This walk was organised and led by Max S as a private Tuesday walk:
Yankee Hats. Since the weather report is not great for next week I have decided to defer the intended attack on Burbidge for later in the season and try a wander around the Yankee Hats. Expect rock scramble, fallen timber and scrub but good views from open rock faces, if we can find them. Weather could be showery Meet at Kambah shops at 7.30 am.
An unpleasant weather forecast. 3 of us met and drove to the Yankee Hat car park.
Walk
My apologies to my companions - I had a shocker and had to ask for the walk to be curtailed after only an hour or so into it.
Set off around 8.30am into a bitterly cold and strong wind. Over night snow on Mt Gudgenby, Mt Kelly, Mt Burbidge and Mt Namadgi. But the snow showers kept to the peaks most of the morning. A brisk walk along the Old Boboyan Road until an appropriate old fire trail (marked on 1st edn Yaouk map, but not on 2nd edn) took us down towards Bogong Creek, then around and over the causeway. Our objective loomed ever higher (see pic 1). Here we saw 3 dogs tracking further to the SW - they didn't see us as the wind was blowing from them. One white, one black and white.
At the top of the fire trail over the causeway, as it swings to the N, we began the ascent of the spur. Relatively easy and open until crossing an old fence line, then steeper, and Max reckons, more regrowth since he was last this way. The climb was nearly 300m over about 700m, so pretty steep. I called one halt from the rear, blaming the spirit of chain dragging, then another where I offered to return (and, rightly, was not permitted to do so alone). Decided to push on at a snail's pace for another 10 minutes, but I slowly realised that I was jeopardising the party, not just being exhausted. A tor provided a handy lookout for my companions; I curled up for a micro-nap and couldn't even summon the energy to take a photo. Not much sleep last night and I just had no go in my legs. We descended slowly, chased by a gentle snow flurry, me with my tail between my legs.
My companions were generous and Max took us down along Bogong Creek from the causeway, looking for the elusive 1st edn map marked bridge. Only one possible location, with a couple of hardwood logs lying submerged in the creek. I took a waypoint and this was the only useful thing my GPS did all day. 2 sets of batteries failed to record any of our track (perhaps it was the operator) - so the kmz file is an estimate. Didn't even bother to photograph the location. But looking at it via OziExplorer on the 1st edn Yaouk map, the waypoint was spot on the marked bridge location.
A pleasant ramble along the left bank of Bogong Swamp (see pic 2), which is Site of Significance in the ACT G18. But I felt like a sleep at every stop. Picked up the Yankee Hat Walking Track just S of the boardwalk, then onto the other boardwalk and over the bridge (see pic 3). Back to the car around 12.15pm.
Thanks Max and Kaz. Again, so sorry.
Distance: 9.4km Climb: 350m. Time: ~8.30am - 12.15pm (3hrs 45mins)
Grading: M/M; M(8)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Attempt on Yankee Hat (estimate of track)
