Budawangs

[bernieq]

Thinking about trying to get back to the Budawangs this Sep (after the previous plan was trashed by the first Vic lockdown). Things have changed quite a bit since then !

I'm thinking of coming in from Wog Wog (given lack of access to Long Gully) and out through Nerriga. I'm looking for some advice, from 1st hand recent experience, of the bush along the Corang (particularly upstream of the Rock Ribs), across Mt Tarn Plateau, Styles Plain & west of Square Top / Foster Mts.

We tend to do a bit of off-track and I'm wondering how thick the re-growth is after all the destruction. I'm thinking of an exploratory trip around the west side of Mts Tarn & Haughton (or west side of Mt Hoddle) - anyone been that way?

[sandym]

Good news, bad news situation.

Good access coming in from Wog Wog. Best it has been in years. Have not been along the Corang since the year after the fires, it was good then but I imagine it is pretty bad now as most other places are pretty bad now. The track that goes up alongside Angel Creek to Tarn Mountain is pretty much gone once you sidle along below the ridge/parallel to Angel Creek. Tarn Plateau was good post fires, but again, have not been there since the year after the fires. Styles is thick with regrowth. Here is a recent report https://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=38916&p=428254&hilit=styles#p428254.

Square Top, Fosters, Round Mountain, Castle Hill all pretty good. The flat plains between Quilties and Hidden Valley are super thick with acacia and finding the old trail can be impossible.

Post a report when you get back.

[bernieq]

Thanks sandym - somehow I missed that thread.

Hard to believe the track from Styles to The Vines is overgrown to the point of 'hard to find' - so open & wide when I've walked it previously.

The plan will be nothing if not flexible - and your last comment should be 'post a report if I go'

[Campfire Jesus]

I was out that way recently, the access onto and off of Tarn itself is a bit overgrown, but not bad and Tarn plateau is pretty open. The west side of Haughton is quite open and pretty easy going, there are a few camp caves and what seemed an ok water source (as of last week). I didn't head down to Styles off Haughton this trip, but have done post fires and I'm sure it only continues to get worse especially if you don't pick up the right trail at the beginning of the descent like I did.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

The west side of Haughton is quite open and pretty easy going, there are a few camp caves and what seemed an ok water source.

Apologies if you actually do mean west, but did you mean east?



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[Campfire Jesus]

All good, I meant West. I did a full loop around Mt Haughton as part of my last trip. Quite enjoyed it actually.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

All good, I meant West. I did a full loop around Mt Haughton as part of my last trip. Quite enjoyed it actually.

Cool, need to check it out. How do the camp caves compare to the main one on the east side?

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[Campfire Jesus]

Some caves are better than others and it depends on whether travelling solo or in a group as which ones may be more suitable. There is a nice big cave just west of the saddle between Tarn and Haughton, really nice and can grab some water from a short way around to the east, one marked on the sketch map is medium and 2 nearby by to each other on the northern end which had a water source nearby.

[bernieq]

Thanks CJ, very useful info.

[bernieq]

Once again I've cancelled a 6-day trip into the Budawangs. 1st cancellation was a covid lockdown. This 2nd cancellation is a result of the wx forecast which included 60+ mm, severe thunderstorms and significant rain every day.

Very disappointed - but we'll be back!

BTW, a BZ (well done) to Carlton Suites Motel in Goulburn. We had 3 rooms booked for the night before the walk and they graciously accepted the cancellation without penalty - we'll be staying there next time for sure.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Once again I've cancelled a 6-day trip into the Budawangs. 1st cancellation was a covid lockdown. This 2nd cancellation is a result of the wx forecast which included 60+ mm, severe thunderstorms and significant rain every day.

Very disappointed - but we'll be back!

BTW, a BZ (well done) to Carlton Suites Motel in Goulburn. We had 3 rooms booked for the night before the walk and they graciously accepted the cancellation without penalty - we'll be staying there next time for sure.

BZ.... ex-military perhaps? Sad to hear you had to pull the pin; out of curiosity, is the cancellation a result of npws park closure (or projected closure) or just discretion on your part? Npws seem more trigger happy than ever in closing parks/tracks in/after inclement weather (perhaps justifiably, so not necessarily a criticism but I find myself altering plans more than ever as a result). The budawangs after heavy rain are certainly slippery/muddy and dangerous if not respected, but spectacular at the same time, and there's something surreal about waiting out a storm in one of the many camp caves

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[ribuck]

...spectacular at the same time, and there's something surreal about waiting out a storm in one of the many camp caves

For sure! And you soon get to learn which camp caves drip from the roof during storms.

[sandym]

Good call to cancel regarding the forecast. We can all survive crap weather with 100 mm + of rain but no-one being completely is honest is going to have a good time walking through thick bush, soaking wet every day. It is one thing to wait out a single day storm and another to walk for a week in continuous heavy rain.

[bernieq]

is the cancellation a result of npws park closure

Nope, entirely due to forecast. I had been watching the maps for the last 10 days (isobars, winds at altitude, geopotential height etc) and it was looking pretty grim.

there's something surreal about waiting out a storm in one of the many camp cave

A passing thunderstorm, sure - great fun. However, a 1700km round trip for 5 or 6 days in an overhang isn't my idea of surreal. I had the 'pleasure' of this experience in 2007. Stepped over Wog Wog Ck on the way in. Next day, as we arrived at Mt Cole caves, it started to hose down. Eased off after 4 days - made it back to Wog Wog Ck (waist deep through Canowie Brook) to find the creek a raging, 50m wide, torrent. Pushed upstream to an old ford and crossed with the aid of a 50m climbing rope. Freezing cold, we made it back to the car and drove off only to be confronted with a flooded crossing !

It is one thing to wait out a single day storm and another to walk for a week in continuous heavy rain.

This

[sandym]

When it rains in the Budawangs, it really rains. We had a similar experience only we had eaten all our food so we went hungry for a day - not all that bad - but every single thing we had was wet and it was pretty miserable.

We are all warriors when sitting dry and comfortable behind the keyboard at home!