AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

A forum for discussing the Australian Alps Walking Track. This is a 655 km long track from Walhalla (Vic) to Tharwa (ACT)

AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby Lophophaps » Sat 16 Jul, 2016 11:29 am

Information is sought about the AAWT. From Carters Hut the Cowombat Trail skirts the north and west slopes of The Pilot. The AAWT goes down Snow Gum Trail, which is not as useful as it might be for climbing Pilot. The last time I was there I came in from the south, leaving the Cowombat Trail at about 062277, or 1390 metres, east into the saddle then north, over Pilot, coming out on the Cowombat Trail at about 1400 metres. This was reasonably light scrub, brumby tracks, not too hard. I like this route as it's direct with ascent and descent spread over distance, gentler.

Southbound I'm thinking of leaving the Cowombat Trail at about 1400 metres, 088353. This avoids extra distance and a number of minor climbs on the trail. From Pilot the intention is to reverse my earlier route, coming out a kilometre or so south of Marble Creek. Is this route viable?

From Cowombat Flat the plan is to go over Cobberas 2-Moscow-Cleft-Cobberas 1. This should not be too hard - mainly open scrub, possible brumby and tracks. It's messy getting from Cobberas 1 to Stony Creek. Options are descend to The Playgrounds, Native Dog Creek and up to the Cowombat Flat Track-Limestone Road junction. This is simplest but loses height that must be climbed. The next option is to follow the dogleg ridge west, coming out near Stony Creek. The third option is to go back to Moscow Peak and then SE above Bulley Creek to Cowombat Flat Track. I've done them all and cannot recall which of these is best. Comments would be valued.

I read about accommodation on either the Benambra Road or the Omeo Highway, but cannot find this. Such a place may be a spot for a food drop, wash and rest. Could someone please advise me on this point? TIA.
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Re: AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby oyster_07 » Sat 16 Jul, 2016 5:58 pm

I can't give definitive advice as I am pre-walk, but I'm curious as to when you will be on the track. I'll be going northwards in November.
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Re: AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby Mark F » Sat 16 Jul, 2016 10:50 pm

The proposed route over the Pilot is fine. That is approximately the take off point I am planning for my Nov-Dec AAWT trip. The hardness is really determined by your choice of brumby pad. At the southern end why not continue to Forest Hill and the source of the Murray before cutting across to the fire trail.
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Re: AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 18 Jul, 2016 6:32 am

Oyster-07, dates are not certain at this stage. Mark, for some reason I mised this very logical route. I'm tweaking the itinerary, still attempting to sort out details, and will now continue on to Forest Hill, at least the cairn and maybe the summit. That will make the Cowombat Flat day shorter.
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Re: AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby Xplora » Mon 18 Jul, 2016 7:31 am

Lophophaps wrote:I read about accommodation on either the Benambra Road or the Omeo Highway, but cannot find this. Such a place may be a spot for a food drop, wash and rest. Could someone please advise me on this point? TIA.


Glen Wills retreat is on the Omeo Hwy and only a 2km down the hill from the southern entrance to the AAWT. If you stay there you have shared cooking facilities but your own room with a bathroom. Food drops can also be left there if you are staying. You can google it for his website or phone 0351597254. Gordy will even pick you up from the highway if you call him. This is easier when going north as you get signal from Mt. Wills but it is not far to walk down to his place if you are heading south. Rates are better if you do not use his linen. Benambra hotel is also quite good but a little more expensive. Apparently the food there is good as well but we have not tried it. This was from a friend in town.
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Re: AAWT Dead Horse Gap to Bogong

Postby north-north-west » Mon 18 Jul, 2016 1:36 pm

At Cowombat, peel off towards the east on the MacFarlanes Flat FT, then head south up a long open grassy lead a little west of *Mountain Trout Creek. This will get you to a very obvious brumby pad that climbs up through the trees onto the higher country a bit east of Cobberas2's plateau. You then head SW, connecting the open ground. A few boggy bits but mostly pretty good going. Try to keep away from the obvious crags, they're a *&%$#! to climb with a full pack. I sidled a few to the south but it might be easier to keep north of them by heading SW further north.
CowCob2.jpg

(I was going in the opposite direction, but the route is still good.)
Once you're up on the northern plateau, it's easy going except for a minor scramble down from the rocks to the open grassy snowgum section that leads towards the rocks at the Cobberas 2 high point, which is at the southern end.
Moscow is a short sidetrip, best done from approx SE of the summit. You can go up directly from the north, but it's much harder work and again there are some awkwardly placed crags to avoid. After climbing Cobberas 1, continue SW on some very obvious brumby pads until you reach an open rocky lookout just north of where Bulley Creek rises. (I think it's Bulley . . . edit: no it isn't, it's Stony Creek. ) , then peel off on the most obvious pad to join the track on the creek flats. This is very close to where the AAWT leaves the Cowombat FT.
Cob1Cow.jpg

(Green dots are, from right to left, Cobberas 1, where you leave the pad to the Playground, where you rejoin my route, and where you hit the fire trail. This specific loop was just a two dayer from the Playground.)
I can send you the GPX file if required.

*edit: Apparently, despite one map saying so, the creek I'm thinking of isn't Mountain Trout Creek. No matter, it's the first major creekline running north into the flat on the eastern side of the fire trail. You follow the longer, more open lead that is just west of it. I think the images make it clear where you go. Apologies for the stuff up on names.
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