Bushwalk Australia

I didn't need to be told twice. When two of the moms in our close knit walking families suggested we should spend Easter in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP), I already had the possible itinerary in my mind before you could spell Kosciuszko. The kids on the other hand, salivated at the chance of bouncing on that Big4 jumping pillow. If given half a chance, they would spend the entire day bouncing on there...


We based ourselves out of the Jindabyne Big4 and decided on a day walk up to Rams Head for our first outing. A quick car shuffle on Friday saw us leaving one car in Thredbo and starting our walk at Dead Horse Gap parking area, heading up the Dead Horse Gap Track. I had hoped to make Rams Head and Rams Head North, but left the latter as an option, depending on how fast we moved. The temp was 1C when we left the cars and we were walking up into a thick cloud with not much visibility. Fortunately it wasn't very windy and we were soon warming up from the climb. We walked through snow gums and black sallee going up the ridge, and the group soon spread out as groups often do. Every once in a while the lead pack would choose a flat-ish spot to wait and the group would get back together over a few drinks and snacks.


Soon the clouds lifted and we were walking under bright blue skies. The trail is well defined and one could probably walk all the way to Eagle's Nest without needing a map. At around the 1960m mark, we left the trail and headed due north. The grassy ground wasn't wet and it was quite easy to move along off the trail as there were no scrub to bash through. At around the 2080m mark, we headed WNW towards the large rock formations, looking for the Ram's Head.


Folks were getting a little hungry and we were approaching lunch time, so we tried our best to ascertain which rock formation was the Ram's Head. We settled on the one that looked most like a Ram's Head and headed there. I believe this is also the picture in the John & Lyn Daly Kozzy guidebook. With the wind really kicking up now, we looked for a sheltered spot to have our cuppa and lunch. From this spot it was obvious that there were higher "peaks" just west of where we were. The highest spot of all, didn't look like any Ram's Head, no matter how much I stared at it. Part of the group decided to have a leisurely lunch at our lunch spot. The other half inhaled our cuppa and sandwiches and pretty much ran up to the "Ram's Head". Checking our GPS readings, we decided that we were standing on the "Ram's Head". From the top we peered back down into the Western Fall Wilderness area and all the way back into Victoria. Looking west, waters would drain via the Murray and end after 2500km, and looking east the waters would drain only 350 odd kms via the Snowy. I thought that was neat and hopefully the kids would remember that live geography lesson. After collecting the rest of the group, we headed to east to get to the Eagle's Nest area.


We aimed for the chair lift machinery that was visible and then made our way down towards the Kozzy Tourist Track. After hours of seeing no one else, it felt a bit odd to happen upon scores of people once again. After a quick break watching downhill mountain bikers come off the chairlift and roar back down, we headed Merritts Nature Track. Most "Nature Tracks" I know are easy and relaxed. Honesty speaking, I don't remember anything of this particular nature track except for the constant pounding on my knees as we headed down one giant step after another. I don't remember any views other than wondering why the buildings at Thredbo didn't seem to get any closer. In retrospect, I would have spent more time up there, perhaps heading for Rams Head North, and then just taking the chairlift down. Perhaps even heading back down Dead Horse Gap Track would have been a preferred option. In any case, after 1000 knee destroying metres of altitude later, we found ourselves walking past the bobsled contraption and back into Thredbo.


As I've mentioned in this post, I have picked up a lot of information from this great forum, and I feel it's time I put something back in. Hopefully other parents with kids in the similar age bracket, who are wondering what's out there, can get something useful out of these posts. The kids, aged between 9 and 14, thoroughly enjoyed this walk as peak bagging always gives them a goal that is more concrete than enjoying the outdoors. Other than the occasional rogaine, my kids have never walked off trail. Walking around with a map and compass was educational and enjoyable. They marveled at being able to wander around the source of a river, the start of Bogong Creek in this instance. Although the adults ended up not being fans of the super steep Merritts Nature Track descent, the kids seem to take it all in stride, trying to beat each other to the bottom. In fact, the only thing bad they had to say all day was not being able to make it back to the jumping pillow in time...

[Pictures from my wife's phone]

Great report on a lovely area. Nice one.

Will have to get the kidlets up there. Thanks for the report

Nice report and photos, a great adventure. Yes you were on The Rams Head (aka Central Rams Head), which doesn't look like a formation at all, just a big hill. I've been up there numerous times and enjoy exploring that area; it doesn't get much traffic and the views are terrific. You likely would have seen Rams Head North on the way to the Kosci walkway/Eagles Nest. It's worth climbing and definitely fits the Rams Head description you were seeking. For a more challenging ascent into the range the old pad (vague in parts) from the Dead Horse Gap saddle is worth a try - with good weather and good nav skills (some mildly scrubby bits). The last two trips I've done that and returned via the Dead Horse Gap Track.

I agree, Merritts is quite steep and probably mis-named. I remember years ago missing the last chairlift down after a fairly tiring day walk exploring the main range, probably 30kms, then had to face the (pleasant but) knee pounding descent. I find it easier going up, albeit strenuous.

Trying to remember - there used to be the remnants of a wooden post and sign right at the summit, and an artistically bent and flattened tall metal snow pole a little way down on the . . . north eastern side, I think it was. I have photos somewhere from my first visit.

At least, I think that was the highest point. There are so many lovely lumps in the Ramsheads. My favourite was always North Ramshead for some reason, although the trig point on what some (though not most) maps call South Ramshead is also a great spot.

Merritts. Shocker, that one. For a quicker descent you can just roll down the grassy slopes under the chairlift - but be careful to avoid the pylons.

north-north-west wrote:Trying to remember - there used to be the remnants of a wooden post and sign right at the summit

Maybe this? This is from 2004 and it was no longer there on more recent visits.

Yes John, that's it. Thank you. First time I was there there was also part of a crosspiece with something illegible 'written' on it, detached and half hidden under some rocks. Gone on subsequent visits.

north-north-west wrote:Yes John, that's it. Thank you. First time I was there there was also part of a crosspiece with something illegible 'written' on it, detached and half hidden under some rocks. Gone on subsequent visits.

Although not visible I'm sure that was there also, lying on the ground/rocks IIRC. Likewise never seen again.