Couldn't get 2 bolts off my package so had to carry a bit extra out - it was b*%%#y heavy

Maps: Rules Point and Rendezvous Creek 1:25000

Walk Description

This walk was organised and led by me as a short-notice CBC walk:

Thursday 25 April: Murrays Gap/Bimberi Peak - L/M. Bimberi is a long day, either a short drive and a long walk, or a long drive and a shorter walk. Let's try the latter, as I have a package to pick up at Murrays Gap. Drive via Snowy Mountains Highway, Tantangara Rd and Pockets Saddle Rd to the gate at Gurrangorambla Creek. Walk the AAWT via Oldfields Hut to Murrays Gap. If time and weather allow, ascend Bimberi. Return the same. Around 22km and 800m climb. For strong and quick walkers. Maps: Rules Point and Rendezvous Creek. Limit: 4. Leader: John Evans - john@johnevans.id.au, 0417 436 877. Transport: ~$30 per person.

4 of us drove from Canberra via Cooma and Adaminaby, then right onto Tantangara Rd and Pockets Saddle Rd to the locked gate at Gurrangorambla Creek. 3 hours and dodged all the kangaroos and wallabies. 217km each way.

Further Information

Sun times are 6.09am-6.36am-5.27pm-5.54pm.

~3¼hrs drive each way. Stop in Cooma on the way back.

Estimate drive 6-9.30am; walk 9.30am-5.30pm=8hrs; drive back 5.30-9.30pm.

Photographs

Click here to access all walk photographs.

Track Maps

Track maps: thumbnails are active - click for a larger picture

Track overview

Track 1

Track 2

Videos

turn your sound off - there's nothing but the wind

Google Earth

Click here to display the walk in Google Earth.

Track Notes

We left Canberra at 6am. Having hit my last wallaby just near Michelago, I was extra cautious. Cynthia brought a 'Little Red Riding Hood' basket of goodies including banana cake and real! coffee, so we breakfasted as we drove. A bit of fog up the side of Tantangara Dam, many road corrugations and 'roos. Thankfully arrived at Gurrangorambla Creek locked gate in around 3 hours.

Walking up the Pockets Saddle Road by 8.55am. I felt like a bit of a goose with my 90l expedition pack, but was grateful for it later. A quick 3.5km in 45mins to Oldfields Hut. A delightful place; a brief poke around.

4.4km in 1hr to Murrays Gap, passing the turn off to the Lone Pine Trail, crossing the Goodradigbee River (a nice culvert) and Dunns Flat Creek (ditto). The day had started with blue skies, but a bit of cloud was blowing in from NSW.

Joy - the old sign was still up in the bush! And to make this perfectly clear, I'd spotted it a fortnight ago on 5-6 Apr 13, contacted Ben the Ranger in charge of the area who said I could have it. Spent 35mins trying to unbolt the 'Namadgi National Park' and 'Murrays Gap' horizontal boards with the shifter and grips I'd carried in. Got 'Murrays Gap' off, but could not get one of the heavy uprights off the 'Namadgi National Park' board. The weather was looking a bit threatening, so I left the spanner and grips (and Bob left his glasses and a tea bag) and we headed for Bimberi.

1hr 10mins for the 3.1km and nearly 400m ascent to the top via the heavily cairned and taped footpad (see my Namadi Footpads for details). Arrived at 12.30pm

My friends enjoyed the top - so did I. Lunch in the lee, away from the fierce wind. If you watch the video, turn your sound off as all you'll hear will be the wind. Spectacular views of course and we were the top 4 people in the ACT at that time. Rang home and just had to have a brag phone call to Tim the Yowie Man. Rang Brian S to thank him for 16 Apr 13 and 23 Apr 13 (I was fine today, Brian - no river crossings or exposure); he'll be back from WA in Spring to lead more fabulous walks.

Away at 1pm to descend out of the wind. 1hr to come back down. I lost the footpad on numerous occasions, twice badly.

Back at the old sign, we found the boards neatly stacked, my shifter and grips gone, but Bob's glasses and tea bag still there. Perhaps someone coming through thought it was a site of vandalism. Maybe my gear will turn up at the Namadgi Visitors Centre. I wasn't going to have to come back in here, so Bob carried out the 'Murrays Gap' board (it's going straight to my pool room (as in 'The Castle')), the girls carried out my personal gear and I stuck the bottom of the upright in my pack, with the 'Namadgi National Park' board up in the air and pointing out the front. It was b*%%#y heavy. And 8km and 150m of climb back to the car.

55mins for the 4.4km back to Oldfields, quicker than the insert because it was, mercifully, mainly down. Greeted lone Jim on the AAWT from Walhalla, but he hadn't pinched my shifter as he'd come in from the West. Attempted to saw off the upright - no joy.

3.5km in 50mins back to the car. I was most grateful to drop my pack!

We got the signs in the car and enjoyed Maggie's yummy fresh fruit salad and yogurt (she's a food nazi) as we drove back, again dodging the 'roos. Along with a shot of Coke and Bob's Anzac biscuits, we made it home in one piece.

So all that remains is to take my 'Murrays Gap' to the pool room (my back deck) and deliver the 'Namadgi National Park'. I think I'll present it as is and the recipient can get the horizontal off the upright!

Post Script: I relented and took the horizontal board off the upright. Not because I'm kind, but because I couldn't get the awkwardly shaped 17.2kgm into the car by myself to deliver it to Tim the Yowie Man. May it grace your pool room Tim - you do so much to promote the Namadgi National Park that you love.

PPS

in the 'pool room'

PPPS

So that she didn't continue in the sin of covertness, 'Murrays Gap' was presented to Feral Kaza at her welcome back celebration in Hall on 12 May 14, after she completed walking the ACT border in 19 days.

Summary

Distance: 22.8km Climb: 950m. Time: 8.55am - 4.00pm (7hrs 5 mins), with 35mins of breaks.

Grading: L/E-M; H(14)

Walk Participants

4 walkers - Cynthia C, Maggie K, Bob L, me.