Bushwalk Australia

Hi everyone,
Advice on climbing Mt Feathertop from Harrietville.
What is the best track to climb up,Bungalow spur, or Champion spur.
Not worried about length, ease of climb or quality of track. Just interested in best experience. I am trying to plan a 2 day hike taking in Feathertop and Hotham. Any side trip recommendations welcomed.

Thanks

The Bungalow Spur is most probably best for most people. There's a track, water at three creeks, the hut tank may have water, and there's always water on Tom Kneen Track. The gradient is quite reasonable. In bad weather, about two minutes below the hut you are out of the wind. Champion Spur has water low down, then nothing until Federation or Tom Kneen. It's 12 kilometres. I do not know if there's a track.
https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=Har ... i%20Aerial

Bungalow Spur is is 9 kilometres.
https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=-36 ... i%20Aerial

I see no point going to Hotham.

For two days, maybe go up Champion Spur, perhaps six hours to the Razorback-Bungalow Junction. Climb Feathertop, get water from Tom Kneen, camp at the hut. Down Bungalow the next day. I'd leave the car at the Bungalow car park, which is about 500 metres from the end of the spur, where it meets the bitumen. This route gets the hard stuff over on the first day.

Another option is to go up Bungalow, climb Feathertop, pick up water for the night and the next day, and camp at the top of Diamantina, 10 minutes from The Razorback. This is a lovely site. There's a picture on
https://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... &start=240
On the second day go down Champion Spur. Leave the car near the bottom of Champion Spur or in the Bungalow car park.

Agreed Bungalow as above, especially this time of year with the heat and need for water.

I think the most picturesque way to Feathertop is via Bon Accord and walk towards Feathertop across the Razorback but the reverse route up Bungalow does make it easier especially with regards water. There's a bit of info on Champion Spur here... https://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... mpion+spur

Champion was the greatest before fires. NW Spur is one of my favourite climbs.

The track on Champion spur was bulldozed clear in 2018-19 by DEWLP. I went down it using this route:
Bungalow spur( I collected water for the next 24 hours en route at the spring near the FT hut ruins), Camped at the top of the Diamantina spur and on day 2 walked through the scrub along the upper Champion spur until I found the fire trail. There are 10 + river crossings at the bottom. It is best to finish by descending Champion spur with a big drink of water and wet boots. The Fire trail would now be quite overgrown again :-0 on Champion spur and the track goes straight down. no zig zag or switchbacks:-0 . It was murder on my knees and quads.
Stay on the top of the spur at all times. If you lose the way go back up to the spine of the ridge.

Here is my trip report :
https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/bunga ... 019.86509/

If you don't like scrub bashing and knee pain then avoid Champion spur and stick to going up the NW spur and going down the Bungalow spur.
Here is my trip report for that route:
https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/mt-fe ... 019.84309/

I walked Bungalow Spur to the summit and MUMC yesterday. The tracks a single lane highway. Easy but steep. Lots of people about but mostly coming from Hotham. MUMC hut is a great lunch spot. Didn’t see anyone else there.
Took 8 hours total. I’m 60 years old.
Don’t park at the turnaround car park. Someone did and there car was broken into. Why you’d park there I have no idea to save 5 minutes on your big day

My recollection is that the start of the Bungalow Spur is drop-off zone, no parking. Also, it makes more sense from a security aspect to be in the car park. Nice pics of MUMC. The design has lasted well, with just two significant changes that I know about: the silver exterior is now green, and the pot belly stove is gone.