Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 6 July 2019: Mt Ginini and Little Ginini in Snow – L/R,ptX. A snow walk on Mt Ginini and Little Ginini. Starting from Corin Dam, a steep climb up Stockyard Spur to the fire trail and Pryors Hut. From there, off-track over Little Ginini and Mt Ginini, returning via the fire trail and down to the dam. Snowman building and geocaching optional. Around 22km and 910m climb. Map: Corin Dam. Leader: Shell D.

Further Information

Similar to the trip on 16 Feb 19.

Coincidentally, Tim the Yowie Man published an article in the Canberra Times on the Duntroon Ski Lodge today.

Summary

Distance: 24.2km | Climb: 1300m | Time: 7.50am – 6.40pm (10hrs 50mins), including 50 mins of breaks | Grading: L/M-R; H(14-)

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

We met at 7am opposite my old folks home and motored to Corin Dam. A couple of misses (not roos) – the trip was planned weeks ago and mother nature did not cooperate with snow and, so we learned later, the Mt Franklin Rd was open through to the Ginini car park.

Bursts of sun on the tops as we drove through the fog near Corin Dam, but it took a while to break through. In the end it was a mild and sunny day.

It was a slow ascent to the helipad, the 2.3km taking 1hr 30mins today. But time to smell the roses and to listen to the magical lyrebird mimicry.

A pleasant wander along the Stockyard Spur vehicle track, still too foggy for views from the left and right viewing spots.

We had a little look at the brumby yard site.

Then on down to join the Mt Franklin Rd and along it to Pryors Hut for morning tea.

Here Rangers, in a vehicle, told us that all the gate were open. I also saw Bubbles and Brad’s entry in the hut logbook, on their way to ‘Ginger Ale’.

We then headed up the southern spur of Little Ginini Mountain, with views down to Snowy Flats as we gained height.

Stopped at the lovely border marker P57 and I told a bit of the ACT border survey story. On up through border marker O57.

Finally to the top of the hill, an objective for Shell the hill bagger.

Border marker M57 is nearby, the galvanised iron pipe resting snugly in the boxed central portion of the lockspit.

We descended towards Stockyard Gap, hitting the road just before the saddle.

Time was slipping away, so we bashed the road instead of the scrub around most of the eastern flank of Mt Ginini. A happy cut of the corner (for me at least) as we climbed onto the NE spur of Mt Ginini. We came up through the Duntroon Ski Lodge site and found some smashed plates with the Rising Sun insignia and some metal sheets, a lot more evidence than my previous visits on 5 Feb 11, 15 Jun 13 and 16 Jan 16.

A tiny patch of snow provided a snowball or two.

We topped Mt Ginini and had lunch.

We left Mt Ginini at 2.20pm, walked down to the car park, then back along the Mt Franklin Rd. Ran into a couple of other walkers, the Rangers driving out and Bubbles and Brad returning from Ginger Ale. We turned onto the Stockyard Spur vehicle track, calling in for views to the east at the lookout.

We reached the helipad and began our descent at 5.20pm. Another bonus for me, as we needed head torches to carefully negotiate the steps in the dark.

Great leader and party! No snow, but some bonuses.

Track Maps

Track overview

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Party

8 walkers – Greg B, Shell D (leader), Lucy E, Braham H, Stephen M, Jay S, Alison W, me.