Ridge South of Gable End & The Sentinels

[ryantmalone]

The majority of my walking around the Wonangatta area has been around Mt Howitt, and I'm considering this summer doing some more walking around the Mt Wellington/Tali Karng area.

Looking on Google Maps, I did spot a very rugged looking ridge heading south of The Sentinels and Gable End, and without maps here of the area, I'm wondering if anyone can enlighten me on this area a little. Are there tracks along the ridge, or a route. What is water availability along this ridge like? Does anyone have any pics to share?

[dplanet]

According to SV Map 1:50k, edition 2010, it is The Razorback Ridge in Avon Wilderness Park and it is unmaintained and according to Vicmap powered by memory-map Topo 1:25k, edition 2010, it is Razorback Walking Track and it looks very straight forward.

I am unsure about the water. By looking at the 1:25 000 map, there is Dolodrook River running in the west and near the junction of Razor Walking Track and Mt Hump Track is a possible place. Still checking out. It is in my interest too.

[stry]

I haven't been in the Avon Wilderness Area for quite few years, but I do have a strong memory of how dry the area seemed, compared to surrounding areas. Almost as if it was in a rain shadow.

That's pretty vague information, but it would be enough to make me conservative about possible water supplies if I was planning a route there.

[ryantmalone]

Yeah, looks like it would be a very dry area. I did hear of a southerly ridge top approach to Gable End that had a very good soak about half way. I'd be considering a camp on the ridge if possible, however without water, may be a day trip from Wellington Plains.

May have to grab a map and check it out. Would very much be interested in checking out some pics of the area, looks very rugged.

[dplanet]

Rooftop's Dargo - Wonnangatta Adventure Map is also worth a buy. It shows the walking tracks, the driving and camping areas. Water may be available near Wombat Plain, south-east of Gable End.

[andrewa]

I haven't got a map with me, so I'm not sure whether this is the spur you are talking about, but many years ago, when I was at our school camp at Licola, we quite regularly walked fom Tali Karng up onto the Gable End. I have some recollection of a longer spur heading way south into the Avon area. From Tali Karng up had lots of crags etc, but as school kids we didn't have any issues. it was a day from TK to ? Millers Hut. I don't recall water. As to the longer spur from the Avon , I've not done it. The gnarly bit was at the Gable End, and I recall some sort of route there, but that was in the 70s, and we now have GPS, and another 35 yrs passed!

Andrew A

[Bodysurfer]

I recall looking at that ridge years ago from Gable End and thinking that it looked long and dry as a bone.

[ryantmalone]

After a bit of searching, and the info from Dplanet, looks like it is the Razorback, with the major crag at the southern end possibly being Mt Hump.

From what I've read, there is talk of a soak between Mt Hump and Gable End, however I'm not sure of exactly how reliable it would be, or if it even exists any more. The only mention of it that I have found was the mid 1900's, so it'd be very hit and miss. I'd guess that I'd have to carry a LOT of water as a safety measure if anything.

I'll have to email a few people, and grab some maps and check it out. Last time I was in the area, I was very young, and have little memory of the place, but been meaning to plan a return visit for some time now.

[BillV]

It's a walk I'm looking to do again myself.......Like you it's been many years since I've done the Razorback..........I'd be taking water and a freestanding tent......Last year I hiked the next ridge across with the Razor quite often in good view......From what I could see it was reasonably clear of growth though quite rocky so it could possibly be slow going..........I think there is a spring at the south end near mt Hump but I wouldn't rely on it........Some of the tracks that are clearly marked on the VicMaps as going East West from The Dolodrook/Mt Margret Tracks To Mt Hump are nonexistant, Unless they have been repaired post 2013 fires.......

[wildlight]

I have done this walk.

There was, in a dry-ish year (autumn) water to be found east of the summit of Mt Hump. It was 300 meters of altitude down from the summit- so this poses an interesting question. Is it just easier to carry some extra water and save the "fetch" procedures? Especially as there isn't much "up hilling" after collecting water near Millers.

Mt Hump Creek has some spectacular waterfalls, without a map in front of me, I can say this: From Mt Hump, head East to the creek, and then walk upstream, it was in the vicinity of about a kilometre, that falls appeared. They resembled Horseshoe Falls a little, (Tassie). Broad Falls, a sheer drop then cascades. Very nice.

As you descend from Gable End to the Razorback, it overgrown but navigable. The vegetation was thick but not higher than a meter (excluding the "trees")- you weren't pushing through a jungle or anything like that.

East of Mt Hump, is a really nice vantage point from which to photograph looking North. Great views. The Razorback Ridge to the South of Hump is scrubbier, and dropping down off Purgatory Spur wasn't fun. Nav was tricky- hard to pick the spur at the top end, and things got very scrubby further down. The area around Golden Point was one of the snakiest places I've been to.

Mt Hump is a really nice place- yes I do recommend a free standing tent- however a pegger will be made to work also, as there were lots of rocks around. I carried 8 litres of water from just near Millers Hut (on first trip to Hump)- it lasted me until the Dolodrook the next day. The waterfall excursion was a separate trip- went searching for water (as reported earlier in this post) and just kept going to Mt Hump Ck and the waterfall. Kept going because progress was so easy.

This is a cracker of a walk- definitely one I would want to do again, although with a car shuffle, to avoid the "loop back" track bash- say come out near Licola or the Mt Margaret Track somewhere on the Licola Rd. Like I say- it's all from memory, not maps. The trip went down as "one of those really really awesome walks".

Best of luck with it.

Safe steps

wildlight

An Add/Edit

The Western face of Mt Hump, in one spot was a "climb" not a "walk". It did involve holding on with both hands, and pushing up with feet- when coming up that way on a different trip- and a fall would not be disastrous- just a couple of meters. A bit like the clumps of rock on the North face of Mt McDonald.

[dplanet]

Below is a map of the area, in which water can be found. It is Vicmap, memory-map Topo 1:25 000, edition 2010.

[north-north-west]

The tracks are unmaintained but still mostly visible through the regrowth - just pads, but followable. Camping on Hump is good except for having to get water from so far away.
That western face is steep, though, and it's a right scrub-bash to the 4WD track.
You can also continue south to the old vehicle track that comes up from the river, but that's also unmaintained and getting rather overgrown in places, plus flood damage has completely wiped it out along the river itself. West of the river it's better, and eventually leads onto an open 4WD track that gets you back to the Mt Margaret Track. I used both the Rooftop map and the Vicmap Licola 1:25,000. As a through walk you want to allow two long hard days or three shorter and easier. Or an overnighter there and back from Gable End (provided you have a 4wd).

A lovely wild area, and worth the effort it takes to get in.

[ryantmalone]

Some really good info there! Thanks for sharing!

Looks like an interesting walk, would definitely love to see some pics if anyone has any!

[Borbs]

There is no track of any kind past the trig point at the Gables. I abandoned the bush bash after 500m due to time restrictions (did enough bush bashing coming up then down the Mt Margaret track )

[north-north-west]

There is no track of any kind past the trig point at the Gables. I abandoned the bush bash after 500m due to time restrictions (did enough bush bashing coming up then down the Mt Margaret track )

Last autumn there was still a followable pad from the trig along and then down the drop-off and southwards. Faint in places, but no fainter than it was the first time I went up there almost 10 years ago. I really can't believe that it's disappeared within less than a year.

[Borbs]

I've gone up and down many a spur off track, bushwalking and rogaining to know that there are faint but follow-able pads everywhere in the bush. If you're looking for a pad going down a defined spur, I can guarantee that you will find one. But, as of a few weeks ago, there is no 'track' anywhere in the boulder strewn vicinity of the trig (apart from the 4WD track leading to it).

[dplanet]

I've gone up and down many a spur off track, bushwalking and rogaining to know that there are faint but follow-able pads everywhere in the bush. If you're looking for a pad going down a defined spur, I can guarantee that you will find one. But, as of a few weeks ago, there is no 'track' anywhere in the boulder strewn vicinity of the trig (apart from the 4WD track leading to it).

Check out these two files below, which show the options how to get to The "unmaintained" Razorback.

[Borbs]

After not finding a track, I consulted Mr GPS. Here is the log before I switched it off and decided to descend following features and compass.

[Travis22]

The track is there we were there the week before Xmas.

We accessed it by staying left at the junction as seen on Dplanets top maps above. We also visited the Gable end trig afterwards, by backtracking to the track junction then taking the vehicle track to the trig.

All of the tracks, vehicle and walking we're pretty much spot on as per my Garmin etrex 30 and topo map iirc.

Travis.

[Borbs]

Sure, the track from the junction to the trig point is there - it's a well worn 4WD track. The route heading SE from the junction is also a grassy 4WD track as clear as day as per the maps. The question is, was there a track descending from the trig point as described by north-north-west? How far did you descend? Can you upload your GPS log of your route?

[north-north-west]

You don't descend directly from the trig point, you cut across more or less on top of the cliffs, until the pad cuts over them and then starts to descend a few hundred metres from the trig.
I don't bother with the track shown that runs across the creek from the end of the vehicle track - that route is overgrown now. On the first of dplanet's maps, where the 1500m contour cuts the vertical grid line, is roughly where the pad starts to drop, heading across & down via shelving to where the track is depicted. It was still quite obvious on my last visit. And I followed it right along to Hump. Patchy, but followable.

[Borbs]

Thanks north-north-west, that makes sense. I descended 400-500m toward the drop-off before abandoning - had I continued I probably would have picked it up. So form all accounts the pad starts on the spur proper. Cheers mate.

[damoprz]

Has anyone been out to Mt Hump lately? I was planning on doing a 3 day walk with a car shuffle:
1) Mt Margaret -> Mt Hump
2) Mt Hump -> Nyimba camp, maybe try to find the Falls mentioned above in the morning.
3) Nyimba camp to Wellington river bridge.

Just wondering how much room there is to camp on The Razorback near Mt Hump.