Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 28 September: Yankee Hat South and Rock Art – M/R,ptX. Explore Yankee Hat South (1558m), the seldom climbed bigger of the two Yankee Hats. Walk the to the rock art on footpad, then off track following the drainage line across the lower rise of Yankee Hat North to meet the arm of Bogong Creek heading to the saddle between the Hats. From here follow the creek arm to the saddle, and summit Yankee Hat South. For those with a love of scrub, rock scrambling, and adventure. Leader: Shell D.

Further Information

Previous visits on 22 Jun 10, 29 Aug 06, 5 Feb 05.

Summary

Distance: 13.8km | Climb: 700m | Time: 8.00am – 4.15pm (8hrs 15mins), including 65 mins of breaks | Grading: M/M-R; H(12)

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.

Waypoint and Track Files

Download the gpx file for this trip (if your browser does not automatically download the file, it will open the gpx file in a new window and you can then save it). To use in Google Earth, do File, Open… and select Gps or All files as the File Type.

Track Notes

Great view to our destination from near the car park.

A few hundred meters on, excellent view to the hills at the heart of the Park.

Then down to cross the bridge over Bogong Creek and the boardwalk.

We called in at the Yankee Hat rock art.

From here, Shell had chosen a rather excellent route. We handrailed a gully heading up to the WSW, cutting across the bottom of a spur up to Yankee Hat North. Coming round onto the SW flank of the spur towards the (dry) creek line between the two Yankee Harts, the vegetation was a little moister.

We only followed the main creek line for a couple of hundred meters, then turned more to the west following

With our objective only around 400m away and drifting more than 90deg to our left, I had the temerity to ask our leader when we were going to turn directly towards it. I was told not to worry, that a more gentle ascent from the north had been planned. Indeed, that it was – and the best approach to the top I’ve ever experienced. The going was relatively easy.

We passed a giant tor or two.

Then, to draw our attention to smaller things, a bird’s nest in a tree stump.

The bush cleared for a while and a series of granite slabs made for quick walking.

A pause to check direction.

We sidled past a more severe slab which may have presented more of a challenge if a direct ascent had been made.

Great views to nearby hills opened up.

Another granite slab rose gently to what we thought could be the top, but the GPSr showed another 175m to go. We pushed through to this point, another open granite slab with wonderful views to the SW.

Lunch was called and the opportunity taken for a call home and a Facebook post. Celebrations all round.

Thinking it was all downhill from here, an impromptu call was made to examine a higher set of boulders nearby. Great find of a cairn, surely the highest point! Some secret business was done – to be revealed later.

We left at 1pm, and after a short period of descent, passed through a lovely stand of golden wattle.

We again cut the corner of the saddle between Yankee Hats South and North and followed the feeder gully to the main creek line. We now continued handrailing this to the bottom, a long leg deserving a little break.

At last we hit a fire trail near Bogong Creek, which took us SW to cross the causeway then NE to join the Old Boboyan Rd and so back to the cars.

A great trip, excellently planned and led. Thanks Shell and all!

Track Maps

Track

Track detail

Profile

Party

7 walkers – Shell D (leader), Thushara De Z, Stephen M, Beat O, Justin S, Diana T, me.

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