This walk was organised and led by Max S as a private Tuesday walk:
(Rock Flat – Hard – 21 km Exploratory The walk will be from Orroral Valley car park to Rock Flats and return via AAWT Along Granite Tops track until turns south – Climb to SH 1466 From SH 1466 to SH 1426 and then to Rock Flats Rock Flats to Cotter Gap Return via AAWT Approx 9 km Off track (say 5 Hrs) and 12 km, on track (say 3 Hrs) Expect some messy and slow walking Feature will be rock tors and some open grasslands Meet at Kambah – 7.30 am Latish finish, Car $10 Please confirm if interested. This will not be a sanctioned FBI walk if <4. Weather - Tuesday Fine, mostly sunny. Min 10 Max 28 Maps – Rendezvous Creek and Corin Dam).
Just Max and me today. We drove to the Orroral Valley tracking station car park.
Walk
Leader and chain dragger (my heels are dreadful due to all the recent long walks) set of up the Granite Tops Walking Track. Up was definitely not a good direction today and there was plenty more to come. The Spring birds were noticeable by their calls. We left the track just before the E flowing arm of James Creek (2.7km in 50mins).
Max held a good line W to SH1466. Easy walking up through open forest and green grasses (if one's feet were in good shape); a little regrowth near the SH (this leg 1.9km in 1hr). A few minutes for morning tea and to open and examine a tin under a cairn (see pic 1). It contained Outward Bound checkpoint papers from 1993.
For the second time I was tricked by the way on from this point. SH1426 seems to merge in with the SW side of Rendezvous Creek. I would have gone NW down Sawpit Creek, thinking I was contouring around the top of Rendezvous Creek. Luckily I was not in charge and all I had to do was follow the leader to SH1426. Again, a little scrubby and regrowth amongst the granite (this leg 1.1km in 50mins).
Now ready to contour I was shocked when Max took off straight ahead. My aching feet had to carry me 150m down into RV Creek and 200m up the other side. A tree fern struggling to grow in a soak going down. We replenished water from RV Creek. Thankfully the up side was clearer than the down and, once again, Max was correct in taking the B-line, rather than the contouring option. We broke out onto Rock Flats at 12.25pm (this leg 1.5km in 1.5hrs).
We both wanted to have a look at the larger swampy area to the WSW, but my feet said no. So lunch was taken on the E edge of Rock Flats (see pics 2, 3).
We next headed generally N to the saddle to the E of Split Rock, from which an arm of the top of Rendezvous Creek heads SE and an arm of the top of Pond Creek heads NW. Another watershed moment. Then down to hit the AAWT at Cotter Gap (this leg 2.7km in 1hr 20mins).
I changed into runners - heels and feet still hurt, but in slightly different places. Max nursed me back along the AAWT to the car (this leg 8.6km in 2hrs). A number of Ranger vehicles passed us on the Cotter Road coming down the Orroral Valley. They'd been working on the broom at Cotter Hut. Max asked them if they'd attend to the blackberries in Rendezvous Creek and find a solution to the flies. They suggested a monster can of insect repellent for the latter.
A repeat to a destination I'd done on 27 Mar 07. Always worth a reurn with a different leader to compare ideas and routes. Sorry for holding you up, Max.
Distance: 18.6km Climb: 900m. Time: 8.20am - 4.10pm (call it 8hrs), with 50mins of stops.
Grading: L/R,X; H(13)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Rock Flats
