Bimberi Peak, ACT, Australia (east approach)

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2011 January - 1.5 days hike - Climb Bimberi Peak, from the east
                         Start from abandoned Orroral Tracking Station in ACT and camp overnight at Cotter Flats

Alternate route

An alternate shorter 1-day route is from the west - start at Currango Plain (north-eastern tip of Tantangara Reservoir).
I did it twice. Photos and trip reports are in:

•  2018-12:  https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2018/12/bimberi-peak-and-mt-murray-act-australia.html
                    (including climbing Mt Murray)

•  2009-12:  http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/bimberi-act-australia.html


Bimberi Peak

- 1913 meters
- Highest mountain in ACT
- Right on the border of ACT & NSW

This trip with Ricky is part of our effort to climb the highest peak in every State/Territory in Australia ... called the State-8 peaks. Scroll forward to the Appendix section to see a list and links of my climbing trips to these peaks.


Route, distance travelled, hiking time

Day 1:  31 km, 12 hrs 15 min
- Start from the abandoned Orroral Tracking Station.
- Follow Cotter Hut Road.
- Turn west into Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT).
- Cross Cotter River at Cotter Flats.
- Rejoin Cotter Hut Road which soon becomes Yaouk Trail.
- Take south-south-west fork, the Murray Gap Trail.
- At Murrays Gap, bush-bash northward up to the peak.
- Retrace steps back to Cotter Flats.

Day 2:  13.5 km, 4 hrs
- Retrace steps back to Orroral Tracking Station.


Maps

1:25,000 scaled  8626-1N Corin Dam  and  8626-1S Rendezous maps
1:50,000 scaled  Rooftop's "Namadgi - ACT South Activities Map"  2011 edition
1:100,000 scaled  8626 Tantangara


Water Requirement

From Cotter Flats to Bimberi Peak and back is a long trip. On a hot day, you should carry 3 litres of water.


Camping Permit

You need one, but it is free. Get it from Namadgi National Park Visitor Centre at Tharwa, ACT.


To get to the abandoned Orroral Tracking Station

Any decent map of ACT would show you how to get there. From Civic (Canberra city centre) to there is about an hour's drive.


Description

Ricky and I park the car and start walking at 5:50am. Nice and cool then. We first walk on Cotter Hut road. Unfortunately cars are not allowed on it, as otherwise one could have driven all the way to Cotter Flats and saves at least 4 hours of walking.

About 4.5 km (1 hour) on Cotter Hut Road, we turn west into a small foot track which leads to Cotter Flats. The only way you will notice this foot track is a small post with a yellow triangle sign with the words "Australian Alps Walking Track" (AAWT) in small print ... scroll down to see the 1st photo. You must keep an eye out for it, because one blink and you'll miss it. If you miss it, you can continue on Cotter Hut Road. It will also lead to Cotter Flats, but it will be 4 km longer.

This area is truly remote. We do not see a single soul for the 2 days. And as such, many stretches of the AAWT is overgrown with vegetation. At times, it is very hard to pick the trail.

At 9:40am we arrive at Cotter Flats and cross the Cotter River. There is a nice camping spot, a flat grassy area just by the river. We dump our camping gears there and explore around. Nearby is a ranger's hut called Cotter Hut. It has a well manicured lawn ... but don't even think about it ... you are not allowed to camp anywhere near the hut.

At 10:30am, it is time to get going again. The pack is much lighter now without all those camping gears.

From Cotter Hut, one could have bush-bashed one's way westward to Bimberi Peak. We take the longer and easier route, ie walk on the Murray Gap Trail to Murrays Gap which is at the border between ACT and NSW. Then we bush-bash northward to the peak.

A description of Murray Gap and Bimberi Peak is in http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/bimberi-act-australia.html and won't be repeated here.

We reached the peak at 14:20. Spend 30 minutes browsing around, then it is time to retrace steps back to Cotter Flats for the night.

All up, it is a 12-hr day!!! The last time I had such a long walk was ages ago when I climbed ACT's Mt Kelly from Gudgenby homestead on Boboyan Rd. Admittedly, the Kilimanjaro summit day was longer - 15 hrs; but there were plenty of rests and a long lunch. Whereas these ACT hikes have minimal breaks only.

There are lots of kangaroos around Cotter Flats. They are a friendly and curious bunch. They nose around our stuff; even copulated in front of us!!! Ricky claims that when he pees, some kangaroos come over and drink his urine. How gross!!!

I bought a brand new Blackwolf Cocoon Bivy Tent for this trip. 1.1 kg. It is quite good, easy to set up. But condensation is a problem. The weather is fine, so I have the vinyl flap off, leaving the mesh screen in place to ward off insects. But still, by the morning the inside of the tent is all wet. Fortunately I have a good sleeping bag which keeps me warm and dry.

Next day, up at 6am. Put on the backpack at 7am. Cross the Cotter River on bare feet. The water is freezing cold and painful. Reminds me of the Aconcagua trip where I had to do the same. At the time, I swore I would never do any hiking again if it involves crossing freezing rivers ... and here I'm doing it again!!!

We are back at the car by 11am.


Timelines

1st day:

05:50 From abandoned Orroral Tracking Station, start walk on Cotter Hut Raod.
07:00 4.5 km later, arrive at junction of Cotter Hut Road and AAWT.

------ 0 min rest

07:00 Start on AAWT.
09:40 9 km later, arrive at Cotter Flats.

------ 50 min rest

10:30 Leave Cotter Flats.
10:50 1.5 km later, arrive at junction to Murray Gap Trail.
12:25 4.5 km later Arrive at Murrays Gap.

------ 20 min lunch

12:45 Start Bimberi Peak climb.
14:20 2.7 km later, arrive at Bimberi Peak (total of 22.2 km from the car to summit)

------ 30 min rest

15:10 Leave Bimberi Peak.
16:10 Back at Murrays Gap.

------ 10 min rest

16:20 Leave Murrays Gap.
17:45 Back at junction to Murray Gap Trail.
18:05 Back at Cotter Flats and camp by the west side of Cotter River crossing point.

------ Total for the 1st day: 12 hrs 15 min, 31 km

2nd day:

07:10 Leave Cotter Flats.
08:48 Back at Cotter Gap.
09:50 Back at junction of Cotter Hut Road and AAWT.

------- 5 min rest

09:55 Leave junction of Cotter Hut Road and AAWT.
11:05 Arrive at Orroral Tracking Station.

------ Total for the 2nd day: 3 hr 55 min, 13.5 km


Pictures - Day 1: To Murrays Gap

1. Small post by the Cotter Hut Road - The yellow triangle sign points to a small foot track. Written in small print on the triangle is "Australian Alpine Walking Track". Both the foot track and this post are very inconspicuous. One blink and you will miss it.

2. The Australian Alpine Walking Track - This is the better part of the trail. Many stretches are completely covered with vegetation, making it very hard to find the trail.

At Murrays Gap

3. A view of Bimberi Peak from Murrays Gap

4. Me at Murrays Gap. Murrays Gap is large flat swampy area between Bimberi Peak and Mt Murray.

5. At Murray's gap - This sign marks the border between ACT & NSW. There are wild pigs in this area. Avoid them if you can as they can attack you!!! (Just so that there is no misunderstanding, the wild pig is not me, ok!!!)

Bushbash up Bimberi

6. There is no trail from Murrays Gap to Bimberi Peak; need to bush-bash to the summit. Here Ricky takes a rest amongst the scrubs.

7. Love these small yellow flowers covering the slope

8. I saw this wind-beaten tree the last time I was here. And it is still here. A photo of the same tree is somewhere in http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/bimberi-act-australia.html

Bimberi Peak summit

9. Bimberi Peak summit - almost there!!!

10. Made it!!!
(I got Ricky to carry my bulky camera tripod. The last time I carried it was to climb Qld's Walshs Pyramid. It was heavy!!! From now on, he is going to carry it ... that is why one has a climbing partner ... hehe.)

11. Our hiking gears are under the shade of this tree

12. My smelly socks hanging here to dry. I always wear 2 pairs of socks. They got wet when crossing the numerous streams - it has been a wet summer.

13, 14: Grass Triggerplant (Stylidium graminifolium) at the summit

At Cotter Flats for the night

15. Cotter Flats - we camp out around here for the night.

16. Cotter River crossing point at Cotter Flats - We set up tent right here beside the river.

17. Our camp site - it has been a grueling 12-hr day, looking forward to a good rest.

18. A pair of friendly kangaroos inspecting my cocoon bivy tent

19. Caught in the act!!! Kangaroos having sex right in front of me!!!
There are lots of kangaroos around here. They are friendly and curious. They nose around our stuff. Ricky claims that when he pees, some kangaroos come over and drink his urine. How gross!!!

Day 2: Return to the car

20. Early next morning, I cross the Cotter River on bare feet.
The water is freezing cold and painful. Reminds me of the Aconcagua trip where I had to do the same. At the time, I swore I would never do any hiking again if it involves crossing a freezing river ... and here I'm doing it again!!!

21. Ricky and the friendly kangaroos

22. Onopordum acanthium (Scotch or Scottish Thistle, Cotton Thistle).
Native to Europe and Western Asia ...
... from the Iberian Peninsula, east to Kazakhstan, and north to central Scandinavia.
Widely naturalised elsewhere, with especially large populations present in the United States and Australia.
In Australia, it is mostly regarded as a weed.
(Photograph taken near our car at the abandoned Orroral Tracking station.)

23. Kangaroos avoiding the hot summer sun. (Near our car)

360 panoramic view:
A video of 360 panoramic view from the summit of Bimberi is in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUrtGxnDAeo

Appendix - State-8 Peaks

This is part of my mission to climb the highest peak in all 8 Australian States & Territories ... called State-8 Peaks.

- 2010 Oct, Qld - Mt Bartle Frere
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/bartle-frere-queensland-australia.html

- 2011 Jan, ACT - Bimberi Peak - This trip report

- 2011 Feb, Tas - Mt Ossa
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/ossa-tas-australia.html

- 2011 Mar, Vic - Mt Bogong
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/bogong-vic-australia-west-peak.html

- 2011 Apr, NSW - Mt Kosciuszko
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/kosciuszo-muellers-peak-townsend-nsw.html

- 2012 Jul, NT - Mt Zeil
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/zeil-nt-australia.html

- 2012 Aug, WA - Mt Meharry
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/meharry-wa-australia.html

- 2013 May, SA - Mt Woodroffe
    http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/woodroffe-sa-australia.html

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Bimberi Peak, ACT, Australia (west approach)

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2009 December: Climb Bimberi Peak from the west
                            Start from Currango Plain at north-eastern tip of Tantangara Reservoir - NSW, Australia

Other trips to Bimberi Peak

- 9 years later, in 2018-12, I'll climb both Bimberi Peak and Mt Murray as a day-trip. Photos and trip report are in my blog:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2018/12/bimberi-peak-and-mt-murray-act-australia.html

- An alternate and longer route is the east approach - start from abandoned Orroral Tracking Station in ACT and camp out at Cotter Flats. I'll do it about a year later in 2011-01. Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/bimberi-act-australia-east-approach.html


Prolog - List of named peaks in ACT above 1700 meters

I have compiled a list of named peaks in ACT above 1700 meters.  There are 13 of them.  And I have climbed them all ... Yay !

•  01   1913 m   Bimberi Peak - Photos and trip reports are in my blogs:
           - From east: 2011-01  http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/bimberi-act-australia-east-approach.html
           - From west: 2009-12  This trip report
                                2018-12  https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2018/12/bimberi-peak-and-mt-murray-act-australia.html
                                               (including climbing Mt Murray)

•  02   1855 m   Mt Gingera - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/mt-gingera-mt-ginini-act-australia.html

•  03   1845 m   Mt Murray - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2018/12/bimberi-peak-and-mt-murray-act-australia.html

•  04   1829 m   Mt Kelly - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/kelly-burbidge-nsw-australia.html

•  05   1798 m   Mt Scabby - Grid Ref 676 411
          1805 m   Unnamed peak just east of Mt Scabby - Grid Ref 681 410
           Trip report is under construction.

•  06   1791 m   Mt Namadgi - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/mt-namadgi-act-australia.html

•  07   1766 m   Ginger Ale - Grid Ref 601 586  (between Rolling Ground Gap & Blackfellows Gap)
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/little-ginini-ginger-ale-act-australia.html

•  08   1762 m   Mt Ginini - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/mt-gingera-mt-ginini-act-australia.html

•  09   1739 m   Mt Gudgenby - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/mt-gudgenby-act-australia.html

•  10   1738 m   Little Ginini - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/little-ginini-ginger-ale-act-australia.html

•  11   1727 m   Sentry Box Mountain eastern peak - Grid Ref 721 338
          1696 m   Sentry Box Mountain western peak - Grid Ref 714 338
          1673 m   Sentry Box Rock - Grid Ref 713 346
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/sentry-box-act-australia.html

•  12   1724 m   Mt Burbidge - Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/kelly-burbidge-nsw-australia.html

•  13   1711 m   Mt Mavis - Grid Ref 722 493  (just north-east of Mt Namadgi; east of Big Creamy Flats)
Photos and trip report are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/mt-mavis-act-australia.html

Data source:
    - First, from LPI maps from Department of Lands
    - Then from 1:50,000 scaled Rooftop's map called "Namadgi - ACT South Activities Map" 2011 edition
    - Finally, in Google we trust  :-)


Today's climb - Bimberi Peak from the west

Bimberi Peak, 1913 meters, on the border of ACT & NSW, is the highest mountain of ACT. Ever since I came back from Aconcagua early in the year, I had been trying to climb it. But the weather forecast over that area was always cloudy. I often wonder whether the weather bureau ever bothered to update the details over there!

Anyway, today, Dec 6, the weather forecast is sunny, so Matt, Will, Tom, Thea and I are going to climb it.

First, some information on the climb:


Route

From the north-eastern tip of Tantangara Reservoir, to Oldfield Hut, then eastward to Murrays Gap, then bush bash northward to the summit.


Book

Best is to follow the description in Tyrone Thomas' book "120 Walks in NSW".


Maps

If you don't have the book, then the 1:100,000  8626-Tantangara  map is good enough. If you wish, you can arm yourself with even finer detailed:
- 1:50,000  Rooftop's "Namadgi - ACT South Activities Map"  2011 edition
- 1:25,000  8626-1S Rendezous


Hiking distance and time

19.5 km return
Day trip
In his book, Tyrone Thomas said the return trip would take about 8 hours with minimal breaks.


Water

You should carry 2.5 litres of water. But if you are prepared to drink from the creeks, then 1.5 litres is sufficient.


To get there

On the Snowy Mountains Highway, half way between Adaminaby and Kiandra, turn north into the unsealed Tantangara Road. Don't drive too fast, as there are the occasional kangaroos and brumbies who love to cross the road right in front of your car. The road leads to Tantangara Reservoir where it changes its name to Pocket Saddle Road. Keep following it till you reach a locked gate at the crossing of Gurrangorambla Creek in Currango Plain at the north-eastern tip of Tantangara Reservoir.


Description

The locked gate is where we park the car and start walking northward along Pocket Saddle Road. After a bit over a kilometer, we turn eastward into Murray Gap Trail. A further 2 kilometers along the tail, we come to an abandoned cattlemen's hut called Oldfields Hut. This is a good place to take a rest and explore around. The hut is still in good condition. Hikers sometimes spend a night inside or camp on its grounds.

Back on the Murray Gap Trail ... after another 4 kilometers, we reach Murrays Gap and come to a sign post marking the border between NSW and ACT.

Murrays Gap is a saddle point between Mt Bimberi to the north and Mt Murray to the south. Being the saddle point, it is a flat area where water doesn't drain away easily, thus forming a swampy treeless marsh. If it had rained a few days earlier, you would need a good pair of ankle-high waterproof hiking boots to walk through it.

It is quite interesting to stand alone in the middle of this large open swamp. It gives you a creepy eerie feeling of millions eyes watching you, even though no one is there. Just as well I have this creepy feeling, otherwise I would love to piss right there in the open and let half of the water flow down to Corin/Cotter Dams, then down the water pipes of Parliament house to let our politicians have a taste of an ordinary citizen. The other half of the water would flow westward to fertilize our western plains ... the farmers would love it.

Bimberi Peak is just north of Murrays Gap. There is no trail up there. Furthermore, because of the topography and the trees, you couldn't see the summit for a very long while, hence it is heavy duty compass navigation all the way to the peak.

Also due to the absence of a trail, it is scrub-bashing all the way too. It can be fun for people who have never tried it. But otherwise, it is a real inconvenience. It slows the pace down to about 1 km per hour. Thus the 2.5 km from Murrays Gap to the peak takes about 2 hours.

Once you reach the top, you are rewarded by a magnificent 360 degree panoramic scene. You can see Corin dam to the northeast. To the south is Mt Murray and the swamp at Murrays Gap.

We have lunch there. Then explore around a knoll south west of the peak. There we get a clear view of Oldfields Hut. Pocket Saddle Road can be seen winding its way to Tantangara Reservoir.

Then it is time to leave. The return trip is by retracing the steps.


Here are the stats

06:25  Leave car and start walking
07:15  Arrive at Oldfields Hut

15 min rest

07:30  Leave Oldfields Hut
08:55  Arrive at Murrays Gap

20 min rest

09:15  Leave Murrays Gap
11:05  Arrive at Bimberi Peak

1:40 rest, including an excursion to a knoll south west of Bimberi Peak

12:45  Leave Bimberi Peak
14:00  Return back to Murrays Gap

no rest

14:00  Leave Murrays Gap
15:25  Back at Oldfields Hut

35 min rest

16:05  Leave Oldfields Hut
16:50  Return to car

Summary:
Hiking time -  7:35 excluding lunch time exploration
Rest time -  2:50 including the exploration
Total time -  10hr 25min


Pictures - To Oldfields Hut

1: Start of the Murray Gap Trail. It leads east, past Oldfields Hut and then to Murrays Gap.

At Oldfields Hut

2: An abandoned cattlemen's hut called Oldfields Hut. The hut is in good condition and there are some interesting fruit trees around its garden area. Often hikers camp out here for the night.

3: Sombre looking Bimberi Peak (from Oldfields Hut) ... doesn't look inviting!

To Murrays Gap

4: Goodradigbee River which flows into Burrinjuck Dam and thus is a tributary of the Murrumbidgee River

At Murrays Gap

5: At Murrays Gap ... It marks the border between ACT & NSW. It is called Murrays Gap because it is between Bimberi Peak to the north and Mt Murray to the south.
(Left to right: Matt, Thea, Tom, me, Will)

6: Murrays Gap is a large flat open swampy plain. Standing in the middle of it gives you a creepy eerie feeling of millions eyes watching you, even though no one is there. Up to this point, we have been following a well defined track. Now we turn north and start scrub-bashing up hill to Bimberi Peak.

7: Plenty of wild flower growing in Murrays Gap - I think this one is called Grevillea Lanigera, a dwarf Grevillea.

Bushbashing up Bimberi

8: We are scrub-bashing up Bimberi. There is no track. And you can't see the peak ... being obstructed by scrubs/trees. Compass and good navigational skill is required for this part of the climb.

Bimberi Peak summit

9: Bimeri Peak summit ... We are almost there ... You can just make out the summit trig.
(The area is much open now because we are at about 1900 meters, above the tree-line.)

10: Made it!!!

Views from top of Bimberi

11: View from the peak ... The clearing in the middle of the photo is where Oldfields Hut is.

12: Zooming onto the clearing. You should be able to see Oldfields Hut ... to enlarge the photo, click on it.

13: Looking south at Mt Murray. At its foothill is Murrays Gap, the flat swampy area mentioned earlier. In the photo it shows up as long and narrow and in light green colour ... see also photo #14.

14: Zooming onto Murrays Gap.

15: Towards northeast is Corin Dam, the main reservoir for Canberra residents.

Climbing down Bimberi Peak

16: A wind-beaten Snow Gum growing horizontally near the peak ... quite amazing!

360-degree panorama from Bimberi Peak

A video of 360 panoramic view from the summit of Bimberi is in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUrtGxnDAeo

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