Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 3 December 2022: Snowy Flat Creek Cascades via Stockyard Spur. Our walk starts from Corin Dam car park where we ascend the challenging track up Stockyard Yard Spur Firetrail to the Helipad. After a break to get our breath back we continue along the fire trial stopping at a couple of viewing platforms for some great views. We continue along the track a ways we leave the fire trail and then go off track and descend to Snowy Flats where we pick up the creek line that takes us to the Cascades. We will lunch at this beautiful spot before re-tracing our steps back to Corin Dam.

Summary

From Garmin Connect – Distance: 15.30km | Climb: 1007m | Time: 4:25 moving + 2:21 of stops = 6:46 | Grading: L/E-M; M(11).

I did a careful contour count on the Corin Dam 1:25000 topographic map and came up with 980vm. So I’m happy with the MAP66i 1007m metric.

Photographs Photographs are available here.

gpx File The gpx file is available here.

Have a look at the beautiful destination.

Track Notes

I was last at the cascades on 22 Jan 13. We walked up Snowy Flat Creek from Corin Dam on 11 Dec 12.

The usual trick with a tough climb. I got the nod from the walk leader to drive out and start early. I had a companion who had a similar need.

The companion showed me a clean pair of heels most of the way up and whipped me into action. Pleasing that I needed no gasping stops and got to the helipad in 71 minutes, a lot better than my last solo effort of 95 minutes.

That’s where achievements ended. I trudged along at the rear of the pack as the others chatted as they walked up hills. I now know why old walkers just fade away, or else go solo walking.

We stopped at the western lookout for morning tea. A Ukrainian woman has recently scaled Mt Everest and one of our party, in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, has a goal of raising the flag on every walk until her total climb is equal to the height of Everest. So well done!

Popped across the other side to the Graeme Barrow named ‘Stockyard Spur Grandstand’, with views to Mt McKeahnie and others. A stop a couple of hundred metres further on to see the brumby yard remnant.

At the spot chosen by our excellent leader, we began the gentle drop down to our objective.

Lovely walking down though open woodland with Mt Gingera in view.

We broke out onto the edge of Snowy Flats. Some sphagnum recovery hessians in view.

More flowers.

A very pretty leg following the creek down to the east. Thanks to the ACT Government’s strict control of feral horses, no degradation here.

My spirits rose as we paralleled the creek and I decided I’d keep walking to destinations such as this.

Delightful gurgling water as the creek dropped and ran over more rocks.

You wouldn’t find a nicer lunch spot with a nicer bunch of people. Magic!

After a long lunch it was time to return. Uneventful. Passed several overnight bags being carried up – a busy night camping around Pryors/Gingera. And a trail runner belted down past us as we descended the steps, only to pass us again coming up on his second trip!

Fabulous destination, excellent leader, great crew.

Relive the trip

 

Track Map

Here’s where we went. On TopoView 2006 NSW mosaic © DEPARTMENT OF LANDS PANORAMA AVENUE BATHURST 2795 www.lands.nsw.gov.au Used with permission.

Party

10 walkers – Ana V, Liz H, Ming L, Cameron L, Joe L, Richard M (leader), Lena O, Tilly T, Sandra T, me.

Information Bit(e)s

I’ve had a lot of assistance from walking friends recently. By way of paying a bit back, I’ll publish a few bites of information that may help someone. Today’s is ‘16 Australian Walking Track Grading System‘.

Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog FaceBook Page

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