Mulhauser spur/Long Spur/ CC hut.Any tips?

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Hi
I am going to scout out this route in Jan. 2017. It will be Omeo road/ Mulhauser Spur/Long Spur/ CC hut/ Mt. Bogong and return by the same route.It will be done in a leisurely way with two nights camping near/ at CC hut and a visit to Howman's falls along the way in or out as well as a visit to Summit west on the Bogong summit area.
Are there any tips or things to know? What about water on the Mulhuaser spur ascent ?
I have the VIC MAPS MITTA MITTA map and the SV Bogong Alpine Area map.
I will also do the day walk up Mt. Wills and back before or after the above trek.

[Xplora]

Take a chain saw with you. You may not need it but it is better to be safe. I doubt you would need to refill water before Cleve Cole anyway so don't be concerned about supply on Mulhauser. About 5 hours should see you there but you could do it in less being fit. Many people go that way into Cleve Cole during winter and it takes them about 5 hours so I am told. I don't go that way personally. If you have 2 cars then you can do Mt. Wills a couple of ways. Leaving one at the Sunnyside end you can drive to Tallangatta ski club and walk the easy 3km to the hut then over to Mt. Wills south on the AAWT and down. You can also go up from Big River Log road (AAWT) and down to the ski club or Sunnyside. Going up from the log road is nicer but harder. Going up from the ski club is just a road but it is nice up top. Omeo Road is actually a Highway and it was the first highway in Victoria. Also the last to be sealed. It is going to take a full day for you to get to the start of the walk from Melbourne and of course another full day home so my count is 6 days for all this.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Hi
I plan to take a week off to do it all. I don't plan to drive any of the route up Mulhauser spur. Therefore a chainsaw won't be needed.My 2 WD is a city run around jap mobile. The Mulhauser walking track appears on the VIC MAPS MITA MITTA map to be distinctly separate from the vehicular routes.
In Jan. there should be plenty of daylight so no rush really.

[Xplora]

I seem not to be clear on the point you intend to start. I am looking at the map you mentioned and only see red dashes, no walking track. My map is the first edition 2007. Snowy Log road off Big River Log Road is one way to Mulhauser. If you intend to walk all of Mulhauser from Bogong saddle (Omeo Hwy) then add a couple more days. Not sure why anyone would choose to do this. It is about 15km to the AAWT from an elevation of 600m. Your car would be fine on Big River Log Road and Snowy log road and that would put you closer to your goal. They are logging there at the moment (or just finishing up) and the roads should be in good order but a chainsaw is still recommended for these sections. You can also drive Big River log road to the Long spur and forget about Mulhauser. That part of the road is suitable for little cars if you dodge the potholes. If you do not have a chainsaw then you can take the chance. Usually there are enough people going through to clear the road but the last couple of times we have been through have had trees down and one came down after we had gone in. I don't want to interrupt your plan but make sure you research it well especially if it is a walk you plan to lead others on.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Thanks for your tips.
I am researching this so I can scout it out privately. If it goes well then I might take others up there along this way.
It could be better to drive a bit of it , if that is possible in my 2 WD city car.

[Mark F]

Off topic but thanks Xplora, I have been pondering a food drop for the AAWT in Big River Saddle but was worried about access. Saves humping a few days food over Wills when going N-S.

[Xplora]

Off topic but thanks Xplora, I have been pondering a food drop for the AAWT in Big River Saddle but was worried about access. Saves humping a few days food over Wills when going N-S.

A good move. There is a nice campsite where the track comes out onto Big River Log road. No water though from memory. Hide your stuff well as there are quite a few people get through there.

Thanks for your tips.
I am researching this so I can scout it out privately. If it goes well then I might take others up there along this way.
It could be better to drive a bit of it , if that is possible in my 2 WD city car.

If you go in via Big River Log road and then turn off Snowy Log Road then you can get much closer to the end in your car than if you started at Bogong saddle. This time of year I would not try it but in January it should be fine. The worst bit you would have to cross is near where they have been logging and cut up the road with the trucks but that is only because it is really wet at the moment. I am fairly certain they have finished logging there for the moment as the area has been burnt. Still curious about the Mulhauser walking track. Can you scan your map and post it. Maybe it is an older map as many tracks are taken off some new maps.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Hi
My scanner died. I have the latest VIC MAPs MITTA MITTA map. I will try and scan it elsewhere such as at "Copies R us" etc. but I am a dunce at computers really.

[north-north-west]

From memory, there's a very old vehicle track that ran up Mulhauser, that has been used as a walking track by the Mittagundi mob. It's been a good few years since I was last up Long Spur, and at that time the track was very vague below the junction. Not even sure it's still in use.

[Mark F]

I came up Long Spur on the AAWT in January 2011. Just after the junction with the Mulhauser track I was passed by a couple of young blokes on horse back who had come up Mulhauser heading for Cleve Cole. I didn't notice the junction but I did notice that each had a well laden pack horse and the track damage caused by them over the next few km.

[Xplora]

Mulhauser spur is still used frequently but probably more in winter as it provides good access to Bogong massive. Some of the bushwalking groups north of it will used it during summer but they all drive to the end of the road. It was an old cattle trail. I am unaware of any Mittagundi programs using it but many who have been at Mittagundi have used it in winter to get to Cleve Cole. If Mittagundi did use this track it would be clear but there have been none in my memory. Horses are permitted on this track (and this part of the AAWT) but I do agree they can cause some damage particularly when the track is wet.
PCV - don't go to any trouble to scan the map. I was just curious and I can have a look at the second edition when I get to town next. If it has more info then I will buy it. We are also looking for good tracks to mountain bike which take us off the firetrails and log roads which can be a bit hazardous when busy. I doubt any track along the Mulhauser would serve this purpose anyway.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Check this out. This link is GOLD.
http://forums.ski.com.au/xf/threads/mul ... st-3124255

[Xplora]

We thought we might walk into Cleve Cole hut for a day walk yesterday but things did not go well to start with. The plan was to drive up the Long Spur to the single track but too many big trees across the track so that plan was aborted early. We then drove down Snowy Log Road toward Mulhauser track. Cleared one big tree which had fallen since the dozer had been through and then when within 2km of the turnoff we struck another huge tree which was just too big and too dangerous to cut so we turned around and back onto the Omeo Highway to pick up the other end of Snowy Log Road off Dunstan's log road. This was clear and in good order. Loggin appears to have ceased in that area for the moment so do not expect much more work on the road. The Mulhauser track is also clear and in pretty good order but lots of timber has been cut to clear it. Although it was wet in places I managed to drive in 2wd until the last few hundred metres but this small hill would dry out soon and would not pose any problem. A front wheel drive or all wheel drive SUV would make it depending on the driver. Clearance is only a problem with one water rut near the logging reveg area but a quick fill in with a shovel would see it easily past. To stress it again, I would not drive any of these tracks without a good chainsaw. We took 2 but also spare chains, fuel, bar oil, tools to sharpen and a drag chain. My saw has a 20" bar and even then it could be a bit short. We also have UHF radio which can pick up the Omeo Highway if needed. You can stress to people about gear needed for walking in the mountains but a lot of good it will do if you are stuck for days without communication and no saw to clear the track out.

The walk up the spur is easy. It took 20 minutes with a steep section followed by a gentle slope which was repeated several times until the junction with the AAWT. Given we did not get started until 1330hrs we did not anticipate making Cleve Cole but we did make it to the T spur junction in 2 hours from the car. I have given report on the track here viewtopic.php?f=64&t=21928&p=313248#p313248

PCV - I read the posts on the ski forum and just to correct U/Steve on a minor point. There is no DSE in Mitta. The nearest would be Eskdale but I don't think they handle the logging in that area. VicForest in Swifts creek would have more information if you need. Michelle is the one to speak with there but I doubt you would need to now with the information provided. I still cannot see any walking track from the Omeo Highway along Mulhauser spur. I have the latest Rooftop may and it shows it a 4wd road to the camp and then a walking track. I can tell you it is a 4wd road and not a walking track so if your map has it marked with black dashes instead of red then it is wrong. The Bright/Dartmouth Rooftop map is all you would need.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Thanks for the post Explora sahib. Since I have no chainsaw I will have to hike in from lower down this Jan 2017 . I will look for that map too. Maps are good things .

[Marty felber]

I seem not to be clear on the point you intend to start. I am looking at the map you mentioned and only see red dashes, no walking track. My map is the first edition 2007. Snowy Log road off Big River Log Road is one way to Mulhauser. If you intend to walk all of Mulhauser from Bogong saddle (Omeo Hwy) then add a couple more days. Not sure why anyone would choose to do this. It is about 15km to the AAWT from an elevation of 600m. Your car would be fine on Big River Log Road and Snowy log road and that would put you closer to your goal. They are logging there at the moment (or just finishing up) and the roads should be in good order but a chainsaw is still recommended for these sections. You can also drive Big River log road to the Long spur and forget about Mulhauser. That part of the road is suitable for little cars if you dodge the potholes. If you do not have a chainsaw then you can take the chance. Usually there are enough people going through to clear the road but the last couple of times we have been through have had trees down and one came down after we had gone in. I don't want to interrupt your plan but make sure you research it well especially if it is a walk you plan to lead others on.

Gday xplora: I haven't used this website before so if you can reply , it would be good.

I am looking at going to C.C hut via either Long spur/Big river log rd intersection(I have a 4WD car ) ... which I did last year from Tallangatta ski lodge carpark....obviously found out that it came out at Big River Rd...could have saved my self 2.5 hours walk!! Not enough research done! So I really want to try it via Big river log rd/turn into Snowy Rd, turn into Mulhauser spur. Do you know what the Mulhauser spur track is like? I intend to go in mid September. I actually came across the Mulhauser spur sign (whats left of it) along the Long spur track. So I have measured on the map the distances involved.The distance from Mulhauser track//Long Spur intersection to Mulhauser spur//Snowy Rd (1000m A.S) intersection is 5.0kms. th edistance from Mulhauser track//Long Spur intersection to Long Spur//Big River Log Rd(1200m.A.S) is 5.6 kms.So the are pretty much the same distance to walk and elevation start....So the only deciding factor is how far up The Mulhauser spur can I go?? Do you know?

[Xplora]

It is probably better to come in from the northern end of Snowy Log Road. I have done both and this would be a better bet time wise and more commonly (which does not mean often) travelled which also means more chance someone has cut up the tree across the road for you already. Not sure which direction you are coming from on the Omeo Hwy though but if coming from Melbourne it is just as easy to come through Mitta Mitta instead of Bairnsdale and Omeo. The turnoff is about half and hour south of Mitta Mitta. Much also depends on when you are intending to go in as this time of year more trees tend to fall so allow a bit more time. The turnoff on the Omeo Hwy is pretty clear. It is an X intersection with Dunstans Log road (northern end) and a few hundred metres on it hooks hard to the left (another intersection) and you are on Snowy Log Road. Follow that for about 11km from memory before turning right onto a link road that takes you past the logging coupe to Mulhauser track and veer left then there is only one real slippery uphill bit before the camp area and start. You just saved a fair bit of time. It is a good place to camp before the walk if you run out of time but there is no water. The walk up to the Long Spur will take about 20 minutes with a pack (pretty nice grade really) and about 3 hours from the car to CC unless there is snow in which case you can add anything up to 2 hours depending on how deep and fresh it is. If you are going in Summer then the vehicle track from Big River Log Road on the Long Spur should be OK in a proper 4wd vehicle as long as it is clear of fallen trees. DELWP did some work on it last year and I think this year will put a flail mower on the track to clear scrub overhanging the sides. It is not a road to do in winter unless you have significant experience, mud tyres and recovery gear. Snow will block it anyway as you get higher. Hope this is helpful and welcome to the forum. You can always use the PM button on the right under my details if you want to ask questions that you do not want all to see. I love the Long Spur and would say it has some of the best Vic Mountain views to be had on a clear day.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am still planning to walk this area but it will now have to be in Jan. 2018.

[Xplora]

I am still planning to walk this area but it will now have to be in Jan. 2018.

I think you need a few extra months in the year so you can complete all the walks on your to do list.

We had cause to head up Mulhauser track today and it is in good condition mostly. No trees down but that could change after the rain. Got out just as it started. 2wd most of the way. Snowy Log road has a couple of muddy spots but easy to negotiate.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I was considering asking the govt. to declare a month long bush walking holiday every year in Green season.Anyone caught not bush walking will be rounded up and sent to re education camps!!! ;-P

[Xplora]

I was considering asking the govt. to declare a month long bush walking holiday every year in Green season.Anyone caught not bush walking will be rounded up and sent to re education camps!!! ;-P

I would give this concept a bit more serious thought if I were you. The entire able population bush walking for a month? Would rather not be with that many personally. Re-education camps sounds a bit like something out of a George Orwell novel. I get your point though however I thought there was some government regulation requiring the working masses to have at least 4 weeks annual leave. All we need is for government legislated weather during that period. Not a good time to be back country at the moment. Nice to have some snow falling at least.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Well it now looks like the March Labour Day weekend 2018 will be operation Mulhauser spur. I will have my chainsaw and related accessories by then.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

The Mulhauser 4 x4 track
has had some work done to it by Steve,
(cutting back vegetation that scratched my car !) but the track surface is dry but riddled with sticks that could spear the underside of your vehicle.