8km in 25mins for this leg.
Off-track through manageable scrub to Gorilla Rock, with a bit of a climb up to the knoll containing the feature. Phillip was excellent at picking the going, searching for animal tracks and other less dense options. A lesson for me to learn there. The rock is certainly gorilla like! A quick breather. 0.9km in 25mins for this.
Next generally East, down off the knoll through light going to a saddle, then the fairly unrelenting climb. A short break before the 1200m contour, then morning tea at 1270m. It was warm going in the sun and when the breeze dropped. Called in at a mighty tor just above morning tea, then pressed on up to eventually pop out on the granite slabs. Lovely views to Blue Gum Hill. A last final climb and we were at the cairn marking SH1396, the top of Booroomba Rocks. This leg 2.2km in 2hrs 15mins (including our stops). So hard work.
Tim the Yowie Man has been writing on cairns and rock sculptures in his Canberra Times spread recently and quoted me (with my nod) as saying that I thought the rock sculptures on the northern Canberra Centenary Trail between Hall and Forde were better than some Canberra public art. Of course there are diverse opinions about cairns and rock sculptures. But just to emphasise my opinion, I added 4 rocks to the SH1396 cairn 😆 . 360º views, check out the video.
From the top, we followed the cairned 🙂 route down the slabs and through a bit of scrub towards the Booroomba Rocks Walking Trail. Stopped for lunch in a shady, grassy area that caught some breeze. A little horizontal time for me.
Then on to join the trail and a look see from the Booroomba Rocks cliffs.
All over but a walk back to the car, down the Booroomba Rocks Walking Trail, a water stop at the Booroomba Rocks car park and back along the AAWT. This leg 5.1km in 1hr 20mins.
Thanks Phillip for an excellently executed walk.
Track Map
Party
5 walkers – Chris F, Kim H, Barry K, Phillip S (leader), me.