Western-Southern-Eastern BHP Circuit

[Plod]

I haven’t been to much of the Western Bogong High Plains before and looking at incorporating them into a longer circuit walk that covers some of the southern and eastern high plains as well. I am thinking of a 4 to 5 day walk. The southern and eastern high plains I am reasonably familiar with. The section north of the Fainters to Bogong Village, Howman Gap and Spion Kopje (or in reverse) has me a bit stumped though. It looks like it could be a bit of a stretch (for me) to do all of that in 1 day.

What I've come up with is to start and finish at Howman Gap and go in an anti-clockwise direction. Day 1 would see me get to Bogong Jack Saddle or thererabouts via Bogong Village and Spring Saddle. Day 2 would be along the Fainter firetrail to Tawonga Huts or Youngs Hut. Day 3/4 along the eastern high plains and Day 5 along Spion Kopje back to Howman Gap.

It's still a long day 1 for me. Ideally I would do something a bit gentler after the long drive from Melbourne and too much Christmas Pud, but can't always be too picky or won't get done. Any thoughts on how I could break the section from north of the Fainters to Spion Kopje into 2 days? Or better suggestions for a circuit that includes the Fainters? TIA

[JamesMc]

If you plan to cross the highway down at Bogong Village then starting at Howmans Gap is a bit out of the way. Better to start at Bogong Village. The last time I was there, it was tricky getting out from the Springs Saddle Track onto the highway due to hydro works. That was about five years ago - it may have been tidied up since then or may have got worse due to the landslide.

Another way you might consider is to start at Pretty Valley Dam and walk to Tawonga Huts. Camp there for two nights and do a day walk to Mt Fainter and back. Then, continue on a circuit around the high plains. This probably won't get you to Spion Kopje. You could alternatively do a circuit via Westons Hut, Diamantina Spur & Mt Hotham. (The day lengths might be more even if you start at Mt Hotham.)

JamesMc

[Lophophaps]

There was a major landlside on the Falls Creek road near Bogong Village. Due to that the track from there to near The Springs was closed. I do not know if it is open.

I agree with James that the walk should be done clockwise, get the river crossing out of the way. Bogong Jack to Spion Kopje in two days is quite long. For five days I'm tending to walk in one part of the high plains.

There are ideas at
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=41949
This can be extended to include Fainters, Youngs Hut, High Plains Creek, Cope (going up from east of Cope saddle) and anything else that you want to see. There are slightly exposed campsites on Cope just below the summit.

Mount Cope summit campsite

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

I've done a variation on that starting/finishing at Bogong Village... took a couple of extra days (7 in total) to divert to Feathertop via Diamantina, then Hotham, across the BHP via AAWT, then over Bogong and back to the car via Quartz Ridge/Mt Arthur/Black Possum. Whittling that down, 5 days would be well enough to start/finish at Bogong Village and do Bogong Jack/Tawonga/AAWT from 333 to Nelse/Spion Kopje/Grey Hills/Mt Arthur/Black Possum? That would avoid the Howmans Gap to Bogong Village leg? Bogong Jack saddle is a great campsite BTW.

[Plod]

Thanks all for your suggestions. I will check them out. Is there any issues parking the car at Bogong Village? I seem to recall reading about it in the past but haven’t found anything specific from a brief search just now.

[Baeng72]

I think Bogong Village is still inaccessible because of land-slip.
At least this page says so: https://www.visitmountbeauty.com.au/pla ... g-village/

[Camminata]

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=40965&p=451148#p451148

some info of parking.

[Lophophaps]

Parking at Bogong Village may be academic if the intended route is west to near The Springs and that road is closed. That road is on an inside bend on the left coming from Falls Creek, and that used to be wide enough to park safely. There was another parking spot a short way down the road, but the land slip may have changed that. Water at Bogong Jack is a few hundred metres north of the saddle. There are also soaks on the north side of Fainter North.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

A few years ago I walked a 75km+ plus loop of the BHP with a friend in November. We avoided all creek crossings .
We left the cars at Bogong Village.We parked near the Tennis courts.You could park at the Junction picnic ground.There is a bridge over the creek
there so no need to ford Rocky Valley creek.
I think Bogong Village has reopened , since the landslip has been
fully repaired and the Grollo corp. are refurbishing Bogong village for
Ski resort employees' accommodation.

The route we walked was :
Day 1. Bogong Village/ Spring Saddle track/ Fainters Fire track. Bogong jack saddle.Camping at Bogong jack saddle.

Day 2 Bogong Jack Saddle to Tawonga huts for lunch and then over to Young's hut to camp.
It was a white out so we didn't bother with any views from the Fainters. There were none.
Day 3. Young's Hut to Langford Gap hut to camp.
Day 4. Langford Gap Hut to Roper's hut via the AAWT .
Day 5. Roper's hut to Spion Kopje and over the Grey Hills. Down Down Down Black Possum spur to
Bogong Village.
Day 5 was solid and a 7 am until 7 pm mission.
:-0
I have nothing good to say about Black Possum spur. File under NEVER AGAIN.

[Plod]

Interesting. Thanks for all the great suggestions. I am leaning towards starting near Hotham now and making a loop incorporating the Fainters and Young’s Hut. Starting/finishing at Bogong Village is sounding less appealing.


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[paidal_chalne_vala]

With a car shuttle you can leave one car at Mt. Hotham airport and the other car at the Mt. Loch Car park.
Day 1 .
You would then walk over the Razorback possible dry camp at High Knob / top of Diamantina spur , then go down Diamantina spur and camp at Blair's hut.
Day 2 Blair's hut/ Weston's hut / Pole 333/ Pole 267/ Young's Hut
Day 3 Young's Hut/ Young's top/ McNamara's Hut
Day 4 McNamara's hut/ Scrub bash by map/ compass/ GPS to the Cobungra river and up the fire trail and around the air field to the Mt. Hotham airport car park.

I have also walked a loop from Howman's gap.I did it with a friend. We were KEEN !
It went like this:Day 1.
Howman's gap/ Rocky Valley Creek ford ( waist deep :-0 )/Spion Kopje/ Johnston Hut/ Fiztgerald hut
Day 2. Fitzgerald hut/ Aqueducts/ AAWT/ Ryder's hut.
Day 3. Ryder 's Hut/ Pretty Valley hut/ Mt. McKay summit hut/
Road 24/ Howman's gap.
We did walk some L O N G days that were probably over doing it a bit.
:-0

To have a good Fainters walk I would start at Big Hill road car park and approach The camp site at Bogong Jack saddle via The West Kiewa Log road and Spring Saddle track and the Fainters Fire trail to Bogong Jack saddle.
Day 2 go to Tawonga Huts camp there and walk up Mt. Jaithmathang.
Day 3 . Retrace your steps and perhaps camp at Salt Camp creek on the rise above the frost Hollow .
Explore the Fainters summits .
Day 4 .walk out

. If You leave the car at Big River bridge camping area on the Omeo - Mitta Hwy you can walk up track 107 to Kelly hut /Fitzgerald hut and camp there.
Day 2 Fitzgerald hut to Johnston Hut and onto Roper's hut.
Day 3 Roper's hut to Edmondson hut
Day 4. Edmondson hut to Fitzgerald hut and down Kelly 's Track ( MVO ) to Shannon vale and back to the car at Big River bridge camping area.