Pretty Plain Walk

[zac150]

Hi,

I am planning a trip into Pretty Plain Hut in a month or so.

Last time I walked in was pre the 2003 fires; I was hoping to hear from someone who has walked in since the hut rebuild? In particular I was wondering what condition the footpad down the valley is in.

I would also be interested in hearing any other options for walking into or from the hut other than Pretty Plain, I understand people have followed the Dargals Firetrail and then traversed down to Pretty Plain creek / Bulls Head before joining the footpad into the hut.

I know a track was built into the hut as part of the rebuild but this joins the fire trails further south and would add significant km to the days walk to get back to Wheelers.

[Tony]

Hi Zac,

I have been in the area a few times recently and I will be there again very soon.

The foot pad is still there and easily followed from the Hell Hole Fire Trail.

There are a few ways to get in to Pretty Plain Hut, one is via Snakey Plain, this way has a big hill but is shorter and is quicker than the trail from Tooma Dam, once at Wheelers Hut it is possible to go cross country direct to the Dargels Fire Trail, one warning if you decide to walk along Dargels Fire trail then along Strumbo Fire Trail, There is no water along the Dargels Range or Strumbo Fire Trail,Strumbo Fire Trail from Dargels Fire Trail to the head waters of Bulls head Creek was easy going, I have not done from Strumbo Fire Trail to Pretty Plain Hut but it should be easy walking, when they rebuilt Pretty Plain Hut they put a road in via the head waters of Pretty Plain Creek, I am not sure if it would still be there.

Other ways to walk in would be from Round Mountain Fire Trail, then via Hell Hole Creek Fire Trail, another way would be Round Mountain Fire Trail, Grey Mare Fire Trail to Grey Mare Hut then cross country to Strumbo Fire Trail then down to Bulls Head Creek but warning, I did this in the other direction 6 years ago and the section on Strumbo Fire Trail from above Bulls Head Creek to near Bulls Head rock was very over grown and had some tough sections even then and I have read since that is much harder going now.

I hope this helps.

Tony

[zac150]

Tony

Thanks for the reply.

The road that was built does come off the Strumbo FT, but from memory not at Bulls Head Creek, I think it is one ridge over. I remember walking in along the old footpad from the Strumbo when working on the hut rebuild, the track in there was in good condition so it is good to know that the track north of the hut is also easily followed.

My thoughts are to cut cross country from just south of Bulls head to the Dargals fire trail. I am hoping someone else may have tried this.

[bumblefoot]

Is there a particular reason you want to go to Pretty Plain? There are much nicer "prettier" areas around. PP used to be very nice before the fires, now it is full of ankle wrenching tussock, reminiscent of Tassie button grass plains. I was last there in 2009 (won't be going back in a hurry!) and headed south from the hut site (not rebuilt at that time) and the Strumbo FT heading out towards Grey Mare Hut was very overgrown south of the hut - also getting up to the ridge where the FT is, was pretty crappy. Like I said, much nicer places to spend your time.......

[WarrenH]

... if you decide to walk along Dargels Fire trail then along Strumbo Fire Trail, There is no water along the Dargels Range or Strumbo Fire Trail,Strumbo Fire Trail from Dargels Fire Trail to the head waters of Bulls head Creek was easy going ...

Tony and Zac G'day.

I'm not sure if this is a benefit to you Zac? If it is one of the possible options, then it could be.

Last week an acquaintance went over the Broadway Tops/Dargal Range along the Dargals Fire Tail and then down Everards Flat Fire Trail into Khancoban, from Jagungal.

These are his words ...... the track up the Dargals - the firetrail really doesn't exist anymore - its now overgrown and covered in fallen timber (this will probably be the last time we'll go that way if they don't maintain it and the Everhards Flat Trail).

Today, I asked him for the exact route that he took, because he didn't mention it. It could have been by Hell Hole or Strumbo over Toolong. When he gets back to me if it is useful info, I'll post it here.

Warren.

[zac150]

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses, Bumblefoot, having worked on the hut rebuild I wanted to walk back in, pretty plain is a stunning hut and I have always enjoyed the walk in prior to and post (on the rebuild) the fires. I found the walk from the Strumbo into the hut quite easy.

WarrenH, Thanks for the info good to know.

Our plan is to walk to pretty plain & wheelers from Tooma, I guess I was trying to make it a loop walk as much as possible to limit backtracking. I think we have now decided to walk out via the Snakey plain fire trail.

[WarrenH]

Zac, G'day again. More info concerning the Broadway Tops section of the Dargals Range Fire trail, to quote my friend again.

Once you turn off the Hell Hole Creek trail you are immediately into the Dargals climb which is about 400m vertical over about 3km (almost twice as steep as the road climb up Black Mountain). There is no discernible trail anymore, you just follow the patches without trees (although there's a fair amount of fallen timber as well because its a pretty exposed ridgeline).

The photos that I saw from the trip, showed the route where the track was, now grassy, rather than clogged with an overgrown understory of shrubs.

Have a good trip.

Warren.

[forest]

Gees my memory is scratchy today.

This was the section above the head of pretty plain creek (Could have the name wrong, I mean the creek pretty plain huts on)
Sorry I don't have a map on me but we walked up from Greymare hut, along the range and dropped down into the head of pretty plain creek (Hazy memory but that was I think on the Strumbo Track ??), followed the creek down to Pretty Plain hut.
I cannot remember the trail names, most was open walking but the last drop section from the range down to the creek head was very overgrown. This was in Dec 2010 so I'm guessing it's worse now......
Probably 90% of the walk was good, Only this one section that was thick.

Pretty plain hut is quite nice I thought. Well done on the rebuild.

[north-north-west]

Is there a particular reason you want to go to Pretty Plain? There are much nicer "prettier" areas around. PP used to be very nice before the fires, now it is full of ankle wrenching tussock, reminiscent of Tassie button grass plains. I was last there in 2009 (won't be going back in a hurry!) and headed south from the hut site (not rebuilt at that time) and the Strumbo FT heading out towards Grey Mare Hut was very overgrown south of the hut - also getting up to the ridge where the FT is, was pretty crappy. Like I said, much nicer places to spend your time.......

Good. I'm not the only person who doesn't like the place.