Bushwalk Australia

Hi Folks,

I'm plotting a circuit around the Rams Head range from Dead Horse Gap. I was wondering if there was a path (or footpad of some description) that leads from South Rams Head to Dead Horse Gap.

It is shown on the trail mapping app I have, but wondered if it was true or not.

1. I've walked it numerous times but it's more correctly a route than a track. It's easy enough to follow a pad initially up from Dead Horse Gap but then it comes and goes.
Eventually you will likely lose it all together. You need to be confident with route finding in that area.

2. There are are a few maps around with conflicting information. That 2052 m peak is actually not South Rams Head/Rams Heads South.
It does have a trig on it, is quite impressive, and is sometimes known informally as the "Southerly Rams Head", but is not officially named.

3. The real/official South Rams Head is 1951 m ASL and about 1 km south-ish of there. You can see it easily from the 2052 m peak. It is out of frame on your map.
Coming from Dead Horse Gap I found it easy enough to find a route to it from near and below the unofficial peak, but there is no track.

Also, I've usually been fortunate to have clear weather when visiting the Rams Heads. Navigation will be challenging if visibility is impacted.

Hope that helps.

The NSW Geographic Names Board has the 'South Rams Head' peak some distance south west from that peak and much lower, probably taken as the southern extent of the Rams Head range?

The 'Dead Horse Gap' is signed on the road, but again the NSW Geographic Names Board has the actual gap some distance to the north west of the sign.

I have entered these on the OSM map ..

South Rams Head : https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1143 ... 5/148.2422
Dead Horse Gap : https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1143 ... 9/148.2511

Warin wrote:The NSW Geographic Names Board has the 'South Rams Head' peak some distance south west from that peak and much lower, probably taken as the southern extent of the Rams Head range?

See my post above. I wouldn't send anyone down to where your OSM marker points. Maybe an error in the Geo Names Board info?
Last time I stood on the 1951m South Rams Head at Rams Head South Trig, that OSM marked spot is on rugged terrain leading very steeply downhill towards Leather Barrel Creek.
That whole area was also severely fire damaged from previous fires. See photo below taken from just below the 1951m Rams Head South trig looking roughly in the direction of the OSM marker.
There is definitely no "mountain" or any form of peak below me and the contour lines suggest the OSM marker could be closer to the same elevation as the Thredbo River rather than "rising about 351 m" from it. Based on my own experience I would consider the current online iteration of NSW SIX Maps to correctly show the position of South Rams Head/Rams Head South Trig, as well as the unnamed 2052 m peak to its north, aka The Southerly Rams Head.

Warin wrote:The 'Dead Horse Gap' is signed on the road, but again the NSW Geographic Names Board has the actual gap some distance to the north west of the sign.

I have entered these on the OSM map ..

South Rams Head : https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1143 ... 5/148.2422
Dead Horse Gap : https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1143 ... 9/148.2511

The Dead Horse Gap sign is at the car park on the saddle. Possibly for safety/convenience rather than accuracy?

john:
Leather Barrell hits the road a good bit further west.

Just checked things on GE. This is the last visit I had to the Ramsheads:



It seems to more or less follow the same line. Not a consistent pad, but mostly easy going - open forest, grass and other low vegetation. Probably had to dodge around some boulders higher up.
I think this was the Place-Where-the-Falcons-Fight visit; two peregrine falcons having a barney (or maybe mating, it can be hard to tell with some critters).

north-north-west wrote:john:
Leather Barrell hits the road a good bit further west.

Agreed NNW, we stopped there to use the loo last visit to the area . I was only using it as point of reference from South Rams Head as the terrain around there drops steeply towards much of its meandering length. Its source is below Rams Head (Central). I've walked that particular area a lot over the years, but sadly not the last couple.

north-north-west wrote:It seems to more or less follow the same line. Not a consistent pad, but mostly easy going - open forest, grass and other low vegetation. Probably had to dodge around some boulders higher up.

Yes that's also my experience coming up from DHG. But it's not clear what level of experience the OP has, especially if the weather goes pear shaped.

Use caution if heading North from the SRH trig in heavy cloud. Navigation around the boulders/cliffs is a bit tricky.

Pretty obvious going up. It starts right at the sign. A bit more difficult finding the pad coming down. From memory it started around the 1600-1700m contour below the flattish area where we camped. Nice spot with a small stream. My GPS looks very similar to yours NNW but could have stayed west a bit to avoid one gully.

johnw wrote:

Warin wrote:The NSW Geographic Names Board has the 'South Rams Head' peak some distance south west from that peak and much lower, probably taken as the southern extent of the Rams Head range?

See my post above. I wouldn't send anyone down to where your OSM marker points. Maybe an error in the Geo Names Board info?

As I said .. I think it is probably the southern end of the rams head range ... rather than a significant 'peak'.

johnw wrote:The Dead Horse Gap sign is at the car park on the saddle. Possibly for safety/convenience rather than accuracy?

More for car bound tourists, nothing wrong with that.
Some more looking ..
https://lucris.lub.lu.se/ws/portalfiles ... oof_hi.pdf

These people were looking for bogongs and used a cave on an unnamed peak above Dead Horse Gap near Thredbo (2020 m), a boulder outcrop near South Ramshead. They named the cave? or the peak? 'Ken Green Bogong' ... that could be an interesting find. May be the 2052 m peak...

I think we're overthinking all of this. Just walk up from the Cascades, get above the tree line, and make your own adventure.

It's great country, but the views are the big ticket item, so if you have the luxury of time, head up when the weather is good.

Me, I'd pay for the Thredbo chairlift and save my energy for the peaks, but the walk from the cascades is good, so long as you can find a park.



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crollsurf wrote:I think we're overthinking all of this. Just walk up from the Cascades, get above the tree line, and make your own adventure.

It's great country, but the views are the big ticket item, so if you have the luxury of time, head up when the weather is good.

Fine if you're going up, but down is a different matter. Easy to get offline unless you have a good compass bearing and check it regularly, which is what I would advise in this case.

If you're lost, head north until you hit the Thredbo to Kosi walk. It's metal grating all the way to Rawsons, so you can't miss it

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north-north-west wrote:

crollsurf wrote:I think we're overthinking all of this. Just walk up from the Cascades, get above the tree line, and make your own adventure.

It's great country, but the views are the big ticket item, so if you have the luxury of time, head up when the weather is good.

Fine if you're going up, but down is a different matter. Easy to get offline unless you have a good compass bearing and check it regularly, which is what I would advise in this case.

crollsurf wrote:If you're lost, head north until you hit the Thredbo to Kosi walk. It's metal grating all the way to Rawsons, so you can't miss it

Yes, I think making it up as you go is fine for the experienced regulars on here but we don't know the OP's level of experience.
Other things to consider, if starting from the Cascades car park the official hardened tourist track starts opposite and ends up at the Kosci walkway near the chairlift.
It's often hard to park there anyway. I've found it easier to park at the DHG sign and walk back downhill to pick up the unsigned old pad that heads into the Rams Heads.
The chairlift is a great idea but is getting very expensive, even with seniors discount. I would still do it but only very occasionally.
I have fond memories of hiking up from Thredbo for a very long day and arriving at the top station right on closing time.
Told them we didn't have tickets. They said pay at the bottom. When we got there they just waved us through .

Thanks all,

I managed to find the top of the pad as it has been described and followed down to Dead Horse Gap, though I did need a GPS to find the beginning below the 2052 summit. While intermittent, it is followable to Dead Horse Gap, though intermittent in places. It concluded what was a long, glorious day in the mountains

allgear__noidea wrote:Thanks all,

I managed to find the top of the pad as it has been described and followed down to Dead Horse Gap, though I did need a GPS to find the beginning below the 2052 summit. While intermittent, it is followable to Dead Horse Gap, though intermittent in places. It concluded what was a long, glorious day in the mountains

Well done, yes that's my experience as well. You can often pick a route through there, avoiding the scrubby bits, even if it's not on the documented route.
Once you know that area it's a wonderful place to make up your own walks.
Did you ascend both the 2052m summit, "Southerly Rams Head", as well as the 1951m South Rams Head? The former is arguably the more impressive.