14 October 2017 Worn Boot Bash to Mt Clear - Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Tired (if not worn) boots

Saturday 14 October: 2017 Worn Boot Bash to Mt Clear – L/E-M. CBC has a tradition of running a WBB each year since 2002. “… at least a 30km walk and ‘a few hills’”. Let’s walk to Mt Clear! Visit places such as Sam Abouds Dunny, walk through Long Flat and see old drop log fencing, climb onto the Clear Range via Top Flats and Teatree Swamp Flat, see an ACT border blaze tree and summit Mt Clear at 1603m. From SH1528, descend off-track via SH1397 and SH1346 to Demandering Hut. Return along the Naas Valley Fire Trail, fording Naas Creek three times. Whew! Around 30km and 1200m climb. A looong day for robust walkers. Maps: Colinton and Bredbo. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877 john@johnevans.id.au . Transport: ∼$20.

Further Information

Last time I was here was 15 Aug 15.

Summary

Distance: 28.0km | Climb: 995m | Time: 7.40am – 4.30pm (8hrs 50mins), including 60 mins of breaks | Grading: L/E-M; H(14)

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.

Waypoint and Track Files

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Track Notes

We left Lanyon Marketplace at 6.45am for the 53km trip to the Naas car park, in along the road to the Mt Clear camping ground. No roos were bashed. Walking by 7.40am.

Rob and Jenny’s truck was there, as they’d gone down the evening before and camped. They got away early and we chased them all day, not meeting up until back at the car park.

The day started cool and cloudy. A little low cloud as we walked up Long Flat gave it an atmospheric feel and the fire trail at morning tea (here named the Carey FT) similarly misty. But the day cleared into a beautiful sunny arvo. A perfect walking day.

The 9 of us was a chatty mob. I hadn’t walked with Gill and M before – they are no slouches.

We spied Potters Chimney as we walked SW along the Long Flat FT then, at the junction with the Burnt Hill FT (not marked on my 2006 digital maps), climbed the zig-zags and along through the pleasant, unburnt forest through SH1269 and SH1247 and down to Sam Aboud’s dunny. You can find the story of Sam and his dunny here. From start to the dunny 5.8km in 1hr 10mins.

Back on the FT and over Long Flat Creek, here just flowing. Up the hill we veered left onto the old Long Flat vehicle track. Lovely views up the flat. Popped over to have a peek at the drop-log sheep break. It has deteriorated. An atmospheric stroll up the flat, then a left turn onto the fire trail (here signposted as Carey FT) which climbs onto the Clear Range. Morning tea where the road meets the ACT-NSW border. From the dunny to morning tea 4.4km in 1hr.

Fortified, we continued to climb via the FT through Top Flats, where there is a new water tank. Took the left FT near Teatree Swamp Flat, then up via The High Forest to Mt Clear. A gleeful bag from Lauren and we all poked about a bit. From morning tea to Mt Clear 5.4km in 1hr 15mins.

Continuing down from the top to just past SH1528, we headed bush. This next leg was Rob’s suggestion, and a very good one it was too. Slower going off-track, but a nice break from the hard FT and a chance for the ankles to bend and twist over the uneven ground. Open woodland with a bit of fallen timber. Down through a nice saddle, up a bit across the 1400+m feature and we found lunch at SH1397. From Mt Clear to lunch 2.9km in 1hr 20mins.

Continuing on down the spur, I scribed a slightly embarrassing loop, got back onto the crest and continued down to SH1346. Here we bend away towards the Naas Valley FT, the drop from 1200 to 1100m a little steep and slidy. We popped out a few tens of metres from the Demandering Hut hitching rail. From lunch to the FT 2.7km in 1hr 25mins.

A visit to Demandering Hut, a short arvo tea break. I had another look under the (new) tankstand for a geocache. Grrr!

All that was left was to walk the Naas Valley FT back to the cars. The fords presented no problem – one is now a culvert and sole deep water in the other two. The return on the FT was 6.3km in 1hr 15mins.

We met up with Rob and Jenny in the car park – they had been back 30mins.

Great trip, fun party. Must do it again some time. Thanks all.