15 June 2013 Mt Gingera from Corin Dam (with loooong optional extension up the Brindabellas, returning at night)
 Views from the day - (clockwise from top) A dusting of snow at Mt Gingera, blaze at SW corner of Ginini arboretum site, walkers on the Snow Gum at Brumbys Flats, Mt Gingera guyed pole, sunset from Mt Franklin survival shelter; (centre) massive burnt-grey Snow Gums at Brumbys Flats Maps: Corin Dam and Tidbinbilla 1:25000 Walk Description This walk was organised and led by Edwina Y and me as a CBC walk: Saturday 15 June: Mt Gingera from Corin Dam (with loooong optional extension up the Brindabellas, returning at night) - L/M or L/M-R. 6 of us drove from Canberra to Corin Dam. Further Information What to bring? Warm and wind/rain proof clothing worn in layers; a hot drink in a thermos; the usual morning tea and lunch including energy snacks; there’s water below Gingera from Snowy Flats Creek, so carry 1-2 litres; beanie and gloves; I'd suggest boots rather than shoes which tend to leak a bit if it’s wet/snowing. If you don't have appropriate gear, you compromise your own safety (as in recent sad events in the Snowies) and that of the whole party. Sun times are: 6.42am - 7.10am - 4.57pm - 5.26pm. 1 day before First Quarter moon. The full planned trip is 43+km, which gets us to Mt Aggie. The determining leg is the night return - from Aggie Gap via the Mt Franklin Rd, Stockyard Spur vehicle track and Stockyard Spur steps is 18km. How long to walk this at night? On 27 Oct 12, did the 6.6km from the intersection of the Mt Franklin Rd and the Stockyard Spur track down to Corin Dam in 2hrs (this included a slow and careful trip down the steps at the end of a 46km and 15hr day). Aggie Gap to the intersection via Mt Franklin Rd is 11.5km - allow 4hrs. So 6hrs for the return. What time do we want to get back to the cars? Say, turn around at 5pm (sunset) - puts us back at Corin Dam 11pm. What about the outward leg of 25km? If we start walking at 8.30am, that gives us 8hrs 30mins. Perhaps we'll start earlier. All these times need breaks added. A more likely scenario would be to skirt Little Ginini Mountain and go to the Brindabella crest from Stockyard Gap. That might give us a chance of bagging Franklin trig. Discuss extra gear requirements with John for the extended walk. Check the weather observations at Mt Ginini 1762m at http://www.bom.gov.au/act/observations/canberra.shtml. There may be the option of the loong walk ending at Mt Franklin with a pick-up there. I still intend to do the looooog walk at night back to Corin Dam. If any of that interests you, contact me. Photographs Click here to access all walk photographs.Track Maps Track maps: thumbnails are active - click for a larger picture
Video Google Earth Track Notes A mite chilly in the breeze at Corin Dam, but sheltered in the trees as we began the climb. A back-burn up one side of the steps and walking trail. A respectable 1hr 5mins to the helipad, only a brief pause, then on to Pryors Hut. The 7.7km to here in 2hrs 20mins. Between the brumby yard remains and the intersection with the Mt Franklin Rd, Mike pointed out the Snow Gum that was his centrefold subject in the NPA ACT's Namadgi book. A stop for morning tea. We wandered S along the Mt Franklin Rd (calling in to inspect 21 Mile marker and Q57, as Jaime has led a disadvantaged life to date in not seeing a border marker) to where it crosses Snowy Flat Creek, then up the pad to Mt Gingera. 45mins for the 2.5km. A light dusting of snow at the top. We first visited the real Mt Gingera (old Mt Mouat) at the tors, then went the hundred metres or so S to the guyed pole (on some maps marked NATMAP Mt Gingera). Superb views as usual, but very cold due to wind chill. We then headed generally NW down to Brumbys Flats, faffed around a bit as I reminded myself where the Snow Gums are, then did a photo shoot there. These burnt-grey Snow Gums are massive and would have made an even prettier picture in their heyday. Find them at UTM 55H 660849-6061663 (MGA94) on the Corin Dam map. We crossed the swampy flats to the W side, as Mike pointed out that there were unburnt Snow Gums there. But nothing like the size of the grand-daddy ones. Up the W side of the flats, then a gentle and dry climb to border marker T57 on the Gingera ridge. This is certainly an excellent way to access/leave Brumbys Flats - must remember it! Went to the N nose of the ridge at SH1847, then down the usual way to Pryors Hut for lunch. The Bendora Ranger called in. Here, the sheep left the goats (and by 9pm I knew I was in the goat herd). 4 of our party returned to Corin Dam and Jaime and I continued N along the Brindabellas. To extend his border marker experience, we went over the crest of Little Ginini Mountain. P57 is a particularly nice marker, a 3" downpipe standing proud of the lockspit. We also examined M57, which has a 1" pipe sunk flush, but in a lovely stone-walled structure at the centre of the lockspit. We climbed the rock pile of Little Ginini Mountain. Heading down towards Stockyard Gap, we visited border markers L57, K57, J57 and I57. At this last one, I thought Jaimie was jumping for joy, but it was just a snake that he didn't particularly want to tread on. We were back on the Mt Franklin Rd at 2.20pm. Options were to either go back up along the crest to Mt Ginini or ... We tromped the road to the Ginini car park, turned left and walked up the old ski run to join the summit access road, then had a poke about the Duntroon ski lodge site. But my real purpose was to have a look at the Ginini arboretum site, which you can see on the 1st edn of the Corin Dam map:
We left the summit road and went to the SE corner. No remains of exotic trees, just more open and more lightly timbered. We walked along the southern side to the SW corner and there, lo and behold, was a blaze. Marking the corner of the arboretum? Who knows - must try to check it out. Have since asked Matthew H, and Alan B and John T whose work was associated with the arboretum - no joy. Then on to and around the fenced hardware at Mt Ginini and a brief gaze down the ski run to the SSW. It was 3.30pm. It was cold in the brisk breeze. I see from the BoM observations the apparent temperature was -5.8°C at the time. Down the gentle spur to the NW to O56 and so out onto the road again. 3.50pm and another decision point. We'd done 21km by now and we'd yet to get back, but my main objective for the day was to do some night walking. So I convinced Jaime (did I twist his arm?) that we could tromp the road to Mt Franklin for tea around sunset. That we did. 2 cars came in past us. I got a better fix on the rope tow pole down off the side of the road that Matthew Higgins had shown me. 4.40pm at the Mt Franklin car park. With the signage saying 2.5km round trip to the top, it was decided that we'd just go to the emergency shelter and boil a billy for tea. Soup. A hot drink certainly revives the body and soul. Magic sunset. We left at 5.20pm and covered the 16km back to the car by 9pm. Fabulous as the red western sunset was replaced by a quarter moon and the stars. We didn't need torches until the Ginini car park where the road condition deteriorates a little and headlights were necessary for safety. At 6.30pm the Ginini weather obs was apparent temperature -9.2°C. A brief stop at the Stockyard Spur junction for energy food and water. We reached the helipad at 8.15pm, switched on high beam and took it very carefully down to Corin Dam. This old fella slept in Sunday morning and went to the 11am church service instead of 9am. Summary Distance: 41.7km Climb: 1800m. Time: 8.00am - 9.00pm (13hrs), with 1hr 25mins of breaks. Walk Participants 6 walkers - Mike B, Cynthia C, Jaime L, John T, Edwina Y, me. Back to Walks Index This page last updated 2Sep22 |
