Mt Stirling Camp July 8 -11 2014

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I camped at Mt Stirling Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.

BOM Mt Buller Forecast issued at 4:33pm Mon 7 July 2014
Forecast for the rest of Monday: A little light snow. Winds northerly 25-35kmh
Tue 8 July: Min -2 Max 2 Becoming windy. Partly cloudy. Winds northwesterly 35-55kmh
Wed 9 July: Min -3 Max -1 A few snow showers. Windy. Cloudy. Winds northerly 35-55kmh tending northwesterly 25-40kmh in the middle of the day then tending westerly 15-20kmh in the late evening.
Thu 10 July: Min -2 Max -1 Snow shower or two. Windy. Cloudy. Winds westerly 30-45kmh tending northwesterly 40-50kmh during morning.
Fri 11 July: Min -1 Max 1 Snow shower or two. Windy. Partly cloudy. A snow shower or two. Winds westerly 30-40kmh tending northwesterly 40-50kmh during morning.
Sat 12 July: Min -1 Max 1 Snow showers. Wind easing. Partly cloudy. Possible hail and thunder. Winds westerly 40-50kmh turning southwesterly 30-35kmh during morning.
Sun 13 July: Min -2 Max 0 Partly cloudy. Winds south to southwesterly 25-35kmh.

Here is what I experienced. It may go on my blog with heaps of pics one day.

Strong northerly winds trending to northwesterly from Tue evening to Wed am.
Continuous snowfall from 6am Wednesday to 1am Thursday. About 40cm+ ? Off and on after this.
Winds lower down moderating.
Heard one large branch or tree fall and a couple of branch snaps under snow load Wed/Thu overnight. Always unsettling in tent.
Some tree fall - Mountain Ash? - on Circuit Rd. Thu am.
Very warm, dry and comfortable in tent the whole trip - I didn't need to do up the bag.

Thursday overnight warmer -read wetter and icier - tended to sleet even high up. Tent rimed a bit Fri am.
Summit closed out in cloud.

No fallen snowgums seen although heavily laden in snow and ice.
A bit damp lower down Friday.

Tent got covered in snow Wed am and pm and some requirement for knocking snow off - I dug a trench around tent for the snow to fall off in to.

Had a 3-pin boot sole delamination but changed to snowshoes.

I wasn't too keen on doing the summit of Stirling but some others did manage it on Thursday. No view, reduced visibility and icy blasts.
A time to avoid the exposed heights. A deliberate decision to avoid or retreat is not a personal defeat.

Others turned back before reaching GGS Hut.
The only reason I went up that high was the hut I was aiming for was found to have a group of 10 sleeping in it.
I wouldn't have attempted going on if the groomer hadn't just gone through. I was already exerted just getting to that hut.
It might have been -2 but I was soaked in sweat from effort, wearing just thermal top, synthetic shirt and a "breathable" jacket.
I stripped off and dried out for 2 hours in the humid fug before continuing.

I dug nearly 2' down to the GGS tank spigot, but the door was clear.

Just lighting a fire was a 2 hour epic of endurance and determination. Firelighters on ice encrusted twigs. I hardly believed it when it took.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Hi, I was up there on Mt Stirling on July 8th. I went over the summit in snow shoes following the pole line in a white out. That was scary but good ! I am heading back up there on Tuesday .

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I was back up at Mt Stirling on July 22nd in once in a decade perfect conditions. No clouds, bright sunshine,superb views a mild breeze, 1.2 m of snow, a fine day to be alive on a Tuesday and snow shoe hiking .I met Mr Walk on , from this forum at TBJ.

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What a season! Half your luck. I am back in class and otherwise occupied. Hope to get up there again weekend after next.

[walkon]

I was back up at Mt Stirling on July 22nd in once in a decade perfect conditions. No clouds, bright sunshine,superb views a mild breeze, 1.2 m of snow, a fine day to be alive on a Tuesday and snow shoe hiking .I met Mr Walk on , from this forum at TBJ.

It was a great day though the next was even better for me. Good to see another member out Bush

[walkerchris77]

What tent were u in

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I used a One Planet Goondie 1 30D. Took all the snow that could fall. After about 2 or 3 inches it just slides off the walls by itself, so I dug a trench around the base to catch all this. Very nice.

[dplanet]

One Planet Goondie 1 30D. Very nice.

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