Winter.Fixed camp and day touring in the Falls Creek area

[Moondog55]

I have a gut feeling that this is going to be a long cold wet winter. I need to get much fitter and lose some excess kilos; so I am headed up to Falls Creek come the snow to do some extended touring.
Not sure where my base camps will be set-up yet, lots of possibilities in the area and wonder if there are any people who want to join in for a week or three??

Be aware that I do use wood fires for some cooking so "Green Nazis" LOL better stay clear ( although it is only a small to medium sized Hobo stove and mainly for boiling water, but I thought it only fair to mention this at the start.
I am a moderate skier and my gear is a little on the old side (Like me ) so I won't be doing too much hard.extreme stuffI have space in the ute for one and of course plenty of room in the tray for gear.
i will be rebuilding my pulk once more so taking a few luxuries is doable.
Contact me through here if there is any interest in joining me. I'm not working so timing is VERY flexible

Last edited by Moondog55 on Thu 31 May, 2012 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Kinsayder]

Sounds fun! I'd love to come but my wife is pregnant and might very well kill me if I leave her for anything approaching an extended period right now. Sorry.

[Moondog55]

I'm headed up in about a week to make a decent food and fuel dump ( hidden of course ) before they close the road for the winter.

[Kinsayder]

Out of curiosity regarding the food drop; how do you leave it? Is it in a tamper proof container to prevent animals sharing in your spoils?

[Moondog55]

Big steel drum, buried in the leave litter for security.
Old deep fry compound drums 20 kilo

Quite able to hold enough concentrated food for a month

[Moondog55]

I'm headed up to make the pre -winter food and equipment dump at and around PV Hut on Thursday if anyone wants a lift up. room for one and plenty of gear in the ute.
PM me as I travel up the Hume Freeway from Geelong

[Moondog55]

Skied in to the hut and walked out, some damage to the binding after falling, need new wires for the voiles

Attachments

Falls Creek winter 2012_1698.JPG (230.51 KiB) Viewed 11419 times

[photohiker]

Good to see snow early, hope it holds out till August this year!

[Kinsayder]

Very jealous!

[Moondog55]

Lots and lots of snow for the opening week-end.
I'm still waiting for my replacement parts ( pump and bottle ) for the MSR or I would take off next week.

[north-north-west]

Is the BHP Rd closed at Trapyard yet? Wouldn't be a bad long weekend, walking in from there and wandering around if there's decent widespread snow coverage.

[Stew63]

MoonDog, if you don't mind me asking what type of pulk and skis do you use?

[Moondog55]

jeez Stewie the pulk is over thirty years old, made in Norway and I cannot remember the brand, when it's time for a new one I'll make one from HDPE sheeting.
I called into Wodonga on the way up
http://www.crosscountryskier.com.au/index.htm
and bought a pair of Asnes//Madshus polars, the :"Amundsen": from Steve. 210cm; wide and stiff single camber and lots of grip, they do not like to turn so I did fall once.
NNW Sorry no info on that, looks to be a good opening W/E tho, I hope to be back very soon, hopefully very soon

[north-north-west]

Might head up to the Snowys instead. Or maybe even try East Riley and hit the Viking/Razor. Or Cobbler. At least the weather won't be too miserable this weekend.

[Moondog55]

Lots of wet white above 1500

[north-north-west]

In that case it's definitely the Snowys. Koonika or The Viking in wet snow is not my idea of fun.

Assessments on damaged park areas will be made over coming days with some closures in East Gippsland and the Alpine National Park already in place.

Locations include:

Buchan Caves Reserve, however tours of Royal Cave are expected to resume by the weekend and the campground will be open
The Lakes National Park
Areas within Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park
Cape Conran Coastal Parkand Corringle Foreshore Reserve
Areas within Croajingolong, Snowy River and other remote National Parks are likely to be inaccessible
Alpine National Park- sites around Licola and Dargo and areas north and east of Omeo.

In some areas, seasonal road closures, which were due to come into effect after the long weekend, will be brought forward in the interests of public safety.

(From VicParks)

Oddly, nothing about Cobbler and that area, so I suppose the King/Ovens/Rose/Buffalo Rivers haven't had too much rain.