Our two groups, on top of Sentry Box | photo Robert W

Saturday-Sunday 7-8 September: A roam around the southern Namadgi – L/E-M-R. From the Yankee Hat car park, walk fire trails and footpads over the Gudgenby saddle and down across Naas Creek to join the Sams Creek Fire Trail to Lutons Crutching Shed. Enjoy a convivial evening around the camp fire with Rob and Jen’s Navigation Refresher trip. Tag along on their Sunday morning ascent of Sentry Box Mountain. Return to vehicles north along the Old Boboyan Road. Around 35km and 1200m climb over 2 days. Map: Yaouk. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877 john@johnevans.id.au . Transport: ~$15.

Further Information

I’ve been putting on a similar trip to coincide with Rob and Jenny’s Navigation Refresher #4 for a few years. 23-24 Sep 17, 30-31 Aug 14, 31 Aug – 1 Sep 13, 8-9 Sep 12.

Huge congrats to three party members doing their first overnight trip and to George and Kirsty for carrying their nearly full packs up Sentry Box as training for OxFam!

Summary

Day 1: Distance: 15.5km | Climb: 400m | Time: 8.35am – 2.15pm, 3.25pm – 3.45pm (6hrs), including breaks | Grading: M/E-M; M(9)

Day 2: Distance: 23.7km | Climb: 800m | Time: 7.05am – 6.40pm (11hrs 35mins), including breaks and breaking camp | Grading: L/M-R; H(14)

Total: Distance: 39.2km | Climb: 1200m | Time: 2 days | Grading: L/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

Day 1

A wild and very cold wind greeted us at the Yankee Hat car park. The apparent temperature would have been below zero. The wind continued all day.

Happy starters at Yankee Hat car park

We did a leg along the Old Boboyan Rd, passing the Yankee Hats and Mt Gudgenby. This took us to the start of the Gudgenby Saddle footpad (now marked with a bush timber arrow on the ground).

Passing Mt Gudgenby and the Yankee Hats

The footpad is well worn in and I don’t think I lost it at all.

The footpad to Gudgenby Saddle

We stopped for morning tea at the saddle. From the car park to here, 6.9km in 2hrs 20mins. So a moderate pace.

The next leg took us down the other side of the saddle, across Naas Creek and onto Sams Creek Fire Trail.

Sams Creek Fire Trail isn’t much of a FT here

We stopped for lunch at the junction of Sams Creek and Maurice Luton Fire Trails. From morning tea to lunch was 2.9km in 1hr 15mins.

Lunch at the junction of Sams Creek and Maurice Luton Fire Trails | photo Robert W

From here, Sams Creek Fire Trail improved to drivable quality. It parallels Naas Creek on the SW side of the open valley. I think of the two large dead trees as the sentinels of the valley.

Sentinel trees guard the top of Naas Creek valley

We passed Richard Brayshaws hut site by the side of the FT, fortunately undisturbed when the FT was regraded during the 2003 fires.

Richard Brayshaws hut c1883 site

So onto visit the Crawford Old Station remains and orchard within sight of our day’s destination.

Crawfords Old Station maybe c1840s remains and orchard

We walked up through Lutons Crutching Shed and on up to the treed area behind. 4.9km in 1hr 15mins.

Old and refurbished drop log fencing at Lutons Crutching shed

Four walkers camped just behind Lutons. They had tried Sentry Box the previous day but were beaten by the fierce wind and snow.

Usual set up routine. Tents up, collected water from the tank, collected fire wood.

We then went for a short walk down to see the drop log fencing across Sheep Station Creek.

Original drop log fencing across Sheep Station Creek

We got the fire going and this old man had a little sit down.

Camp at Lutons Crutching Shed, old fella in chair | photo Robert W

The Navigation Refresher party arrived and set up. The 18 of us shivered in the blasting wind and had tea. I think I was the second off to bed at 6,30pm, the only place to keep warm – with seven layers on!

Day 2

Up at 6am, having won the battle of the bladder. Breakfast, packed the morning’s requirements into my cinched up overnight bag and we were ready to go around 7am.

Rob gave the navigators their briefing.

Early Sunday morning briefing for the navigators

The wind was still blowing but at least the sun was shining. We set off with the navigators working bounds in pairs, our party following to keep right out of their way. The lower part of the spur was relatively open to SH1282, but we soon ran into the snow.

A pause on the ascent photo | Kirsty G

Quite pretty as we climbed.

Climbing the spur to Sentry Box

Morning tea #1 at SH1319. A little further on, at the rock wall, the tea tree and snow made going difficult. So a short detour was required.

Climbing the spur to Sentry Box

SH1577 was made, then another difficult patch of snowy tea tree. Yet another detour to gain the bottom of the granite slab.

Iced granite on the ascent | photo Kirsty G

We made the bottom of the slabs and the view opened up over to Mt Gudgenby.

Coming in on the side of the granite slab below Sentry Box

As we climbed further, great views down to the Naas Creek valley.

View to Naas Valley from the granite slab below Sentry Box

The cairn was finally made. 6.7km in 4hrs 12mins. Careful navigation, tough going in the snow and the climb made it a slow trip.

Most went a few hundred metres on for views to the south, then returned to the cairn for morning tea #2.

Morning tea 2 on Sentry Box | photo Robert W

We left at 12noon, bypassing SH1577 on a more direct line.

Descending the slab

We passed through some lovely timber on the lower part of the descent.

Descending through tall timber and wattle

Finally down, the descent was 6km in 3hrs 45mins. Many thanks to Lauren for the Sentry Box ascent/descent track. And thanks to Rob for the loan of 2 AA batteries – the issue turned out to be that my spares were in my bag, but I didn’t know where … how sad.

A quick pack up, a bite of lunch and both parties were away. Our way a little further, up the Old Boboyan Road. We bade farewell to Sentry Box from the Naas Creek ford.

Bye bye Sentry Box Mountain

We set Lisa and Chris running and the remaining 5 of us plodded the 9.3km in 2hrs 39mins back to the car. Needed torches for the last km or so.

The long walk home | photo Kirsty G

Great effort by everyone, new and old friends alike. Till next year?

Track Maps

Track overview

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Profile

Party

7 walkers – Kirsty G, Georgina P, Lisa Q, Ana V, Robert W, Chris W, me.