Spring Program 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Spring Program 2019 THE SYDNEY BUSH WALKERS INC – Spring Program 2019 SYDNEY BUSH WALKERS INC P.O. Box 431 Milsons Point NSW WALKS GRADING Day Walk: A day walk means walking all day - the walks usually start at 8:00am and finish by dark. Often we have dinner afterwards. Weekend Walk: A weekend walk may start Friday night and camp at the start or early Saturday morning. On the first day, the party usually gets to camp after 3:00pm and before dark, (hopefully). Happy hour occurs before dinner and is a time when party members share ‘nibbles’. The next day’s walking could start between first light and 9:00am, usually 8:00 to 8:30am. We usually get back to the cars between early afternoon and dark. After dark finishes do happen, however they are usually not planned for. Often a dinner is arranged at a venue on the way home. THE GRADING SYSTEM The Grading System is shown at the bottom of each page and has 4 categories: (D)istance, (F)itness, (A)scent, (T)errain and (E)xposure Distance S < 10km, M 10-19km, L 20-30km, X >30km; Fitness 1-3; Ascent 1-3; Terrain 1-3; Exposure D - Distance: S - Short under 10 km per day M- Medium 10 - 20 km per day L - Long 20 - 30 km per day X - Extra Long more than 30 km per day F - Fitness: 1 Beginners - frequent long rest breaks 2 Intermediate fitness - stand up regroups, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea breaks, stops for views 3 Strenuous, fit walkers only - short regroups, short meal breaks A - Ascent: 1 Flat to undulating 2 Undulating with one or more 200m to 300m climbs 3 Climbs of 300m plus, or one or more large steep climbs T - Terrain: 1 Formed tracks and / or open terrain, no scrub 2 Sections of rough track and / or off track and/or creek crossing and / or rock scrambling 3 Similar to 2 for long periods and / or thick scrub E - Exposure: Mild to high exposure to heights (yes or no) Note that some walks may involve an exploratory component where the leader is exploring a new area or feature. Q - Qualifying: Prospective members note that qualifying walks are indicated on the program with a Q IMPORTANT: All Q walks require a good level of fitness. It is advisable that new members do a number of easier walks with the club prior to applying for a Q rated walk. NPWS Party Limits DEADLINES FOR SUMMER 2019/20 PROGRAM WILDERNESS AREAS: 8 persons Period: Summer 2019/20 (Dec/Jan/Feb) OTHER NATIONAL PARK AREAS: 20 persons Deadline: Monday 4 November Grading System - Distance S < 10km, M 10-19km, L 20-30km, X >30km Fitness 1-3, Ascent 1-3, Terrain 1-3, Exposure 2 THE SYDNEY BUSH WALKERS INC – Spring Program 2019 Legend Colour Codes Abbreviations Day Q Walk NP: National Park Overnight Q Walk SF: State Forest Social Activity NR: Nature Reserve Extended Walk SCA: State Conservation Area Any other Activity * All Map scales are 1:25000 unless otherwise specified. Advance Notice and Extended Walks Sat 14 Sep - Nadgee Nature Reserve - Nadgee Wilderness Walk Maps: Nadgee, Mallacoota Fri 20 Sep The Nadgee Wilderness walk is a beautiful coastal wilderness walk from Merrica River to Mallacoota or vice versa. We will be starting our walk at Mallacoota and finish at Merrica river. Remote beaches and lagoons, migrating whales and dolphin spotting opportunities and abundant wildflowers in spring. Expressions of interest are welcome for this 55km full pack walk over 4 nights/5 days. You will need to drive down on Saturday 14th, start the hike on Sunday 15th and camp for 4 nights finishing the walk on Thursday 19th and then drive home Friday 20th September. You will need your own transport from Sydney. We will leave the cars at Merrica River and get private transport to Mallacoota and start the hike there or possible car shuffle. If you don't like SAND walking then this walk is not for you! Joint walk with the Bush Club Maximum number of group is 8. Camping permits and fees apply. Grade: M212 Sat 14 Sep - Kosciuszko NP - Lodge-Based Ski Touring Maps: Perisher Valley, Kosciuszko Sat 28 Sep Lodge-based ski day trips from Charlotte Pass. The week 14-21 September is full, places still available for 21-28 September. Enjoy the luxury of dry boots, skiing from the door, day trips to places like Lake Cootapatamba, Mt Kosciuszko, Mt Townsend, Mt Lee, Mt Carruthers, Mt Twynam, Watsons Crags, Blue Lake, Club Lake, Mt Stilwell, Twin Valleys, etc, or sharpen up your teles on the lifts. Operation of lifts at Charlotte Pass will be dependent on snow cover.) Experience the outrageously cooperative spring snow and choose the grade to suit yourself. Come for some or all of the week. Cost of full board for one week $621 for non-members of Southern Alps Ski Club (SASC), fully catered. Great value for full board. You can come for less than a full week, cost pro-rata. 50% deposit required to confirm place. Grade: M222, Vary the grade to suit yourself Tue 1 Oct - New Zealand - Te Araroa Trail (New Zealand) Maps: 152 x NZ 1:50,000 Topo Tue 31 Mar The Te Araroa Trail – The Long Pathway - winds the length of New Zealand starting at Cape Reinga which is the northern-most point of the North Island and ending at Bluff which is the southern-most point of the South Island. OK it’s 3,000km. Undoubtedly this will be a once in a life-time experience walking somewhere around 5 months through many different types of terrain. We can expect most things that mother nature may conjure up however what we will have is a very unique experience that most people could only dream about. To put it in perspective – you will most likely go through two to three pairs of footwear and a couple of pairs of socks ! Oh ….. and you will get your feet wet and a bit muddy at times. Final dates yet to be confirmed however anticipate starting early October 2019 and finishing March 2020. Expressions of interest welcome from experienced, compatible and committed multi-day walkers to join for the full end-to-end adventure. More information can be found at https://www.teararoa.org.nz/ Grade: L333E Grading System - Distance S < 10km, M 10-19km, L 20-30km, X >30km Fitness 1-3, Ascent 1-3, Terrain 1-3, Exposure 3 THE SYDNEY BUSH WALKERS INC – Spring Program 2019 Mon 21 Various regional parks - The Great Dividing Trail - Victoria Maps: Lerderderg and Dry Diggings Track Oct - Mon Maps 28 Oct The Great Dividing Trail is a network of tracks that traverse the top of the Great Dividing Range in Central Victoria. We will walk a big chunk of it from Bacchus Marsh to Castlemaine via Daylesford. The trail traverses some wild country including the beautiful Lerderderg Gorge as well as historic landscapes from the gold rush days. Both ends are accessible by train so no need for a car shuffle. Bring your gold pan. Grade: L221, 145 km Sat 9 Nov - Nepal - Annapurna Sanctuary, Khopra Ridge and Poon Hill [TRIP FULL] Maps: Nepal Map Publisher. Sat 30 Nov Annapurna Base Camp 1:50,000, Himalayan Map House, Around Annapurna 1:100,000. Three-week trek to Annapurna Base Camp, Khopra Ridge, Poon Hill. This is an exact repeat of the successful walks to the same area in October/November 2017 and 2018. Want to trek in Nepal but unsure of your tolerance to high altitude? Not keen to face the extreme cold of Everest Base Camp? Want to know before you start that you will be led by a Sherpa guide who is known, trusted, resourceful, highly competent and experienced? Already been to Everest Base Camp and want to get up close and personal to Dhaulagiri (world's 8th highest mountain), Annapurna 1 (10th highest), the sacred Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail Mountain) and many others on a walk considered more spectacular than the Everest trek? This may be the walk for you. This teahouse trek (no camping) will visit Annapurna Sanctuary and Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and the little-visited Khopra ridge. Maximum compulsory altitude is 4130m. Total cost is surprisingly modest. Party limit. [TRIP FULL] Grade: M232, Grade varies day-to-day. M222 is the average Thu 26 Dec Kosciuszko NP - Christmas in the Snowies Maps: Perisher Valley and others - Thu 2 Jan We will stay in the Windarra Lodge at Smiggin Holes for the week and do day walks on the Main Q Range in surrounding areas. Accommodation will be in double or twin rooms with ensuites. Bring your own food and prepare it in the lodge kitchens. To welcome 2020 we will have a party with performances and games on the 31st. Cost is expected to be about $300 per person for the week. The leaders will be our members who know the area. Some walks will be rated Q. Grade: M222-Q Fri 27 Dec - Kosciuszko NP - Lost trails and huts in the Jagungal region Maps: Jagungal, Geehi Dam Tue 31 Dec This walk will be very much exploratory for the leader. It is inspired by Robert Green's book Q "Exploring the Jagungal Wilderness" which catalogues many old routes scarcely visited by bushwalkers in recent years. While there may have been some kind of formed trails here in the past, nowadays we have to expect that most of the walk will be off-track. The basic plan is to begin in the vicinity of Kidman's Hut, ascend the Great Dividing Range from the east, spend two or three days in the area from Cesjack's Hut to the Kerries and Tin Hut, then descend via Constance's Hut.