8 May 2010 Mt Gudgenby

Map: Yaouk 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised and led by Quentin M and Jenny H as a CBC walk:

Saturday 8 May: Mt Gudgenby – M/R. A club classic. Great walk, great views from the top. Co-led by Jenny H and Quentin M. Bookings to Quentin. Map: Yaouk 1:25 000, Leader: Quentin M. Transport: $48 per car.

12 of us met at Kambah at 8am and drove in 3 cars to the Yankee Hat car park. Around 1hr for the journey.

Further Information

Long time since I've been here, last time was 2 Oct 06 on an overnight trip from the N and 12 Nov 05 as a day trip.

Photographs

Access all primary pics here. All thumbnails in the walk report are active - click for a larger picture.

Walk

Track overview Mt Gudgenby Track a Mt Gudgenby Track b Mt Gudgenby

We shook ourselves out and headed S along the Old Boboyen Road. Right past Frank and Jacks Hut and the nearby dip. Ever closer views to Mt Gudgenby, our objective, as we made our way towards the top of Bogong Creek before it bends away up to Mt Kelly. We found the tape at the top of the open area which marks the start of the footpad to the Gudgenby saddle (this footpad is documented on the Namadgi Footpads page). An excellent run up the taped pad, led by Quentin. Didn't lose it once - Jenny had the word for the place were we'd come unstuck previously - "head hard left up the hill" (this at around UTM 55H 673878-6038750 (GDA94)). We reached the Gudgenby cairn at the E end of the saddle in 2hr 12mins, having covered 7.8km. Morning tea was welcome, a little way further onto the saddle.

Mt Gudgenby from the Old Boboyan Road Mt Gudgenby from the Old Boboyan Road Dip near Frank and Jacks Hut 1 Mt Gudgenby from near the top of Bogong Creek Mt Gudgenby from the 1230m contour the footpad to Gudgenby saddle

Jenny took over the lead and we headed directly up to Mt Gudgenby. Lovely open forest at first, then a little wattle regrowth, then more intense scrub and finally out at the bottom of the granite slabs. We puffed up these using various styles and routes. At one stage I did a fairly idiotic thing - 'spidering' up a slab, I got directly above Rachel and lost my purchase as the rock trended vertical. I slid down towards her, eventually halting a metre away. I was getting anxious as her eyes were (rightly) getting larger. I meekly shimmied across to the vegetation line and behaved for the rest of the ascent (and the descent, too). Magnificent views opened up.

2 Climbing the granite slabs towards Mt Gudgenby View down to Bogong Creek valley

We climbed the final chimney up a dubious strength dead tree and reached the top at 1.10pm. The 1.5km ascent of 430m took 1hr 40mins. Stupendous 360° views. Lunch was taken. You could "feel the serenity".

Gudgenby rockpile 3 Mt Gudgenby trig Lunch on Mt Gudgenby

At 1.50pm it was time to leave, the vegetation and mini-cliffs forcing our track a little round towards the S this time. We reached the saddle around 3.30pm and took a break for arvo tea.

Descending the vegetated side of the Gudgenby granite slabs Gudgenby granite slabs Descending the Gudgenby granite slabs

All that remained was to tromp back down the pink, blue (a couple of yellows) taped and cairned footpad. Then via the old forestry track to the Old Boboyan Road and so back to the cars.

I'm sure I had a doze on the way home - lovely to be driven.

Thanks heaps to Quentin M and Jenny H who got us there and back, and to Andrew P, Brendan K, Dan R, Eric G, Gavin F, Ian T, Linda S, Rachael D and Ralph Y.

Distance: 18.2km Climb: 750m. Time: 9am - 5.30pm (8.5hrs), with 1hr of stops.
Grading: L/R; H(13)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Mt Gudgenby

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This page last updated 16Aug22