17/08/2012 – 24/08/2012   Guthega Power Station – Tin Hut – Finn River – Mawson Hut – Jagungal – Kerries Ridge – Valentine Hut return

                                                Kosciuszko National Park, NSW

                                                Ngarigo country

Participants: Damien Aggio, Steve Davies (Leader, Photos, Report)

Day 1: Friday 17/08/2012   Guthega Power Station – Disappointment Spur Hut

Download file: 2012-08-17 Munyang to DS Hut.gpx                         Track Info

 

10cms of freshly fallen snow on the ground and parked cars and still snowing, what a great way to start our trip. Departing Munyang Power Station at 3:30pm with a light breeze blowing we had skis and climbing skins on once across the Munyang River. From here we took turns track-setting through fresh snow, at times creating tracks 15 cm deep. Lumbering uphill with packs containing a week’s food we finally pulled into an empty Disappointment Spur hut at 5:40pm, in good time to lighten our load by one meal. We were joined four hours later by two guys from Canberra who then proceeded to prepare a belated meal. (The hut should sleep about seven on its two wide bunks. It is cosy, well insulated and bright but without any fireplace. It provides week mobile phone reception.)

Disappointment Ridge and Tin Hut

 

Day 2: Saturday 18/07/2012   Disappointment Spur Hut – Tin Hut

Download file: 2012-08-18 DSHut to Tin Hut.gpx                         Track 

 

The pre-trip intention of crossing Disappointment Ridge and following it to Tin hut was abandoned after more overnight snowfalls, so instead we headed along the Aqueduct hoping to find fresh tracks to follow. This was orchestrated initially by our 11am departure just after our hut-mates, who unfortunately we passed after half an hour leaving us with the hard slog through deep fresh snow. Better luck at the road where we found those sort after tracks and light snow falling.

Within 15min of our arrival at an empty, newly repaired Whites River hut we were joined by several other parties to make a dozen for lunch. Whites is now looking clean and fresh inside, replete with new barbeque table.

We both reported home from Schlink Pass (5 bar phone reception) before heading towards Gungartan Pass. By here the wind had picked up noticeably and visibility had decreased sufficiently to require careful use of GPS and compass for navigation. This challenge was not helped by my dropping my GPS and not noticing for a short time. Fortunately visibility improved briefly to reveal a dark “patch” on the snow about 30m below and its recovery.

My map derived waypoints got us to Tin hut at 5pm, although if we had targeted the saddle above the hut we would have avoided having to negotiate the corniced ridge nearby. We didn’t find those cornices until we were about 1m away from the lip! Due to the variable windblown cover of thick drifts and ice combined with very flat lighting, we both had a couple of falls along the way. Damien learnt not to pass too close to rocks, as the wind scowl surrounding one took him out.

 

Day 3: Sunday 19/08/2012   Tin Hut – Mawson Hut return

Download file: 2012-08-18 Tin to Mawsons return.gpx                         Track 

 

Our overnight hut-mates were a chemist and a farmer from Wagga. They were up by 7:00am and away before 9:30am, leaving us alone to ponder our options. A good stiff breeze, poor lighting and breakable crust had us bypass the idea of skiing the local hills or traversing the Brassy Mountains towards Bulls Peaks (we quickly learned there were too many trees, rocks and changes in lay of land along that ridge). Instead we cruised along the Valentine Creek to Mawson hut for a midday lunch break. We briefly entertained the thought of a quick trip to Valentine hut but as time was getting by we opted to try some telemarks on a few hills on our return journey.

Mawson Hut

Plans need to remain very fluid out here, as before long we found ourselves back in cold and windy weather, rugging up in fibrepile and goretex jackets. It proved to be a good snow for a tour but not for turning as a couple of short runs and falls on almost softened crust confirmed. We were back in Tin hut by 2:30pm with no ambition for further runs.

 

Tonight we would be joined by Con, travelling alone, along with Mark and Joanne. Mark and Joanne presented as a middle aged couple just days short of divorcing. It turned out this would not be possible as they were brother and sister, the sibling goading from Joanne something to behold! Mark was treating his Queensland based sister to the joys of her first snow trip. She will have plenty of tales to tell, perhaps the satisfaction will come later.

It should be noted that Tin hut and the upper Finn river area are surrounded by a large area of unburnt snowgums. Water could be obtained from the Finn about 400m below the hut near the small clump of trees. Weak mobile reception can be found between in the hut and toilet.

 

Day 4: Monday 20/08/2012   Tin Hut – Mawson Hut

Download file: 2012-08-20 Tin to Mawson Huts.gpx                         Track 

 

We awoke from our coldest night yet to another day of poor visibility and gusty winds. Hut-mates Mark and Joanne were heading out over Gungarten Pass, bravely using my waypoints that Mark manually entered (Oops, I should have checked his GPS was set to WGS84). Con was off to Cesjacks.

We did several “downhill” runs below the cornices near the hut before collecting water using the fishing line technique and then returning to the hut for morning tea. After completing a short tour to Finn Swamp along the river we again returned to the hut, this time for lunch before packing up and leaving for Mawson hut at 2:30pm on the forecast of better weather for Tuesday and rain Wednesday. We arrived at 4:30pm, completing a much faster trip than yesterday. We enjoyed a beautiful cloud free afternoon with barely a breath of wind and some noticeable warmth in the sun. After adding water to rehydrate my meal we went out for a water collection run to Valentine Creek. This extended into a very cold, dusk photo shoot. Both my Steripen UV filter and GPS logger batteries complained bitterly.

Our new electronic engineer hut-mate Graeme from Lismore was on his annual solo ski trip. He skis August each year (all of August) this being an eight day segment of that trip. Damien’s morning headache had returned this evening. He discounted my altitude sickness diagnosis more than once.

 

Day 5: Tuesday 21/08/2012   Mawson Hut – Jagungal return

Download file: 2012-08-21 Mawson Hut Jagungal return.gpx                         Track 

 

A cool and cloudy morning saw the day in but we were determined to head off towards Jagungal as per my trip description (I was running a little scared of being accused of false advertising). We passed across the saddle just to the west of Cup and Saucer Hill, stayed high right to Tarn Bluff before descending to Bluff Tarn and following the Geehi River upstream. Another fast run on firm snow was enjoyed, all the while contending with cold, cloudy and windy conditions with the occasional patch of blue sky. Jagungal, however, remained well hidden under cloud the entire morning. By 11:30am we sheltered from the wind for lunch beneath a tiny cornice next to a small pool of fresh water on the Geehi about 1km short of the summit. At this point we discussed some options, such as doing a side trip on the return journey, as there appeared no point in continuing.

Having completed lunch Damien suggested we should at least get to the base of Jagungal. This proved to be an inspired decision as the clouds were quickly clearing as we started our unexpected ascent. Climbing skins attached we headed straight up, the sky was totally clear by the time we were on top – the views amazing as always!

 Damien climbing Jagungal

Don’t be too dependent on electronic devices out here, my phone showed 3 bars of reception but refused to otherwise cooperate! We got plenty of good turns in on our decent and a fast run back along the Geehi.

Fancy foot work

A very interesting return trip, as about 3km homeward I found a compass, which happened to be mine! Another lucky break, must have dropped it on the way up. We proceeded on our earlier proposed detour on the way home by continuing another 2km downstream around the Geehi Big Bend to Big Bend on Valentine Creek. This proved to be a very pleasant alternative along the meandering Geehi River and across a clear gentle open saddle. After lots of photo opportunities were taken in the last couple of kilometres we were back in Mawson hut at 5:10pm, 3 hours after leaving the summit. A great day of touring.

The night was to be shared with two soloists, Matt and Alex. A third, Graeme, chatted briefly before moving on, he had no time to linger on his three day Kiandra to Kosciuszko assault. Matt, as a night shift Central Coast nurse, had many interesting experiences to convey, amazing where and what things can end up in various body parts. Alex was equally fascinating retelling tales of his nine week Arctic ski tour with a mate, especially the part on their technique of using a trip cord system attached to small flares to discourage hungry Polar Bears from eating them.

Mawson hut by painted light and starlight

 

Day 6: Wednesday 22/08/2012   Mawson Hut – Schlink Hut return

Download file: 2012-08-22 Mawson Hut to Schlink return circuit.gpx                         Track 

 

It was a pity that Alex was such a good snorer but lucky for us the forecast rain hadn’t arrived. So off for another tour, this time crossing the Kerries for an 11:30pm lunch stop at Schlink Hilton. The weather updates from another party we met there was for several days of very poor weather ahead.

We didn’t have to wait long, as travelling west after lunch we were struck by a quickly strengthening breeze and approaching very black threatening clouds. As the black descended over us we copped – 10 minutes of light snow. Completing the trek along Duck Creek we took a short break at Valentine hut with yet another soloist.

 Inclement weather approaching

We tried a route variation back to Mawson hut by following the Valentine. This proved easy enough by staying 100 – 200m to the southern side for the first 2km to avoid the worst of the rock outcrops, trees and meandering creek, then moving back onto the creek beyond. For much of this section we had expanses of blue sky. Here Damien took a shortcut back to the hut after I had decided to chase more photos along the creek, perhaps his patience was wearing thin. By Big Bend the return of those threatening clouds had me significantly pick the tempo up to be back at hut by 5pm. Matt and Alex were already back after joining forces for their Jagungal trip. It started raining just after dark.

Valentine Creek

 

Day 7: Thursday 23/08/2012   Mawson Hut – Tin Hut

Download file: 2012-08-23 Mawson Hut to Tin Hut.gpx                         Track 

 

Overnight rain showers had eased by morning. Unfortunately these showers returned with vengeance minutes after Matt and Alex started heading out over the Kerries. Damien and I having packed to go then decided to hang tight. Constant rain for the next three hours had us hoping for a break that would enable us to get to Whites and dreaming of catching some fresh snow for a few runs before heading home tomorrow. By midday the rain was turning to snow, starting to tempt us outside. We had lunch and headed off at 1:30pm.

Initially relatively calm, a strong tailwind developed as we headed up the Valentine. The cloud base lowered constantly until we were immersed before our decision point. No option at this stage of the day but to follow our Tin hut waypoint in increasingly unpleasant, very wet and windy conditions. Our arrival caught our new hut-mates, Jay (a Sydney barrister) and his brother (IT, a very rare smoker, who did go outside to smoke), by surprise as they had remained hut bound all day.

We slowly dried off and bedded down for, hopefully, our last night, dreading that the next day’s weather would be no better.

 

Day 8: Friday 24/08/2012   Tin Hut – Guthega Power Station

This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.

Download file: 20120824.gpx                         Track Info

 

No worries, the morning was not like yesterday at all, it was far worse! Looking out the window revealed raging winds just like in one of those Antarctic blizzards in which you see the penguins huddling together to stop freezing to death. On our dash to the toilet we began to understand how they must feel. We lingered most of the morning hoping for conditions to improve (wishful thinking) and got a text message away telling our loved ones how much we loved them and that we may not be home tonight as planned.

After carefully packing the tent, poles, pegs, extra gloves and fast food as handy as possible we departed about 11:30pm wondering how long it would be before we retreated back to the hut or were forced to put the tent up. Our hut-mates donated a cupful of rice for the nights meal should be need it, our rations nearly spent. They had decided on a second hut day themselves.

We followed Disappointment Ridge trying to keep just above the tree line, checking our progress occasionally by GPS. Wind gusts were reported up to 120km/h during the day. The very flat lighting and poor visibility caused me more problems than I can recall having had in the past. I was often unable to distinguish snow from ice or any surface texture. Walking proved alright but any sliding motion often had me guessing as to whether I was moving or not. Goggles didn’t help much and a sense of vertigo had me struggling to keep upright. One face-plant saw the tent poles rocket from my pack and slide off down the hill. Once these were recovered I found that letting Damien ski ahead and then stop provided the visual clues I needed to ski. From then on I tried to keep my eyes focused on any stationary object, often looking way out to the side for a non-moving reference point.

After a period of slipping and sliding on an uphill section we stopped to evaluate our predicament. With great difficulty we both managed to get our climbing skins on, have an energy boosting snack and adjust clothing, including replacing wet gloves. We made much faster and more assured progress by this new approach, finally reaching the saddle after about three hours of very difficult travel. Quickly loosing height on the other side we also lost most of the wind and found ourselves in easily the best snow of the whole trip, even catching a few turns as we meandered our way back down to the aqueduct. The return leg on the aqueduct provided a good run on fresh snow that only required removing the skis and walking for about 200m.

It was with a feeling of great relief that we finally reach the car at 4:40pm. It was also disappointing to find a threatening “reminder to pay my park entrance fee” notice attached to my windscreen wiper. The person placing it there having needed to reach over my two year pass to do so.

We met a lot of interesting people along the way but failed to sign any of them up as club members – perhaps carrying a club brochure or business card would help. Also, before I get out there again I’ll certainly be getting my eyes tested, working out better ways of attaching vital equipment to stop them escaping and carrying a little bit more extra food just in case. Another great adventure and I can’t wait for the next one.

 

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