Ramshead Ramble

After climbing Australia's highest two peaks two days ago, today I spent a few hours walking to the fourth highest, Ramshead, which is one of my favourite patches in the Snowy Mountains. I headed off along the Kosciuszko walkway until the Kosciuszko Lookout, where I left the grid walk and climbed up onto the ridge to the west. There are no walking tracks in the Ramshead area, so you should take a map and compass. It doesn't take long to get up to the high plateau and you will see the rocky peak of North Ramshead in front of you. There are many rocky hills all along the plateau, but North Ramshead is the highest and set back from the ridge that you just climbed (you can't see it from the Kosci walk below). If you want to climb up to the top of North Ramshead, the easiest way seems to be on its south east flank, but you will still have to scale some rocks. I skirted around the northern end of it to make my way across the valley to the ridge that leads up to Ramshead. Just as I came around the northern corner I stumbled upon a mob of three brumbies having a rest. At first they didn't notice me, but once I started using the camera they got up and looked at me. I was surprised that they didn't take off straight away. As a matter of fact, they didn't move until I walked way past them, when they took off down towards the creek.

Having a rest

Better show the best side for the photographer

For all of you who are not familiar with Australian terminology, brumbies are wild horses. They are not native to Australia, but descended from horses that were set loose for one reason or another. One guy that set some horses free was Sergeant James Brumby, when he moved from Hunter's Hill to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in 1797, and that's where the name comes from. There are many legends and stories about brumbies in the Snowy Mountains and it is good to see some in the wild. I also saw evidence that they don't just live up in the mountains, but also die up here, on my walk up the top via Dead Horse Gap last week (making the name very apt).

Near Dead Horse Gap

Once I was past the brumbies I headed up the broad ridge of Ramshead, which takes you first to "Central Ramshead" from which you have a great view across the valley and the headwaters of the creek that ends up in the Thredbo water supply. If you look the other direction you can see Ramshead just under a kilometre away to the south-west.

The view from Central Ramshead towards Thredbo

The view to Ramshead 

I walked straight towards Ramshead and then scrambled up the rocks to the top. As I found out on my way down from the top, there is an easier way: Skirt around Ramshead to the left (eastern side) and you will find a gully with snow grass leading all the way to the top. The views from Ramshead are very good, so it is definitely worth climbing up to the summit.

The view west, down Leatherbarrel Creek

The view north with Lake Cootapatamba, Mt Kosciuszko and
Mt Townsend (right to left)

The view south towards South Ramshead (and the Cascades
on the left)

Alpine Sunrays on the way down

The gully down from the top was all snow grass and flowers

I backtracked my way to North Ramshead, but instead of heading back down to the grid walkway I stayed up on the ridge and headed towards the top of Karel's T-Bar. Along the way you will have to cross the creek, and I fount that it was easiest higher up. Further down the valley it got very rocky. The area between North Ramshead and the top of Karel's is full of inspiring rock formations, representing all sorts of creatures (well, to me anyway).

I went around North Ramshead to the right and stayed on the ridge.

Father and Son

Tortoise

Man wearing beret

Big Frog

Most of the walk can be done on snow grass. There are a few wet areas to cross, and here you just need to take care to use rocks or snow grass pads, rather than trampling the bog, which is very fragile. I found it quite easy going and the whole tour only took me about 3 1/2 hours.

Tread lightly through the wet areas

Top of Karel's T-Bar. It may look like a heritage museum, but
it is actually still in use.