26 May 2012 Mt Orroral
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| View South from Mt Orroral |
Map: Rendezvous Creek 1:25000
Getting There
This walk was organised and led by Phillip S as a CBC walk:
Saturday 26 May: Orroral Hill – M/R/X. Beginning at the Orroral Tracking Station picnic area, we will follow the Granite Tors walking trail to the Lunar Laser tower and then head off in a south westerly direction to a saddle between Orroral Hill and a knoll to its north west. From the saddle we need to gain about 100 m to reach the Orroral summit. Half the walk is on a very steep track with the other half steeply off track. It involves a total climb of about 600 m and a distance of about 12 km. The going will be fairly slow and scrubby, with some scrambling. Map: Rendezvous Creek Leader: Phillip S. Transport: $10, Limit: 8.
7 of us drove in 2 cars to the Orroral Tracking Station car park.
Further Information
On 5 Aug 08, it took 35mins to travel the 370m between Mt Orroral and the rabbit ear rocks, so it will be interesting to see how the regrowth has changed.
Photographs
You can access all photographs here.
Walk
| Track map: thumbnail is active - click for a larger picture |
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| Track |
It was forecast to be a wild day - a severe weather warning was current, with snow down to 1000m (Mt Orroral is 1609m). Orroral Valley was living up to it when we arrived, with glimpses of snow on the tops as we drove in and the tops of the Orroral Valley shrouded in snowy clouds. It was pretty windy.
We wandered up the Granite Tors Walking Track. The bottom of the track is very badly eroded. As we climbed, the wind increased and gale force was an understatement. A little snow about the track. We reached the Geodetic Observatory and spent only a little time on the 'balcony' at NmC106 (1327m) overlooking the Orroral Valley.
It was no doubt a considered (and considerable) decision to continue. I've never walked is such fierce wind before. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained and although we kept an eagle eye on the swaying trees in the roaring winds, nothing fell on us. A very brief morning tea in the shelter of a huge granite tor, then on and up through a little snow.
Actually, the bush wasn't too bad. A tight band of scrub as we approached close to the ridge. Dummy me thought I knew were I was and turned SE along the ridge. After a bit of a scrubby, snowy, granitey battle we came out onto a vaguely familiar granite long ledge. Checked my GPS and we were 250m from the rabbit ears and 90m from Mt Orroral. Note to self - don't assume (it makes an ass out of u and me), check where I am before making a decision; follow the leader.
We wandered back NW along the granite shelf and got a view of the rabbit ears. But decided not to visit them, so about turned and made Mt Orroral. A bit slippery in the snow, but Robert made the pipe up top, hanging on for dear life in the howling wind as he took some snaps. Lunch on the NE side, a little out of the wind.
Although still early, the decision was made to head for home.
Thanks Phillip - a great walk on a unique day. And to Cristina K, Josephine L, Lois P, Robert M and Stephen M.
Distance: 11.6km Climb:650m. Time: 8.15am - 2.15pm (6hrs), with 40mins of stops.
Grading: M/R; M(11)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Mt Orroral
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This page last updated 30Aug22