Mt Bogong 3 days via Cleve Cole Hut and Ropers Hut?

[plottwisted]

Hi

Looking for a three day/2 night (allowing for driving to/from Melbourne) hike around Mt Bogong next month.

Thinking about the route:
Day 1: Start at Mountain Creek Car park, up The Staircase to Bogong Summit, then first night at Cleve Cole Hut (about 12 km).
Day 2: Cleve Cole Hut to Ropers Hut, with short side trip to Howman Falls (about 11km).
Day 3: Ropers Hut to Howmans Gap via Spion Kopje (about 12.5 km).

Has anyone done this route? Suggestions? Alternatives? Perhaps it's better to do in reverse as it will be more downhill?

It will involve a car shuffle, or book taxi from Mt Beauty to transfer us.

Thanks, K

[Lophophaps]

The itinerary is certainly viable, with some qualifications. The taxi is probably simpler. One issue is that Rocky Valley Creek may be high and crossing may not be viable, not a good thing to happen at noon on the last day. If you are set on this route then do it in reverse: Howmans, Ropers, Cleve Cole and Staircase. In November I don't see that the last day will be too hard due to adverse weather.

A much simpler option is to start and finish at the same place. One option is as follows.

1 Mountain Creek south to Little Bogong, then West Peak and Cleve Cole. The scrub to Little Bogong is not too bad, although the climbing is a tad steep in places.
2 Take in Howmans Falls, T Spur and Ropers Hut by mid-afternoon. Apart from two short gentle climbs it's all downhill if you continue to Big River and camp on the creek above there.
3 Up to Quartz Knob and down Staircase. Cut the corner from Ropers.

Rough stats are:
1 Up about 1300 metres, 12 km, 8 hours.
2 Down and up about 800 metres, 17 km, 8 hours.
3 Up 700 metres, down 1300 metres, 13 km, 6 hours.

To avoid walking the same ground you can go reverse this
1 West Peak to Big River, maybe Ropers. There's some nice sheltered spots above Whiterock Creek. When going to Ropers cut the corner from 284260
2 Cleve Cole.
3 Staircase.

Rough stats are:
1 Up about 1800 metres, 19 km, 9 hours, last bit mainly on a road to Ropers.
2 Down and up about 800 metres, 11 km, 7 hours.
3 Up 200 metres, down 1300 metres, 5 hours.

The second option seems best to me as the hard day is first. Stats are approximate.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am doing a similar trip on 31/10/15- 2/11/15
We are doing a car shuttle with a car left at Mountain creek and another car left at Watch bed creek near Rocky Valley dam.
Day one is Watch bed creek to Roper's hut
Day two is Roper 's hut to CC hut along the numbered pole line, including the big river crossing.
Day three is CC hut to Mountain creek via Mt Bogong summit , Eskdale spur and Camp creek gap. Eskdale spur is shorter than the staircase spur but still tough on the knees.

[plottwisted]

Hi,
Thanks for the tips.
Another option we might consider is:
Day 1: Bogong Village/Lake Guy heading up Black Possum Spur to Mt Arthur, then Bogong Creek Saddle and on to Cairn Creek Hut.
Day 2: Cairn Creek Hut to Bogong Summit via Quartz Ridge. Then camp somewhere near summit or Mitchell Hut.
Day 3: Eskdale Spur to finish at Mountain Creek Car Park.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

[Drew]

I'm planning to do Howman's Gap - Ropers - Cleve Cole - Bogong Creek Saddle - Bogong Village. Pretty horrendous weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday. I'm wondering if crossing Big River might be a bit wild after 20mm+ of rain on Saturday night. It might not happen of course - with that sort of unsettled, thunderstormy weather it might be very localised and miss the area completely (that's me being optimistic).

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Dude, I am not as optimistic as you are. I am prepared to turn back at Big River if need be and to head for a hut if there is an electrical storm above the tree line. We are heading out there this weekend. Oh dear.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

The BHP road is still closed according to VICROADS.

[Xplora]

The BHP road is still closed according to VICROADS.

Interesting. The Vic Roads website shows it open. I know for certain it was closed Wednesday but I was checking early yesterday morning and it showed closed then I refreshed a few minutes later and it was open. Showing open this morning but I would still call to confirm. Parks Mt Beauty, Alpine shire, East Gippsland shire and Falls Creek resort should all have this information. Depends on who answers the phone. It was due to open early November but there was not much to clear in the way of snow and fallen trees. They also wanted it to dry out a bit.

http://alerts.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

Still some snow on Bogong so a big rain could put the river too high to cross. Stay clear of the basalt areas in the storms and you should be OK. I have done T spur in a ripper. Not the best experience but it was fine. Certainly not the best weather for a walk this weekend. Maybe a rethink but then again it is a long weekend.

[Drew]

I spoke to Mt Beauty office yesterday and she said the BHP road opened yesterday.

I'm getting less optimistic now! I think I'll do a different circuit avoiding the river crossing. And I might even start on Sunday and do 3 days instead of 4.

Anyone been up the track from Howman's Gap over Spion Kopje recently? The woman I spoke to yesterday said there would be a lot of fallen trees there and slow going.

She said the same for Duane Spur track from Ropers down to Big River. I wouldn't want to do that steep descent (with lots of fallen trees) only to have to turn around and go back up if the river is too high.

[Xplora]

Apart from the weather the place will be crawling with people unless the weather scares them off. I suspected the road was open and it is logical given the long weekend. Vic roads updated the info not long ago to say it would be the beginning of November but there was really not reason why they could not just give a date. That would save everyone annoying the staff at the shires etc. I could have cleared the road in half a day with what had fallen and my little machine would have cleared the snow in minutes.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

My group and I have piked out.They all looked at the Forecast and said NO. I am going to do this Falls to Mtn. Ck. trek in March.
I am looking at Helicopter spur next weekend, weather permitting. The circuit road and Bindaree road should be open but muddy.

[Xplora]

My group and I have piked out.They all looked at the Forecast and said NO. I am going to do this Falls to Mtn. Ck. trek in March.
I am looking at Helicopter spur next weekend, weather permitting. The circuit road and Bindaree road should be open but muddy.

I have seen some big ruts down near Bindaree after winter that would swallow your car but you should make it to the Upper Howqua camping.

[Drew]

We've mostly likely piked too. "Up to 70mm" says the BOM forecast! I'm still holding out some hope that the forecast will improve and we can go Sunday to Tuesday, but it seems most likely that we'll be looking for somewhere else to go. Maybe Major Mitchell Plateau but it's probably booked out. North Prom maybe but looks like it will be dry as a chip there - only 7mm of rain at the prom this month. And might be too late to book it anyway. Other ideas?

[Xplora]

"Up to 70mm" says the BOM forecast! I'm still holding out some hope that the forecast will improve and we can go Sunday to Tuesday, but it seems most likely that we'll be looking for somewhere else to go.

Maybe holding something else this weekend would be better. A remote control and a beer sounds good. It is not likely to improve on the mountain tomorrow but Monday and Tuesday could be a go. If you are going for the view then the low cloud will also make it less than worthwhile and the wind is not easing until Tuesday.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am now getting ready to book the Prom for next weekend. This Long weekend is a non hiking affair because of the very poor weather forecast.

My friend in Myrtle ford said she got 80 MM of rain last night in the Ovens valley area . Visibility up high in the VIC ALPS would be very poor too. The whole SE circuit with one camp overnight at Refuge cove should do it. Leeches and heavy showers are normal at the Prom. !

Nov. at the Prom is not too busy and the days are now light long enough to walk the long two days and still not have to set up camp at Refuge cove in the dark.

[Drew]

I pulled the plug too and went to the North Prom instead. Only some drizzle there. I kept looking at the rainfall at Falls Creek on Saturday thinking that maybe I should have stuck to the plan. But then on Sunday there was 38mm recorded and my decision was vindicated!

[Xplora]

Sunday morning you could have been lured to the mountain with blue sky and then it hit hard. The wind was also quite bad. I sat comfortably watching it from my window. Monday to Wednesday would have been OK but it has come in again. Nothing worse than everyone trying to cram into a hut. Worse when they all want to sleep in it and there is nowhere to cook a meal because they spread their gear all over. That 'get away from it all' feeling is soon lost. Good decision from both of you.