Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Thursday 27 March 2025: Main Range – Blue Lake and Mt Twynam * – L/M. From Charlotte Pass, walk the Main Range Track to overlook Blue Lake for geocache GC6VCRJ Blue Lake Cirque. Crest the Range and continue north-east to Mt Twynam. A little further has you finding geocache GCF7 Australia’s Used-to-be Highest for me. It was placed there (with NPWS approval) nearly 25 years ago. Spectacular alpine scenery. Return the same way. Around 19km and 750vm. Weather dependent.

Summary

From Garmin Connect (recorded on MAP66i) – Distance: 19.30km | Climb: 820vm | Time: 5:10 moving + 1:07 of stops = 6:17 | Grading: L/M; M(11).

Photographs

View photographs here.

gpx file

Download the gpx file here.

Track Map

Trip Report

I was last north of Mt Twynam on 6-7 May 24 when we came up from Guthega, but turned NE along the crest to Mt Anderson. I’d noticed that we were within a (long) spitting distance of a geocache. Reaching the cache from Guthega was an option, but searching around I saw another cache I’d not found at Blue Lake. So the route was cast – a there and back from Charlotte Pass via Blue Lake to Mt Twynam, plus a bit.

We met at 6.30am at the Calwell Club and motored via Cooma and a stop for coffee in Jindabyne to Charlotte Pass. Arriving at 9.30am I was surprised at the number of vehicles already parked beside the road. I had a 300m warm up after parking the car.

Walking at 9.40am on a brilliant blue-sky day.

We passed the Snowies Alpine Walk turnoff to Guthega, which I did on 4 Mar 23.

Down at the Snowy River crossing I took one step onto the stepping stones, then whimped out. My balance is totally shot. So it was through the water for me, about ankle high. Same for the Club Lake Creek crossing.

Lovely views as we climbed from the Snowy River towards the crest of the Great Dividing Range.

We made it to the Blue Lake turnoff, the signage saying that it was a 1 hour 30 minute trip from Charlotte Pass. One of my companions said we’d done it in 1 hour 18 minutes. Not happy Jan. Checking my last trip up here on 25 Mar 24, I did this leg in 1 hour 8 minutes. So age does weary!

We walked down to the Blue Lake viewing platform.

Geocache GC6VCRJ Blue Lake Cirque is an earth cache. Nothing is hidden there. You go to the location and answer a number of geological questions, which you then send to the cache owner for approval.

Back up at the Main Range Track intersection, there were a number of walkers about.

Up at the crest where we left the Main Range Track there are marvellous views to Mt Sentinel and down the western fall.

We turned right and headed NE. Better view a bit further on.

Around 11.45am party members had the temerity to ask for a morning tea stop.

About half way along the leg to Mt Twynam, great views back along the Abbott Ridge.

It’s not a direct route to Mt Twynam. The track swings in a bit of an arc.

We had a brief stop at the top.

There was a good sized bunch of Rangers there, lazing about like lizards on their lunch break. They were hunting hawk weed. I was chatting with one of them later in the afternoon and he said it was a successful day, because they’d found no weed. Perhaps you think it’s a great work ‘office’ – he said they work in all weathers and only stop when they can’t stand up against the wind!

It was now 12.45pm so we pushed on. Only 500 crow-metres (straight line) to the next cache and I started in that direction. The going was slow, so we headed down to the footpad along the crest and did the 1km to the cache. An easy find of GCF7 Australia’s Used-to-be Highest. The cache was placed over 25 years ago (with approval in KNP) and the cache owner maintains it meticulously. His last annual check and replace of the logbook was in January this year.

Now 1.10pm and we about turned and headed for home, this time following the footpad around the west of Mt Twynam to join our inward track.

Lunch called soon after.

An interesting structure nearby.

The detailed weather forecast for the area was precise, except that instead of 1-3mm from 2pm on, there were 3 large drops and that was it.

Glimpses of Blue Lake looking a bit bluer, and to Hedley Tarn.

The Rangers walking out overtook us, first on foot, and later driving out.

All that remained was for me to wade the Snowy River (whilst my companions skipped across the rocks) and puff up the other side.

Interestingly, signage at the Snowies Alpine Walk intersection to Guthega says that the distance straight ahead to Charlotte Pass is only 500m, but takes 20 minutes!

Here’s a vid.

Thanks very much friends for holding my hand. I do hope you enjoyed the trip and the views.

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

Party

4 walkers – Andrea C, Dagmar K, Jaime P, me.