Sunday 24/09/2023   Guthega Power Station – Munyang River – Disappointment Spur Trail – Disappointment Spur Hut – Schlink Pass Road – Whites River Hut – Horse Camp Aquaduct Trail – Horse Camp Hut – Horse Camp Hut Access – Schlink Pass Road

                                       Kosciuszko National Park, NSW

                                       Ngarigo Country

                                    

Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Pablo Ureña Vega

Quickly deciding it was too much effort to get to too little snow today we opted to stretch our legs with a walk from Guthega Power Station. As Beth and Pablo had not been to Disappointment Spur Hut before we rock-hopped across Munyang River just behind the power station before the gradual ascent up Disappointment Spur Trail to start the walk. We had great walking weather today with cool and calm conditions. 

Download file: 20230924.gpx                         Track Info

 

The track to the hut had many wet areas underfoot at water runoffs today and a couple of fallen trees to clamber across. We found the Disappointment Spur Hut to have been left clean and tidy and after a short inspection of it and its logbook (Disappointment Spur Hut Logbook 30/4/2019 – 15/9/2023) we continued, enjoying each other’s company and the surrounding forest. 

On arriving at Whites River Hut we found three female hikers finishing their lunch beside the creek. Turns out they were all locals who knew Beth, and following some catching they departed. We also settled by the creek for our leisurely lunch break, followed by a hut and hut logbook inspection (Whites River Hut Logbook 2/5/2022 – 21/9/2023) before heading back down the road.

For our return, we followed the Horse Camp Aquaduct Trail, which starts not far down from the high point on the road and is signed posted. The small hut down this side is locked and belongs to Snowy Mountains Council and “has been provided for the operation of the Snowy Mountains Scheme”, it sits about 200m off the Horse Camp Aquaduct Trail which today was very wet underfoot for about 30m. At this point, there is a small concrete dam, which appears to feed water in an underground tunnel. 

As the Horse Camp Aquaduct Trail had very recently been cleared, the walking today was very easy. Beth reported that the previous time she had down it there was a lot of growth across it. We left the trail at Horse Camp to descend to the hut. After checking it and its logbook (Horse Camp Hut Logbook /10/2020 – 12/8/2023) out we continued along the Horse Camp Hut Access trail to Schlink Pass Road for the walk back to Guthega Power Station.

During the day Thredbo AWS recorded wind speed of 17km/h at 9:00am, easing to 11km/h at 3:00pm. 

Photos

 

The local flora, fauna, geology, history and some other walks (Bard)

Flora

The local flora of the area is dominated by alpine and subalpine plant communities. The alpine herbfields are characterized by a diverse range of flowering plants, including snow daisies (Leucochrysum alpinum), alpine sunray (Senecio pectinatus), and purple eyebright (Euphrasia collina). Other notable plant species include snow gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora), mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans), and bogong moth bush (Aciphylla glacialis).

The subalpine woodlands are dominated by snow gums, with a variety of understory shrubs and herbs. Some common understory species include mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata), mountain snowberry (Gaultheria appressa), and alpine currant (Ribes alpinum).

Fauna

The local fauna of the area is also diverse. Some of the most common bird species include ravens (Corvus coronoides), magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), and kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae). Other notable bird species include the endangered regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) and the vulnerable spotted quail-thrush (Cinclosoma punctatum).

Common mammal species include kangaroos (Macropus spp.), wallabies (Wallabia spp.), and echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Other notable mammal species include the endangered mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus) and the vulnerable broad-toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus).

Geology

The area traverses a variety of geological formations. The most common rock types are granite and sandstone. Other rock types include shale and limestone.

The area has been shaped by glacial activity during the Pleistocene epoch (2.58 million to 11,700 years ago). The Munyang River is one of the most notable examples of glacial erosion in the area.

Indigenous history

The traditional custodians of the land are the Ngarigo people. The Ngarigo people have a deep connection to the land, and their culture is rich in stories and traditions about the area.

The Ngarigo people used the area for hunting, fishing, and gathering food and medicinal plants. They also used the area for ceremonial purposes. For example, the summit of White’s River Hut is a sacred site for the Ngarigo people.

White history

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area was used for grazing sheep and cattle. However, grazing was discontinued in the 1950s, and the area was declared a national park in 1977.

Map View

Clickable icons on this world map will open the related trip report

Contents

A detailed, searchable trip list with links to reports, photo galleries and other content