Tag: overnight

Mt Baw Baw snow, look don’t touch

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Egged on by the guys at church talking of their snow camps, I was enthused to try a very different hiking experience. Growing up in the Northern Territory snow was something that you only saw on TV and even then it was rare. I had become more acquainted with the white powdery or white wet stuff depending on your experience living in Connecticut, USA, near the ski fields of Vermont. However I’d never pitched a tent in it.

With safety our first concern and given our familiarity with the area we chose the Baw Baw Plateau as our destination and began the wait for some snow to fall. The ski season officially starts in June but it’s never guaranteed, most years August / September turn out to be best.

The logistical nightmare was getting time off work, where there was good snow prior to the weekend with reasonable conditions after. Following three failures to launch the perfect weather pattern that had been eluding us for weeks presented itself.

The plan was set in motion, we would drive to Erica, hire snow shoes at Erica Ski Hire, make our way to the Mt St Gwinear car park (it’s free to park there), walk over Mt St Gwinear, joining the Australian Alps Walking Track and then look to pitch up somewhere near Mt St Phillack.

Snow had been falling two days prior, one of the biggest dumps on record. Claire and I were musing over how much snow there would be. Hopefully a forest of white and enough to pitch the tent on. Careful what you wish for! Barely onto the dirt road and the snow made an appearance. Shy at first, just a dusting here and there, but as we climb the curtains pull back to reveal a thick coating, tree ferns weighed down by the unfamiliar site. I never thought we would need chains but sure enough we did and it was about to get worse and glorious all at the same time.

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Mt Bogong, expect the unexpected

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Mt Beauty as the name describes is a picturesque little town nestled on the edge of the Alpine National Park, Gateway to Falls Creek, one of Victoria premiere ski resorts and Victoria’s tallest mountain peak, Mt Bogong.

Six months early fishing for trout on the pond on a cool crisp morning, daylight struck over the mountain revealing it snowy crown and the majesty of its peaks. I knew at that time I had to climb it. Clear of the city and now on the Hume, what had previously been just the imaginings of a hiker looking for the next adventure was about to become a reality.

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Day 3 Crosscut Saw, visiting the clouds

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We’d had a great walk into Macalister Springs and treated to a brilliant sunset over Mt Howwitt Day 1 Crosscut Saw, is that a toilet?. Our First full day walking took our breath away, such beauty in a remote and rugged land Day 2 Crosscut Saw, views beyond compare  But this was all about to change.

The muffled sound of rain drops splatting the tent is incessant all night, thankfully it hasn’t been accompanied by high winds. I poke my head out and we’ve been sleeping in the cloud, wetter than all those fairy tale pictures of laying in white pillows of fluff radiant in the suns glow.

I can see the droplets saturated into the fly, one false move, even a thought of a brush with it, will open the floodgates for dousing. We’re dry in the tent just the dampness of our breath can be felt. With boots on I pull over a jacket and step outside to examine the damage, but I’m taken back by the situation that confronts me.

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Day 2 Crosscut Saw, views beyond compare

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We’d had a great walk into Macalister Springs and treated to a brilliant sunset over Mt Howitt Day 1 Crosscut Saw, is that a toilet?. But this day was to be even more spectacular.

I wake from a restless sleep with those same feelings of when you are strapped in a roller coaster ratcheting your way to the top knowing there is no turning back from what lies ahead. Relieved the tent is dry there are many more of them with a great number of campers having arrived overnight. There is a line up for the toilet and it not just for the view. We get on with the packing up and woofing down breakfast, we’re ready to head off. What we didn’t know is the rest of the party’s breakfasts are little more substantial and that equates to time. Never mind there is plenty of it, or at least that is what we think.

Finally on our way we cross the saddle and with one of our younger walkers, Lachie, who is training for the army setting the pace, we’re quickly up past the Howitt Plain and into the walk proper. The view is amazing a panorama stretching from Mt Buller to the far reaches of the Alpine National Park. I’m distracted by the majesty of this place and enjoy the early part of the journey, the walk so far is similar to the Mt Feathertop razorback.

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Starting out on the Crosscut Saw

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Day 1 Crosscut Saw, is that a toilet?

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Bidding adieu to the summer hiking season and the expectation that Easter will be cold like previous years, the weather surprises us with a final hurrah to Summer. I’m happy as I’m spending Easter with my parents on the beautiful Sapphire Coast (southern New South Wales) where we have enjoyed great places like Ben Boyd National Park, which I’m still to share with you!

A conundrum emerges in the days prior to leaving however, accept a surprise invite to walk the Crosscut Saw and shorten the holiday with parents or leave plans as they are. I decide the former and get ready for a 26 km, 2 night, 13 peaks of up and down joy just for the fun of it.

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Day 4 – Wilsons Prom, mountains to sea

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Day 1 I wrote about the journey from Telegraph Saddle to Roaring Meg creek, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, a bucket list destination .

Day 2 I wrote about our experiencing the lighthouse and walking to Little Waterloo Bay, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, lighting up history

Day 3 I wrote about the view from Kersop’s peak and our rest day at Refuge Cove, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, Refuge Cove or was that party cove

The final day of the walk had arrived, it was tinged with sadness and relief . Although we had running water and been able stay reasonably clean, you could feel the sand and salt. Add to this a restless night sleep from a sore body and a hot shower and comfy bed was calling to me. We’re heading for our final coastal stop Sealers Cove. I’ve heard and read lot about it, it has a sort of legendary status and I’m curious to experience this place and see if the labels are justified.

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Day 3 – Wilsons Prom, Refuge Cove or was that Party Cove

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Day 1 I wrote about the journey from Telegraph Saddle to Roaring Meg creek, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, a bucket list destination .

Day 2 I wrote about our experiencing the lighthouse and walking to Little Waterloo Bay, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, lighting up history

A sigh of relief washed over us when looking at the map we learned that the high steep mountain we spotted the day before was not on our route and was not in fact Kersops Peak, but Mt Wilson.  In any multi day walk, there is a flat day, either weather, spirits or fatigue knock you about. The walk to refuge cover is short just 6km, we had planned to walk through to Sealers but all the sites were booked. I was thankful for that, as this was shaping up to be my  flat day, my muscles protesting the idea of moving at all.

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Day 2 – Wilsons Prom, lighting up history

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Day 1 I wrote about the journey from Telegraph Saddle to Roaring Meg creek and our experience at the most southerly point of the Australian mainland, you can read about it here, Wilsons Prom, a bucket list destination .

Rising early, I plan a dip in the creek and am pleasantly surprised that there has been no dew overnight and the tent has stayed dried. We have another big day ahead of us and waste no time packing up and getting on our way.

The valley rises steeply on the ocean side as we make our way out from roaring Meg to the lighthouse and then onto our final destination Little Waterloo Bay. In and out of micro climates the weather is unsettled and while not raining there is a lot of cloud and some of it is quite low. The first 2kms is up and down as we escape the lowlands with their moist creek refuges for the higher exposed areas. Gang-gangs can be heard in the trees and soon enough we spot them, their bright red heads a give away in an otherwise green and mottled landscape.

The Gang-gang is part of the cockatoo family and inhabits the cool wet forests and woodlands of south eastern Australia. The male has a red head and crest, while the female has a small fluffy grey crest. It is easily identified by its distinctive call, which sounds alot like a cork being popped out of a bottle. The Gang-gang is the faunal emblem of the Australian Capital Territory.

The cloud comes in low and we find our selves walking in the mist. There is always something fascinating and mystical about walking in the clouds, it is as though flying even though you know you cannot. Shortly after we intersect the telegraph track, completing our detour. The pace pick ups on the wide open road but it’s not long before we dart into the forest once more for the final 3.8km to the lighthouse.

Remnants of the Telegraph in the clouds
Gangang, a native species of Australia

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Day 1 – Wilsons Prom, a bucket list destination

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Popularised by the 2007 movie of the same name the “Bucket List” has come to represent all the things we dream of doing before kicking the bucket (die), Wilsons Prom is definitely one of those experiences.
Lately I’ve been restless about staying in Australia or at least Melbourne and that’s got me thinking about all those bucket list things right on your back door step that you take for granted and wholly expect them to be there forever.
Last year I got to tick off an amazing bucket list experience, The Great Wall of China” which I’ll write about this Winter in my ever-growing backlog of posts. This year I wanted to experience another and it was one that has been sitting in the back of my mind for a year or two, the southern circuit at Wilsons Promontory.

Wilson’s Promontory or the Prom as it is affectionately know is so popular that to stay at the main camping and holiday ground, Tidal River, you need to enter a ballot the summer before the summer that you want to holiday. Equally in demand are camping spots in the Prom’s many walk in locations.

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Day 2 Mt Feathertop, we’re on top of the world

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Day I wrote about our journey to the Bon Accord Spur and overnight camp at the ruins of the Bon Accord Spur Hut, you can read about it here Day 1 Mt Feathertop On the up and up

The morning could not arrive soon enough, there had been a reasonable dew overnight and I had tossed and turned thinking about water. I was excited to drain the tents fly into a cup and use some bush skills to hydrate without touching our reserves.

The water tasted terrible and I though better of it, probably full of chemicals impregnated into the fly to make it hydrophobic. That was a bust leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

With camp packed up we set about the final ridge that would deliver us to the razor back. With no surprise it was another unforgiving incline the vegetation changing from the lowland bush, to alpine snow gums and low brush that had escaped the fires.

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