Dead Horse Gap to Cascades Hut
Posted: Tue 07 Jun, 2011 9:33 amOn Sun/Mon 5th - 6th June I headed down to Kosci NP to see what winter walking is all about. After a 5.5 hour drive I left the car at Dead Horse Gap (a few minutes past Thredbo). It was nearly 2pm and the weather was beginning to look a bit ominous with the wind picking up so I set off and began up the Cascaded Trail. The trail is a 4WD management trail that follows the Thredbo River, cosses it & then begins the climb up Bobs Ridge. Track notes courtesy of Wild Walks
http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... e-hut.html
I passed the only people I saw about 30 minutes into the walk & they had just been for a little stroll but decided to turn back. Up on Bob's Ridge the wind was blowing & snow starting to fall so I continued on, wanting to get to the hut before the weather got any worse, or darkness descended. Winding down from Bob's Ridge there was a group of Brumbies in the valley, not much other wildlife about. The hut was a welcome site at about 4.30pm- I quickly dumped my stuff in the hut & then put my tent up directly in front, wary of tree brances in the blowing wind. A light smattering of snow was still falling - looking promising for tomorrow.... it was very handy having the use of Cascades Hut- inside it has a sleeping bench big enough for say 4, a fireplace and table. I decided to camp out but did my cooking (on stove) in the hut & was fun to read the comments in the log book- lots of school groups pass through doing Summit to Sea challenges. Well I wasn't going to be cold this trip (after freezing my butt off in the Western Arthurs last Dec) so I had 2 sleeping bags- my Monbell 30 degree & a SD nitro 30 degree bag, my thermarest neoair + thin closed cell underneath, tent with no mesh, light down jacket, fleece jacket and pants & thermals!!!
Anyway I went to bed with snow falling and when I woke the tent was VERY dark- yep SNOW!!! I opened the tent door & snow had transformed the area into a wonderous winter wonderland
So after packing up- out came the Yowies and I got to stomp thru the snow. Unfortunately it wasn't really deep enough and they kept getting clumped up with snow/dirt under the crampon bits and it was a bit like walking on high heels
(which I am not very good at at the best of times!) So it required constant banging with my walking pole to dislodge it. But it was fun & they were easy to walk in. Finally I decided to take them off and just wear my boots which was fine too. Weather on the Monday was superb & I took heaps longer enjoying the dramatic change and taking lots of photos. This time I saw some deer and a few birds. I followed the same track back to the car which was now covered in snow and then had the long drive home, but thinking of future trips....
Cheers
Lizzy
http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... e-hut.html
I passed the only people I saw about 30 minutes into the walk & they had just been for a little stroll but decided to turn back. Up on Bob's Ridge the wind was blowing & snow starting to fall so I continued on, wanting to get to the hut before the weather got any worse, or darkness descended. Winding down from Bob's Ridge there was a group of Brumbies in the valley, not much other wildlife about. The hut was a welcome site at about 4.30pm- I quickly dumped my stuff in the hut & then put my tent up directly in front, wary of tree brances in the blowing wind. A light smattering of snow was still falling - looking promising for tomorrow.... it was very handy having the use of Cascades Hut- inside it has a sleeping bench big enough for say 4, a fireplace and table. I decided to camp out but did my cooking (on stove) in the hut & was fun to read the comments in the log book- lots of school groups pass through doing Summit to Sea challenges. Well I wasn't going to be cold this trip (after freezing my butt off in the Western Arthurs last Dec) so I had 2 sleeping bags- my Monbell 30 degree & a SD nitro 30 degree bag, my thermarest neoair + thin closed cell underneath, tent with no mesh, light down jacket, fleece jacket and pants & thermals!!!
Anyway I went to bed with snow falling and when I woke the tent was VERY dark- yep SNOW!!! I opened the tent door & snow had transformed the area into a wonderous winter wonderland
So after packing up- out came the Yowies and I got to stomp thru the snow. Unfortunately it wasn't really deep enough and they kept getting clumped up with snow/dirt under the crampon bits and it was a bit like walking on high heels
(which I am not very good at at the best of times!) So it required constant banging with my walking pole to dislodge it. But it was fun & they were easy to walk in. Finally I decided to take them off and just wear my boots which was fine too. Weather on the Monday was superb & I took heaps longer enjoying the dramatic change and taking lots of photos. This time I saw some deer and a few birds. I followed the same track back to the car which was now covered in snow and then had the long drive home, but thinking of future trips....Cheers
Lizzy
- Thredbo River
- snowreportIMG_0001.JPG (54.73 KiB) Viewed 10477 times
