[SUBW-A] TRIP REPORT: Lady Northcotes Canyon

[Thomas Gleeson]

TRIP REPORT: Lady Northcotes Canyon, Kosciuszko NP

Summary: Lots of scrub, lots of rock scrambling - a classic route!

Photos:

http://usydedu.facebook.com/photo.php?id=169416&l=c5f47&id=511134958

This was a tough trip.  It was a solo trip, visiting a classic part of the
western edge of the Main Range.  The route was basically Charlotte Pass to
Mt Townsend via Seamans Hut, then across the Townsend Plateau, climbing Mt
Alice Rawson and the other unnamed peaks, then following the Abbot Ridge
north to a saddle at 1480m, droppping down into Lady Northcotes Canyon,
and then ascending the creek to Lake Albina before returning to Charlotte
Pass.  The whole walk is covered on the 1:25,000 Perisher Valley topo if
you want to look over it.

Walking along the Townsend plateau is quite pleasant until the knoll at
1920m, because from this point it is rock scrambling and scrub bashing all
the way out to the 1838m trig station and a steep descent to the saddle at
1480m.  From here it is a very steep descent down a scrubby scree slope,
choked with thorns, vines and other hindering scrub, to a point on Lady
Northcotes Creek just below the aqueduct intake station.

>From here you pick up the Geehi River Aqueduct Trail (see photos for a view
of this area) which is overgrown with weeds and burrs.  It soon reaches the
burnt out ruins of an old Snowy Mountains Authority hut known as the Opera
House.  The name derives from the fact that this picturesque little hut
cost more to build, per square metre, than that other well known opera
house! The aqeduct trail then swings uphill to cross Strzelecki Creek and
Crags Creek at their junction.  These creeks are dry at this point as the
SMA built aqueduct intake stations up higher on the creeks.  Following the
trail steeply up along Crags Creek leads to the southern portal of the
Siren Song Creek to Crags Creek Tunnel.  The northern portal connects with
a 4WD trail used by the Snowy Hydro people for maintenance.  It is big
enough to drive a vehicle through, and the water level at the southern
portal, receiving flow from intakes on Lady Northcotes Creek, Strzelecki
Creek and Crags Creek, was only mid-calf deep.

I spent rather a fair bit of time searching for the "Goat Track".  This
fabled track was constructed by the Australian Army in 1995, as a walking
route sidling around Watsons Crags at about the 1200m contour level, to
connect the northen and southern portals of the tunnel.  The scrub at the
Crags Creek end is practically impenetrable, choked with weeds and thorns
and vines.  I found no clues as to the southern head of this old trail.

I was therefore forced to return via the upper section of Lady Northcotes
Canyon.  Returning to the intake station, I scambled up the small
waterfall and continued for about 300m to the 30m high upper falls, (the
lower falls are named "Canyon Falls" and are 80m high).  There is a tough
scramble and scrub bash up the true right (eastern) side of the upper
falls, at the junction with Sentinel Creek.  Once atop these falls, there
are numerous cascades to negotiate and about 3km of rock
hopping/scrambling to do until Lake Albina is reached.  In some places the
scrambling is a bit challenging and a small handline is useful for pulling
your pack up after you.

Lake Albina was spectacular as always, though it was now time to ascend to
the tourist trail and make my way back to Charlotte Pass and civilisation.
 Passing the myriad of tourists out for their daywalks on the Main Range
left me with an increased intolerance for their kind, as they trampled
fragile plant communities for the sake of that great Kodak moment.  I was
happy to think though that there are special places like Lady Northcotes
Canyon where these tourists will never go.

Photos:

http://usydedu.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=169416&l=c5f47&id=511134958


Mr G.




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