Tidbinbilla Peak from Tidbinbilla Mountain

Monday 8 April 2024: Tidbinbilla Mountain * – M/R. In via Snowy Corner, out via SE from Tidbinbilla Peak. Around 9km and 750vm. Sunrise 6.22am, sunset 5.48pm.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on MAP66i handheld) – Distance: 9.53km | Climb: 745vm (Elev Corrections Enabled) | Time: 2:34 moving +2:57 of stops = 5:31 | Grading: M/R; M(11).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Here’s where we went. This is from a ©October 2017 map.

Track Tidbinbilla Mountain

Trip Report

I was last on Tidbinbilla Mountain on 19 Nov 22.

I popped this trip on the CBC Bilby booking system late Thursday night. My dear wife does not like me walking alone, so I’d hoped to pick up a couple of companions. So pleased when three great friends booked on.

We motored out to Mountain Creek car park at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve with the clouds hanging low on the Tidbinbilla Range. Walking at 8.05am, the Cascade/Lyrebird track green and moist after a couple of days rain.

Mossy logs on the Cascade-Lyrebird Track

Plenty of water gurgling in Mountain Creek at the third bridge.

A bit of water in Mountain Creek

It was pleasing to see during the day that walkers are respecting the Rangers’ request to leave the tapes hanging.

Tape at 1130m on the Snowy Corner track

We had shaken out into walking order – Michael and Tilly up front, Stephen (a bit off his oats until he had a coffee at Snowy Corner), then me way behind in the rear. Much waiting for the other three.

View down from the 2 benches

The cloud had lifted from the tops, but the day remained more high-cloudy than sunny. Smoko at Snowy Corner, the 2.7km from the car park taking 1 hour 30mins.

Easier walking from Snowy Corner generally north. A view back to Corin Dam from an open area just before the little cliff.

Corin Dam from an open area SE of Tidbinbilla Mountain, just before the cliff

West around the end of the cliff, the route a well-developed footpad and flagged. The final puff up to Tidbinbilla Mountain. From smoko to the top 1.2km in 42 minutes.

Great views all round!

Corin Dam, Bimberi Peak and the Brindabella Range from Tidbinbilla Mountain

Here’s a 360.

We left the top via the northern cairn, having arrived via the eastern cairn. Once down the rocky exit and onto more gently sloped open woodland, we were in the country that originally attracted me to this area.

Lovely country NE of Tidbinbilla Mountain after the stoney descent

We passed the turnoff to The Pimple, leaving it for another day. The 700m leg from TIdbinbilla Mountain to the Pimple turnoff took 20 minutes.

The crest pad from the Pimple turnoff very near SH1555 to the cairns south of Tidbinbilla Peak is rocky in places.

The rocky crest of the Tidbinbilla Range SW of lunch

Great views back to the Pimple.

The Pimple and North Arm of Burkes Creek from SW of lunch

We stopped shy of the T-intersection for lunch, trying to catch some sunlight and out of the breeze.

All that remained was to tromp the 1.8km dropping 450vm in 1 hour to pop out on the Camelback Fire Trail, then the 1km or so back to the car.

With the flagging in place for the Skyline track project and plenty of foot traffic, the trip was easy to navigate. I only lost the route 6 or 7 times, very briefly. It would be a different story in more extreme conditions such as snow, so don’t go up there unprepared.

Huge thanks to my companions. My dear wife and I thank you!

Party

4 walkers – Michael C, Stephen M, Tilly T, me.

AllTrails

The AllTrails map is here, where you can pan and zoom.

Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog FaceBook Page

I’ve started up a FaceBook page. Each trip report posts to it. It’s another way to get some info to get out and breathe a bit of fresh air. Why not pop over and Follow the page, or give a post a Like.