Day 217 Mackays Hut to Grey Mare Hut

NSW Day 75 (217) Tuesday 28th December, 2021 23.9km

4387 / 711.9 km

The tent fly was very wet this morning. It's fairly cool and I head off early. I go past a spot called Crooks Racecourse. It's private land and I didn't find out why the name. 

The trees are affected by fire

After about an hour 2 gentleman come out the trees and walk away in front of me. I find I'm a fairly early starter compared to a lot of people. 

More of the path. Two of the backpackers.

But I normally stop around 9am for my breakfast. I find it's easier to pack up a lot within the tent and then finish off before fingers go numb with cold. Then when it's a little warmer and I've been moving I can sit and enjoy my morning feed. It also helps on warmer days as by the time I stop I've covered anywhere from 7 to 12 kilometres depending on the terrain. 

There are huts on the track but I'm not a fan of huts.  First hut is Mackays Hut then about 9 kilometres further is O'Keeffe's hut. As I pass by a weather Station I start meeting other backpackers but there are a smattering of day packs coming past.  I'm slowly gaining height with the rolling hills. 

The weather station

There are a few mountain bike riders as well and I have a talk to a few. There are also tents set up in different spot and given the public holidays it's understandable. Also I'm having some good weather. 

I pass by Mt Jagungal at 2062m and Stromlo Hill at about 1750m. The track crosses the head of the Tumut River which eventually hits the Murrumbidgee River. There's also the start of the Tooma River. I'm crossing Ridge lines where rivers flow either side east and west.

Mt Jagungul

A couple of kilometres before Grey Mare Hut I start looking for a camp. I just need a flat spot with a little wind protection. 20-25 kilometres per hour winds predicted. With gusts that can cause a problem. The minimum tonight is predicted at 3 degrees. As I'm skirting a mountain called Smith's Lookout I'm at about 1600 metres high and I find a spot and set up.

Tumut River

Have to shift the site a couple of times as the grass is thick in clumps and hides nests of little black ants. It's only after a minute when they climb the sides of the tent you know there nest is under the grass somewhere. I think I had 4 shifts over about 200 metres of track before I found a level spot protected on a couple of sides with no overhanging deadwood. Can be a pain sometimes.