Canberra from the top of the Mt Ainslie Walking Track
Tuesday 23 February: Majura Stone Wall and the Cbr100 route – L/E-M. From Antill St to the stone walls on the northern Majura knoll. Walk the Majura Pine Forest to the Majura-Ainslie saddle, up Mt Ainslie and return to the start. Around 20km and 700m climb. All fire trail except for the walls. Forecast 33ºC, so let’s start early. Maps: Hall and Canberra. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877 john@johnevans.id.au . Transport: Drive yourself. Please book.
3 of us turned up at the Antill St car park.
Summary
Distance: 21.9km | Climb: 735m | Time: 7.30am-12noon (4hrs 30mins), including 10 mins of breaks | Grading: L/E; M(11)
Photographs
Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.
Waypoint and Track Files
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Track Notes
With the maximum temperature forecast to be 34ºC, we set out early. I was naked (no GPSr), so thanks very much for the track, Ian. As opposed to last Saturday, I knew where we had to go, so we wandered up the track, left onto the flanking fire trail, then cut up to the north end of the Majura Stone Wall. (I’ve been here a couple of times with the indefatigable (or is that infamous?) Tim the Yowie Man on 19 Dec 12 and 9 Jan 13.)
Up at the top end of the wall, we turned up to the top of the knoll (the tree house is gone), then down to the SE to join the Mt Majura Rd. Down it for a while to the border on the Mt Majura Nature Reserve. Ian’s previous mountain running experiences were a huge help, as he knew that there was a route down the border fence to join the fire trail at the NE of the NR. THis we took and popped out through a little gate onto the fire trail bordering the top side of the Majura Pines.
Took the fire trail to where Checkpoint 4 of the Cbr100 100km route will be in a fortnight. I’ll be dragging my tail through here in the early am of Sunday 6 March. From here, I missed the correct fire trail of the 100km route but took a parallel one. a couple of kilometres later we came to the point to turn up to the southern Mt Majura spur.
Up it was, with Ian gleefully telling us that in his running days, this was known as ‘The Wall’ (I guess one hits it!). A 100 vertical metre puff up to the Majura sheep camp site junction.
From here, down the Acacia Track, exiting generally east at a point via a footpad down to near the reservoirs. It was starting to look familiar from last year.
A fire trail took us west of south to SH726, where another route change from last year had us through a gate and following the fence line border of the Mt Ainslie Nature Reserve SE to a knoll, then south to join another fire trail. Here we ran into half the Australian Army, then followed the other half SW along a straight bit of fire trail.
Again Ian spotted the correct turn point and we wandered up an old track to morning tea just near the powerlines.
North for a bit up the powerline trail, then up to Mt Ainslie via the eastern footpad to come in below the Mt Ainslie Rd. A quick drink at the Canberra Water point at the lookout.
Down the Mt Ainslie Walk to near the back of the War Memorial and near Campbell High School, which is the Cbr100 finish.
We power walked back to the car, doing 5.7km in 55mins, around the back of the houses in Ainslie and Hackett.
Track Maps
Track overview
Track 1
Track 2
Profile
Party
3 walkers – Jacqui R, Ian W, me.
Next Tuesday Walk
Tuesday 1 March: Camels Hump – M/E-M. From the Mountain Creek car park at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, up the Camel Back management trail to the crest of the Brindabella Range. A scramble up Camels Hump from the south for grand views. Exit back to the management trail via the NE spur. An opportunity to slip in south towards Johns Peak to see how the footpad is developing along the crest. Around 14km and 500m climb. Map: Tidbinbilla. Leader: Terrylea R. Bookings: John Evans 0417 436 877 john@johnevans.id.au. Transport: ∼$8.