Current snowline Vic Alps, day walk to Bivouac.

[neilmny]

Hi Folks,

Just wondering if there is a site that records the current snowline for Victorian mountains.
Google brings up bucket loads of resort reports all of which I know first hand over many years are mostly gross exagerations but none of the reports mention how far down the mountains the snowline is.
I realise that this is very variable level........but ..............any ideas?

Part 2, would Bivouac be above the snowline at the moment?
I can't help feeling this is a dumb question as I'm guessing the current snowline is around 1300m???????

Part 3, Would snow shoes or crampons be needed/wise to have to go there for a looksee on a day walk in good weather?

We are going to be in the area for a week and have a notion to go for a look if conditions are good.
We would not hesitiate to turn back if things looked ugly.
Thanks for any assistance. Neil.

[icefest]

Preliminary: Freezing line is easy to find on sites such as mountain-forecast.com The place where the snow has melted away, not so much. Remember that the snow will melt away first on north facing slopes.

1:
No.
You can get an idea though by looking at the snowcams of the lower resorts. Eg telephone box junction: http://www.mtstirling.com.au/webcams.php?reload

2:
There will be snow at Bivuoac hut.

3:
if summiting, yes.
If you are just going to the hut, take snowshoes only if it has snowed in the past 3-4 days. Else someone will have compacted it already.

[Lophophaps]

Snow falls by altitude and melts by attitude, with deeper snow on southern and eastern falls due to the mainly prevailing northerly and westerly winds. All slopes are prone to icing, but more so for those that get a lot of sun. If there has been no snow and clear skies for a few days, expect ice, lots of it. If there's a decent snow fall after that then the slope could slide off in a windslab avalanche. Take a decent ice axe, long enough to plant while walking. Knowing how to self-arrest could be useful above the bushline, else you may end up sliding through the bushline at speed.

If you are going that far, why not carry overnight gear to Bivouac, set up the tent, and then summit? There are small sites all the way to the top, but the hut is the last biggish open horizontal flat area. If you're keen enough, you can bench in under Pollux and Castor.

[neilmny]

Thanks for the answers gentlemen it's appreciated.

Lophophaps, we will only have time for the day walk as we are away on a family trip. we also lack the experience to have a crack at the BigFella in winter at this stage. But thanks for the advise.

[Travis22]

Even heading up to Bivouac id suggest some of the cheap basic 'crampons' (shoe spikes) would be of great benifit as you approach the hut the snow there can be very slippery depending on the time of day. Even if it just saves you slipping over once they are worth it, its a long walk back down with a strained / sprained ankle etc.

Travis.

[Lophophaps]

Lophophaps, we will only have time for the day walk as we are away on a family trip. we also lack the experience to have a crack at the BigFella in winter at this stage. But thanks for the advise.

Fair enough. Going to the hut will be a good introductoin. See how far you can safely get beyond the hut, allowing time for the return journey. Take torches - it gets dark early. If you feel so disposed, a predawn start will see you with more time to get higher, and add to the safety of more daylight for the return. Suggest also take a stove so you can have a brew.

[neilmny]

Lophophaps, we will only have time for the day walk as we are away on a family trip. we also lack the experience to have a crack at the BigFella in winter at this stage. But thanks for the advise.

Fair enough. Going to the hut will be a good introductoin. See how far you can safely get beyond the hut, allowing time for the return journey. Take torches - it gets dark early. If you feel so disposed, a predawn start will see you with more time to get higher, and add to the safety of more daylight for the return. Suggest also take a stove so you can have a brew.

Thanks, we plan to take pretty much everything except for a tent and sleeping bags.
We'll have food, water, stove, a tarp, head torches, PLB, first aid, map, compass, GPS, rain gear, down jackets etc. etc. just need the right weather and the opportunity.

Would a trangia or a gas stove be the best bet up there?

[north-north-west]

You'd get higher quicker going in via Mitchells from Camp Saddle , assuming it's currently accessible.

[Moondog55]

Either gas or a Trangia will do the job but if gas remember a windscreen or dig a hole and use a pad

[Lophophaps]

Camp Saddle may require 4WD, and there may be a gate fairly low. Can't recall. The gear list looks good to me. Agree with Moondog55, but meths is quite slow to start. Once it gets going it's okay. You may have to melt snow for water, and there's no guarantee that the hut tank will be working.

[neilmny]

Thanks again everyone for your replies, they are much appreciated.

[andrewa]

Camp Creek Gap road was somewhat slippery 10 days ago. After rain it couldbe very slippery.

There were tiny patches of snow down to about 1300m on the Eskdale, but you weren't actually walking in snow until maybe 100m vertically below Michell Hut. Snow shoes are very nice if there's fresh unconsolidated snow.

A