2022 Teddy's Hut and North Ramshead (Kosciuszko National Park)
Summary: 3 day hike from Cascades Car Park to Teddy's Hut and return and then to North Ramshead and return
Date: 23-25 April 2022
Region: Kosciuszko National Park
Introduction
Teddys Hut is 10kms from the Cascades Car Park.
Teddy McGufficke together with Dave and Noel Pendergast started building this hut in late December 1948 for grazing and brumby running. In 2003 Teddys Hut avoided damage in the raging bush fire which led to the destruction of other shelter huts in the Kosciusko National Park. (Khuts.org)
The plan for this trip was to walk to Teddys Hut and camp the night. The next day we would return to Cascades for lunch and then climb the Dead Horse Gap track and then on to North Ramshead where we would camp the second night. The third morning we would walk back down the Dead Horse Gap track to Cascades.
Day 1
The walk started at the Cascade car park. We followed the road to Cascade Hut and before the bridge we turned left and followed the Thredbo River. The track is fairly defined for a few kilometers. You could see where the brumbies had been - huge mounds of droppings right along the river. Just over half way to Teddys Hut the track is not very well defined, I think we were just following brumby tracks. We stopped and had lunch along the river, it very picturesque with a few cascades running through the granite boulders. Along the track there were a few flame robins seemingly checking us out.
After lunch we continued to follow the river, the walking got very hard in places with the ground being very boggy. We subsequently got some advice that we should have left the river at that stage and continued higher. We arrived at the hut in the afternoon and had a good look around the hut and where to fill up with water. Again there were large mounds of brumby droppings all around. We found a nice clear spot on the snow grass to set up the tents a little away from the hut.
After setting up the tents the sun started to set and it started to get a little cold, we started a little fire and sat around for a few more hours before venturing in for a good nights sleep on the nice soft snow grass.
Day 2
There was nice light on the hut at sunrise through the large snow gums, it would have made a nice shot except for the large brumby mound between the gums. We spotted a few brumbies down near the edge of the trees just up from the river.
Following breakfast and packing up our gear we walked out via the same track, again crossing the large boggy area sometimes sinking well up past our boots in mud. After we returned to the Cascade Hut road we spotted 2 deer near the river. Back at Cascades car park I pulled out the little gas burner and heated up a very nice lunch. After a lunch and a very short break we grabbed our packs and headed up Dead Horse Gap track. Near Golf Course Bowl we deviated from the track and headed towards North Ramshead. Up towards North Ramshead there were more signs of brumbies. We set up our tents near Aries Tor.
Day 3
The sunrise on Day 3 at Aries Tor was spectacular. After breakfast and packing up we headed back down to find the Dead Horse Gap track and hike back down to the car at Cascades. On the way down we spotted another deer not far from North Ramshead.
