Illawong Lodge and track
ACTIVITY: Walk to Illawong Lodge
LEADER: Frank Bakker
COORDINATOR: Jamie Bond
GRADE: Moderate
DISTANCE: 10km
DATE: Sat 30th May
DESCRIPTION:
So in the end we did this trip on the Saturday, due to forecast high chance of wet weather. This turned out to be good choice. We achieved full attendance of interested club members with one visitor and cool but clear weather.
Walk starting point was the trail head at Guthega Ski Village with a dedicated car park and signage.
After trying out the new bridge and admiring the old flying fox and remembering how we used to struggle to make the crossing with packs and skis, we followed the well worn foot pad that was quite frozen in the morning. And the steel stairs that I had forgotten about as the last few times I went here it was covered in snow.
Morning tea was taken near the Lodge and then it was off to explore the lodge on invitation from two of the lodge members who were doing a last minute re-stock before the winter.
Then we went out to see what progress had been made on the new walking track towards Charlottes pass. This is part of the planned new iconic walking trail project that will ultimately link Thredbo, Charlottes Pass, Guthega, Perisher and Lake Crackenback. Current schedule indicated a section up to Spencers Creek should be done. It was not initially visible until we reached the turn off near the suspension bridge.
And there it was, a whole new track, short but fully formed, until we reached Spencer‘s Creek. Then it stopped waiting for a bridge to be delivered and built next spring. A couple of us investigated more closely and sighted along the line of pegs on other side of the river showing the bridge alignment and where the next path will head off towards Charlottes Pass.
So we returned by backtracking on same route. A very pleasant lunch break was had at the clearing before returning into the trees with views back up to the Snowy R valley and up to Mt Twynam, and down stream to Guthga Dam and Consett Stephens Pass to the south west.
Another enjoyable day out, it was good to be able to visit our old haunts now that COVID restrictions are easing and prior to winter.