Buller to Mt Howitt

[Isaac]

Hi! I'm planning a hike from Mt buller To Stirling and finally to Mt Howitt. Since I'm fairly new to multi day hikes, have some questions to ask:

1. Is it safe to do this without tents (I.e. Sleeping in the huts)
2. How to get potable water?
3. Is there any trek from Stirling to Mt Howitt?? I haven't heard of any...

Hope u guys can help

[Lophophaps]

Isaac, welcome to the forum.

There are no huts on this route that can be relied on. You may be fortunate to find a hut unoccupied, but Stirling is popular. Take tent, always. What if you don't reach or cannot find the hut in pouring rain? Mac Springs is also popular. In any case, Mac Springs has one of the best campsites, above the hut, looking out over The Viking, Razor, XCut saw, Cobbler - you miss this from the hut.

Buller to Stirling and Howitt is not a good beginner's walk. There's a significant drop to Wooleybutt Saddle and corresponding upness to Stirling. Viable, just down and up. From Stirling the logical way to Howitt is Stanleys Name Spur, also upness.

The problem is that water is hard to find on the ridge. There are soaks. There's one I can recall just past The Monument on the left (NE) side. Another is on the left at the last saddle prior to climbing the bluffs to The Crosscut Saw. The next water is at Mac Springs.

There are many ways to aproach Howitt, limited only by your imagination, fitness, experience and sanity. Can you give an idea of the starting time and propsoed campsites?

This thread would be better placed in Victoria. No matter.

[Isaac]

Wow, thanks for the help!
I've had quite a lot of hiking experiences (jus not overnight ones). So maybe from Mt Buller to Razorback hut would be a more possible trip?
My plan is: from mirimbah to Howqua and stay the night there
Howqua to cricket pitch hut and stay the night there
Cricket pitch hut to razorback and stay the night

The idea is to stay on the trekking paths (e.g. Delatite river trail, Howqua gap track etc. ) and join these paths together.

Also, what do u mean by placing this threadin Victoria? I'm kinda dumb about these stuff haha

[Lophophaps]

That sounds more viable. Until you know your limits of fitness, stamina and gear on overnight walks, some caution is necessary. In my viw it's better to do an easier walk and finish early in a refreshed state than to attempt a harder walk and have unpleasant long days.

I'm not clear about "Mirambah to Howqua". Do you mean Howqua Gap? If so this can work. Take the packs to Howqua gap and drive back to the junction, then walk to Howqua Gap, about six kilometres. You may get a lift. There's still a steep climb to Stirling of about 350 metres, and starting at Howqua Gap you can take your time. The summit ring of snow poles was put in after two people died, and can be followed to the CEGs hut. The two people who died - students from memory - thought that they could follow a creek to safety. Instead they got stuck in scrub. At Stirling, if you are not sure what to do in bad weather, go up until you hit the ring of snow poles or the summit. From there you can go to safety via a spur.

You should plan escape routes, what you will do if matters get crook. Leave written plans with a contact and a cut-off time. If not home or in touch by a certain time you are overdue and require assistance; I do not anticipate this on Stirling. I would not rely on it but suspect that there may be mobile phone coverage higher on Stirling. Taking two phones with two different telecos increases the chances of reception.

If you zoom up the spur you can do a side-trip to the Clear Hills. It's not far to Razorback Hut, which being close to the road could have more people. My most recent map is 1986, which does not have the new details. I don't really need the details for me but they would help me understand what you are describing. The oldest map I have is 1975. It's changed quite a lot since then, notably the snow cover.

You must repeat must have a tent.

I'm not at all sure that dumb is the right word. Go to the top and select board index. Then go down and find forum areas about Tassie, Victoria, NSW, etc. This thread should be in in Victoria, but not a problem. In Victoria you can search for Stirling and find other posts, get some more ideas.

[Isaac]

Actually, I'm just a student so I can't drive . However, I would like to know more about clear hills, is it a mountain? A road? I went onto google but only found out about the clear hills track, also, do u know where I can get. Map of clear hills?

Lastly, is it ok to trek on paths, that, shown on maps, are meant to be for 4wd cars (e.g. Monument track or circuit road)?

[Lophophaps]

Not having a car saves about $4000 a year, is okay. The Clear Hills are a few kiloemtres east of Mt Stirling, the same mountain formation. Craigs Hut is a set from the film The man from Snowy River and is on the NW side, 584930. Look up Craigs Hut; any map of the Stirling region should have this. With care you can walk on 4WD tracks, but give vehicles a lot of room as they can slide. The Stirling Circuit Road can be quite busy so stay well in the kerb. Depending on where you are going you may find that you can get a lift. I'm still unclear as to where you will be starting

[stansi]

I went onto google but only found out about the clear hills track, also, do u know where I can get. Map of clear hills?

http://www.mtstirling.com.au/cms-assets/documents/209454-226497.stirling-map-2015.pdf

[wildwalks]

{moved to Vic section by admin}

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am still iffy about someone who has never done a multi night pack carry hike in the Vic. Alps just taking off without building experience and bush craft skills over one summer of single night pack carry trips. The best option is that You should find somebody who is experienced and trek with him or her. The VNPA for example runs multi nighters out in the Alpine N.P. I am one of the trained volunteer trek leaders as it just so happens.
People with limited experience have died up there because when things got ugly they did the wrong thing or they were not prepared for extremely cold and hostile weather .
It can snow any time of the year up there. It can rain like never before too. The sun and insects can be vicious in summer and finding water is not something you leave to luck or chance. Can you navigate well with a "Spatial vision Mt Buller/ Mt Howiit topographical map "and compass in horrid weather with near zero visibility ?

Some of the tracks between Mt Stirling and the Cross cut saw are not well maintained at all. There are no track markers on the Cross cut saw either. You may be pushing through bushfire regrowth saplings on disused fire trails. Once you get off track to get around a huge fallen tree all the bush can look the same. Getting lost happens .Knowing where North, S, W and E are matters. I saw some walkers on Mt Howitt heading for Mt Magdala in low cloud on the summit plateau in Jan. 2015 when I knew ,having had a chat with them at the mac. Springs hut that they were meant to be going back to the upper Howqua campsite. I had to yell out to them "Hey you are going the wrong way !".
What if there is no one there to tell you that and you can't see where you are going up there ?
You need to know that all of your gear works and can keep you warm, dry and safe and how fit you REALLY are. Becoming fatigued leads to making errors and hypothermia sets in more easily when you are dehydrated and exhausted. Staying warm and dry is almost a science when living in the outdoors in the Vic. Alps . You can't learn all of this stuff in one hike. Having enough fuel for your hiking stove matters too.
As Clint Eastwood said once in a film of his "A man's got to know his limitations".
I am still unclear on how you will get up there without a car and what your point of embarkation exactly will be. I willing to be constructively helpful but I would n't want a newbie to have to be pulled off the side of the proverbial Mt. Fukka Wukka by a chopper. That means get a Personal locater beacon , ambulance insurance and respect the bush and give double respect to the mountains. If things seem like they seem to be going outside of your range of abilities then turn back and try the hike again on another day or year when you are having better weather and more experience.
I have been doing this stuff for 10 years at least in snow, rain, sun , wind , fog, all year round in the Vic. Alps etc. and I still have the 'better safe than sorry' saying as the first of the unwritten bushwalking commandments.

Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Wed 30 Sep, 2015 11:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Isaac]

I am still iffy about someone who has never done a multi night pack carry hike in the Vic. Alps just taking off without building experience and bush craft skills over one summer of single night pack carry trips. The best option is that You should find somebody who is experienced and trek with him or her. The VNPA for example runs multi nighters out in the Alpine N.P. I am one of the trained volunteer trek leaders as it just so happens.
People with limited experience have died up there because when things got ugly they did the wrong thing or they were not prepared for extremely cold and hostile weather .
It can snow any time of the year up there. It rain like never before too. The sun and insects can be vicious in summer and finding water is not something you leave to luck or chance. Can you navigate well with a "Spatial vision Mt Buller/ Mt Howiit topographical map "and compass in horrid weather with near zero visibility ?

Some of the tracks between Mt Stirling and the Cross cut saw are not well maintained at all. There are no track markers on the Cross cut saw either. You may be pushing through bushfire regrowth saplings on disused fire trails. Once you get off track to get around a huge fallen tree all the bush can look the same. Getting lost happens .Knowing where North, S, W and E are matters. I saw some walkers on Mt Howitt heading for Mt Magdala in low cloud on the summit plateau in Jan. 2015 when I knew ,having had a chat with them at the mac. Springs hut that they were meant to be going back to the upper Howqua campsite. I had to yell out to them "Hey you are going the wrong way !".
What if there is no one there to tell you that and you can't see where you are going up there ?
You need to know that all of your gear works and can keep you warm, dry and safe and how fit you REALLY are. Becoming fatigued leads to making errors and hypothermia sets in more easily when you are dehydrated and exhausted. Staying warm and dry is almost a science when living in the outdoors in the Vic. Alps . You can't learn all of this stuff in one hike.
As Clint Eastwood said once in a film of his "A man's got to know his limitations".
I am still unclear on how you will get up there without a car and what your point of embarkation exactly will be. I willing to be constructively helpful but I would n't want a newbie to have to be pulled off the side of the proverbial Mt. Fukka Wukka by a chopper. That means get a Personal locater beacon , ambulance insurance and respect the bush and give double respect to the mountains. If things seem like they going outside of your range of abilities then turn back and try the hike again on another day or year when you are having better weather and more experience.
I have been doing this stuff for 10 years at least in snow, rain, sun , wind etc. and I still have the 'better safe than sorry' saying as the first of the unwritten bushwalking commandments.

Thanks for the concern haha! I agree as well, better safe than sorry. I've been to buller in summer a couple of times with my family for day hikes (done most of them actually), but not overnight. Also had experience in Grampians and overseas.

Definitely dun want to be pulled off a mountain by a chopper, I plan to get there by coach (vline mayb), and point of embarkation is the alpine village itself, going to Craig's hut and to somewhere else b4 heading back. I'm doing this with a couple of friend and if we feel that we can't cope, we will definitely turn back. However, do u know (from ur experience) of any trail from Craig's hut that will take about a day and has a hut for overnight stay in case of emergencies?

And, if I plan to rent a GPS, from what store in Victoria?

[Lophophaps]

I agree with paidal_chalne_vala. On an untracked route near Koonika I was in a party when the leader went west instead of east. I was assessing this person for leadership skills. He got to the summit, looked around, and was puzzled - not Konika!

You need to know how to navigate with a map and compass. A GPS is not best used as a primary means of navigation. If it fails and you can't use a map you're in trouble.

As paidal_chalne_vala advised, go with a club, see what it's like at the sharp end navigating. If you fall in a heap as many of us have done - including me - then others can pick you up. There is so much that can be learned from others on such walks. I was on Bogong ... 30 or 31 December 2012 from memory when a VNPA party came through, camped at Cleve Cole en route for Big River. I checked out their tents getting honest advice about pros and cons. Most helpful!

A club will also sort out transport, surely a major plus for the carless. Clubs also have tents, either in the club or from members with spares.

Craigs Hut is a film set, no camping I believe.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

You should always carry a tent, Yes a TENT for " emergencies" as well as accommodation. Relying on actually finding any hut anywhere and hoping it will be vacant is foolish. 4 season tents are warmer than huts !!.

[north-north-west]

As paidal_chalne_vala advised, go with a club, see what it's like at the sharp end navigating. If you fall in a heap as many of us have done - including me - then others can pick you up.

Meh, I've always preferred to pick myself up. Given how often i fall over, it's less embarrassing . . .

[Lophophaps]

Meh, I've always preferred to pick myself up. Given how often i fall over, it's less embarrassing . . .

The strategy has some merit - no witnesses - and this is my current line of thinking for me. Very few people have seen my motorised Zimmer frame either, quite good in the Western Arthurs. However, to get to this level of inability some grounding in skills is necessary. This is best acquired with mentors, and a club appeals. Later one can attempt the NNW-Lophophaps grounding method, involving falling.

Just remembered an incident on T Spur a few hours before I met the VNPA group cited above. Powering up the spur, legs in overdrve, mind in neutral (it helps not to think), ever observant, I nearly trod on a snake. One word - copulation! (My word had but one syllable, faster to say.) Then I took a few steps back and on the smooth track managed to trip myself up, falling down the embankment, landing under the pack, two buckles to awkwardly undo, trapped like a tortoise. Did I mention the snake? I got up eventually using the NNW model, but it was scary for a minute. Changed underwear at the creek, washing old ones out.