1 May 2012 Scar on Mt Tennent

Mt Tennent scar

Map: Williamsdale 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by Max S as an ad hoc BBC Tuesday walk:

Tuesday 1 May - Scar on Mt Tennant - H-ish. The idea is to have a look at the rock slide on Mt Tennant and then follow from the side to the top if practical. Probably return via Bushfold Flats via the Sth ridge of Tennant. 50 % off track - Probably hardish.

6 of us drove to the outer car park at the Namadgi Visitors Centre.

Photographs

You can access all photographs here.

Walk

Track map: thumbnail is active - click for a larger picture

Track

A bit of a test at setting off time - Mt Tennent (or, if you like, Mt Tennant after the bush ranger) was shrouded in cloud and there was not a sight of the scar. You could cut the cloud with a knife and less intrepid parties would have turned back, but our stout leader pressed on. We wandered up the AAWT a bit, then turned S-ish across the NE flank of the hill, looking for the correct gully. Missed it in the cloud, but enjoyed a nice scrubby amble across the flank. We climbed a spur, I had a bet with one party member that our destination was to the N. They (not mentioning any names as the person claims an infallible sense of sniffing out an objective) reckoned S, so it was Vegemite sandwich wagered against pumpkin cracker. She was wrong! (but usually isn't). So we had a bit of a look S, reassessed, then continued to climb to the NW and W. Perfectly executed, Max got us to the S side of the scar a mere one minute late for morning tea at 10.31am.

An incredible sight. Tim the Yowie Man had visited it from the bottom and said it was mainly mud - indeed it was. A huge earth and rock slide, with scrapes 2m up tree trunks. A little water still dribbling out of the soil. We sat on the granite tors on the side and had morning tea. I refused the pumpkin cracker, but gleefully took TWO Turkish Delight squares.

We continued up the side of the scar, Max keeping it interesting with a little scramble that required a rope. We passed a huge boulder that we'd seen from morning tea - I wonder when it will go Then out onto the scar - a huge amount of earth and rock. Quite a puff to climb the 110m vertical metres and 175m across the ground from morning tea to the top of the land slide, at GR 85564-64387 (MGA94). Several theories as to how it was caused, too much rain and the ground slipped was the consensus.

As we climbed above the top of the slip, there were several deep cracks in the earth, up to 80m across the ground from the top. With more rain, this unstable area could go too.

At last the steep climb began to level. I marked a big tree at GR 85427-64234 (MGA94) that was within a couple of hundred metres of the Mt Tennent Fire Trail and would make a convenient drop off point for a view of the scar, coming in from the top.

We wandered up to the Mt Tennent fire tower, then back down the management road for a way, then down through the bush to Bushfold Flats.

Lunch on the side of the old vehicle track, followed by leg cramps for me. Hate these long lunches (grin).

N up the Flats, picking up the AAWT. Max had a last surprise (for me who didn't read his walk description). We continued a bit further N from where the AAWT takes off, then up using footpads, a lovely grassed drainage line, a bit of old benched vehicle track, through some scrub and onto the AAWT.

Down the AAWT to the NVC, with perfect views in the sunny arvo back up to the scar from the lower parts of the track.

Some of us had a beer (driver had soft) on the verandah of Val's Tharwa General Store.

Thanks Max. Just had to be visited. Great party included Eric G, Ken W and Peter C and Linda G.

Distance: 15.7km Climb: 1000m. Time: 8.05am - 3.00pm (call it 7hrs), with 45mins of stops.
Grading: L/R; H(13)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Scar on Mt Tennent

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This page last updated 30Aug22