Razorback, Diamantina Spur, Swindler's spur.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

The Hike I just did on 9,10, 11 th of Jan. 2016 was 3 days and 2 nights and it was tough. It was
Day one : Mt Loch Car Park, Mt Hotham Summit, Diamantina hut, The Razorback, Federation hut , Mt Feathertop .
Day 2 Federation hut , high knob ,Diamantina Spur, Diamantina Horse yards, Dibbins hut. :-0
Day 3 Dibbins hut ,Swindler's spur, Derrick Hut , Mt. Loch summit , Mt Loch Car park , finish.
I did day one with a friend . The Razorback was a conveyor belt and a super highway full of people poorly equipped and inadequately attired people for such a hike.
We made it from the Mt Loch car park to Fed. hut in about 4 hours incl. lunch on the Bon Accord spur track junction.
Having a head net is essential at this time up there.
The flies are impossible!.
My Friend went down the Bungalow spur on Sunday morning , back to his car.I went over to High Knob and headed down the Diamantina spur. It started out OK with excellent views of Mt Feathertop and some nice campsites on some flat bits up high in the snow gums. Some knob had left his/her rubbish hanging from a tree in a plastic bag at the Diamantina spur high campsite.
Soon it became a roller coaster of up and down , and very exposed to the sun it was indeed and after the last hump it plunged straight down.
That involved scrambling down on my hands and knees on shale and stones with a full pack , solo. The track was very over grown and ludicrously steep in the last third of the descent. The PV signage says it is 3.5 Kms from High knob to the West Kiewa river. I think the SV map says it is 4.5 kms.
It felt more like a punishingly tough 5 kms.
It took ages to get it over with because of the steep and overgrown terrain.
It was just 'wrong' ! :-0 .
I don't think I need to do that again. I was just cactus when I got the bottom and eating my lunch somewhere flat and clear was just a relief . Thank goodness I had trekking poles and knee high gaiters. They were really handy. Otherwise I would have had sore legs for a week and scratched up shins too.
I had to limp and struggle my way over to Dibbins hut like an old man who had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson after that expenditure of mental and physical energy. That took ages but I did 'workshop my aura' in the Kiewa river en route . Very tranquil and soothing it was too but aaaah ,Leeches !. I stopped by the Diamantina horse yards. It is a nice spot. It could be good to camp there as long as you knew a bunch of horses and horse riders would not appear and bring more flies with them.
I had the whole Upper Cobungra Valley and Dibbins hut to myself. I set up the tent at 4 pm so it took from 8 am til 4 pm to cover that distance in the summer heat. I didn't see anybody out there on Sunday bar two trail bikes riders who whizzed over Cobungra gap to Dibbins hut and back.
I don't think trail bikes are kosha in the Nat. park.
I woke up at the first dawn chorus and packed up early on Monday so I could avoid the heat of the day slogging it up Swindler's spur. That was nothing compared to some of the other ascents or descents in the area. I reached Derrick hut for a pit stop at 10.15 ish am on Monday. The whole area was very peaceful and full of wildflowers.
I made it to Mt Loch where a man and woman said 'wow! well done' when they asked me where I was going. I said I was almost finished. It was a bit overcast on Monday up high whereas on Sat. and Sunday the sun was like a hot anvil that would not desist from being repeatedly dropped on my head. I had to make sure I drank a lot of water to maintain my body fluid balances .
. It was a T O U G H hike , esp. the Diamantina spur with its bush bashing and impossibly steep and never ending descent. I have done some nutcracker hikes in my time too but this was almost as bad the NW spur descent on Mt Feathertop :-0. I will post some pic.s here soon

Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Sun 17 Jan, 2016 8:25 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Xplora]

I first went down Diamantina spur in January of 2003 during that storm which started the fires. I took a group of people who had moderate experience and we did not have the trouble you have described but it was steep. A few years later my partner and I did it in winter and once below the snow we found the track much harder to find and I could see how people could get themselves into some more rugged parts. There were a lot more animal tracks visible and we had to think carefully about the path we took. I don't think we took the same route as I had done previously but again it was not as bad as the one you have described. I was chatting yesterday with a friend from Parks Vic who said the planned realignment of the track has been on the cards for about 3 years and it would take out the nasty bits you found. This is probably all to do with the other issue of the Falls to Hotham walk. Our winter trip took us up NW spur first and we came out to Hotham on Swindlers then down Bon Accord to Harrietville. That was a biggy. Fortunately Pete from Morrie's Ice Cream shop gave me a lift to the trout farm to collect my car.

[Lophophaps]

I was chatting yesterday with a friend from Parks Vic who said the planned realignment of the track has been on the cards for about 3 years and it would take out the nasty bits you found. This is probably all to do with the other issue of the Falls to Hotham walk.

Some questions for PV. Is the object to bring every walk to such a standard that it is much easier than at present? If so, this is at odds with PV policy of taking out markers in wilderness areas. Also, why not just leave the track as is? I've been down and more recently up Diamantina Spur, and also found it hard. The scrub at the bottom was not too bad, the steep rocky section was easier going up as I could use my hands, and the multitude of false summits were depressing. I cannot recall anyone apart from PV complaining about the spur except that it's hard. Leave the hard options for those who want them. If not it's tending towards escalators on The Staircase, moving footpaths (whatever they're called) on the main pole line, and maybe tunnels to protect us from the weather.

Another aspect is that if it's too easy or easier then more people will journey there, which will not assist the ambience and will make it more costly to maintain tracks, toilets, and other infrastructure.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I cannot see how people who seldom do this kind of trekking could cope with the Diamantina spur, either going up or down as part of a tourist package hike . Even with handrails and more switchbacks on a realigned bench cut track it would still be beyond the physical and mental limits of ordinary cashed up bogans. It involved some real fitness, tough bush bashing and scrambling down 85 degree slopes on loose shale and rocks. Descending the NW spur involves hanging onto trees to slow one's descent but the unforgiving gradient and overgrown last kilometre was a killer on the Diamantina Spur. I am fit, very fit. It was HARDCORE.
I don't flinch at this sort of thing but if it was wet , snow bound or icy it could have been diabolically dangerous to descend.
I cannot see how PV are going to put a hut on one of those false summits on the roller coaster segments .

[Xplora]

I can only agree with both of you. Some things should be left hard. I think since the fire the tracks have become less distinct and as it does not get the traffic the easier way is also not as defined. I say easier but in reality it is not easy. I have no plans or desire in the near or distant future to walk up or down Diamantina spur but if I ever do then it would only be down.

[Kinsayder]

Thanks for the trip report, PCV. Sounds like it was tough. I snowshoed Diamantina Hut to Mt Loch, down to Blair's, up Diamantina Spur and back via the Razorback a few years ago in a day and half. I didn't find it too hard, not easy either but I'm assuming that the descent is much tougher than the ascent from what I keep hearing.

[jdeks]

Bump to an old thread, but hey - sounds like a good hike.

I went down Diamantina spur mid last last winter in a whiteout on dark. That was ....fun. The Cliff is a legit hazard when iced up. Bring a rope.

Out of curiosity, did you run into any canine companions heading in to Dibbins? And has someone filled in that hole behind the door?

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Hi, I would think that going down the Diamantina spur in mid winter in a whiteout as dusk was approaching would be almost suicidal .That cliffy bit was murder in dry clear summer daylight.
I did not see any wild dogs out there in the Alpine N.P. during the Green season that is concluding.

I don't recall any hole behind any hut door.

[mbatch]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and just completed the walk described by PCV over Anzac weekend. After years of contemplation it was my first walking trip into the Victorian Alps and what a stunner so thought I'd share my views. Originally I was saving Feathertop for a family walk but the Anzac weekend provided the opportunity to do something a bit tougher with a friend (Andrew) with the original intention to follow a route described in an old Wild mag (Razorback/Feathertop/Diamantina spur/Mt Jim/Dibbins /Mt Loch)

We headed off from Canberra before sparrow fart on the Saturday and were walking at 11.30am. The Razorback was seeing a lot of traffic on a beautiful sunny (albeit) windy day. The wind soon died down to perfect walking conditions. No wonder it was crowded, the ridge is amazing and the views endless and inspiring and we were able to get to the top and set up camp by late afternoon. Thankfully we had catered for enough water suspecting things may be tight, the camping area was heaving with people .. many wondering around with empty water bottles .. we kept ours close during the night fearing some sort of lord of the flies episode involving thirst crazed walkers

The night was pretty chilly (the price for using a light weight bivy tent) but even so we weren't away super early the next morning (about 8.30am) for the walk back along the Razorback and down Diamantina spur. The ridge down looked great but we were aware of its reputation for tricky steepness. Not sure if work had been done on it but overall we found it to be a well formed and reasonable track down. There were a couple of steep bits and slightly overgrown section near the bottom. Without sounding too blow-hardy it wasn't really in the same league as the ridges around the Shoalhaven or Kanangra .. having said that it did look a long way up !

We wandered along the road at the bottom and arrived at the junction for Weston and Dibbins huts. One of my objectives for the walk was to spend some time at Dibbins which looked a stunning location. Our planned route looked like we may get there late with an early start on Monday so we went to Plan B which was to go direct to Dibbins, hang out, take some photos and maybe a side trip up to Basalt temple. We had already decided a return trips for the high plains would be in order anyway.

A short while later whilst taking a photo of a particularly nice looking gum my well used but not so old Olympus TG3 stopped working. Andrew headed on and I attempted to 'fix' it (change batteries, look quizzically at it etc) Consequently I don't have fond memories of the next little bit as I stewed about my camera and Andrew was too far ahead to get shots with his iphone (despite my bleating I'm no great shakes with a camera, rather a 'documenter' as I can't seem to remember anything without photos) . I do recall it was slightly uphill for a bit on a 4wd track before narrowly to single track. It did provide me an opportunity to reflect on my own brand of walking snobbery. I tend to discount any walking on roads as unworthy even when the scenery is arguably better than single track .. I think this little bit was a good example of that as the forest in the lower valley was really quite nice

As it was we arrived at Dibbins at around lunch and yes it is a lovely spot although a small air force of wasps were in attendance and my mood darkened further with an immediate sting to the arm. I'm one of those types who inflates when bitten so wasn't too put out when Andrew suggested we push on the Derricks Hut for the night instead after lunch and a potter about (noted as a future campsite with the family, yet another return trip required). The track up Swindlers Spur was was not as bad as I feared and we were on top of the steep bit pretty quickly. The more gentle section to Derricks was really enchanting with lovely snow gums and grasses (more teeth gnashing over dead camera). Derricks hut is also another fine location which we reached about 3pm. I was getting weary and was keen to set up camp. At this point Andrew revealed the ace I suspect he had been holding most of the day , that we push on and drive home that night. rather than wasting a day on the road tomorrow. The heart said no but the head said yes, the last bit looked flat and only about 6km so I reluctantly agreed . As it turned out we were in sight of the skiing infrastructure within a km or so (walking snobbery again) but the side trip out to Mt Loch was well worth it for the stunning early evening light over the mountains.

Overall a great walk, so thanks for posting the original report PCV. Personally I didn't find two days overly ambitious for this circuit which I know is at odds with PCV's assessment however we did have ideal walking conditions and reasonably light packs. By the way I'm 50, not particularly fit family man but do try and get out every couple of months or so .. I used to believe in residual fitness but less so with each outing. I can't wait to get back down south and am already planning for post winter.

Thanks again to all who post trip reports here , it's an invaluable resource for out of towners like me. Particularly thanks to akl168 for the kid friendly trip reports, we have started annual multi day walks with our son and are hoping to bump it up to bi-annual so always good to see what other kids are getting up to

Cheers
Mick

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am from the anti ultra light trekking club. I am its only member. Try doing these hikes with 26 kgs. strapped to your body and a small scaled down in size guitar !!.That is how I roll.

[Xplora]

I am from the anti ultra light trekking club. I am its only member. Try doing these hikes with 26 kgs. strapped to your body and a small scaled down in size guitar !!.That is how I roll.

Roll you shall if you trip going down Diamantina with that weight. I am not in the ultra light club but I think I will not join yours either. Keep safe.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I went down the Diamantina spur with a heavy pack . It was a bit hairy at the Cliffy bit , going on all fours or on my backside but I was OK. I don't need to do that again.

[mbatch]

I'm only a recent convert to the light weight way, pack rafting and family trips being the main incentive to lighten the load. Used to be a tin food and bottles sort of guy, remember lugging 35+ kilos on the Overland and near 40kg out to Frenchmans with the climbing gear in tow as well. So yes heading down that hill with a decent load in summer makes all the difference no doubt !

[scroggin]

I remember doing a similar hike many moons ago before any signs of fire on a Labour Day weekend.

Day 1 - Mt Loch Carpark. Razorback, Federation Hut, Mt Fethertop
Day 2 - Federation Hut, Diamantina Spur, Weston Hut, Towonga Huts, Mt Jaithmathang
Day 3 - Towonga Huts, Mt Jim, Dibbins Hut, Mt Loch, Mt Loch Car park
lights left on, flat battery, try to roll start towards Dinner Plain, didn't work, had to sign up to RACV then and there ($$$ for student), waited for RACV, drive home, very very late, Uni the next day.

Still a great walk none the less.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Yes, It was a hot day going down the Diamantina spur in Jan. 2016 with a heavy pack and it is steep . I must say my tinned food days are just for car camping trips now.
I am more of a rice ,dried vegetable and lentils kind of a unit now on hikes.
I remember on one occasion going up the Staircase spur on Mt. Bogong with tins of Dolmatis in my pack ( rice in vine leaves ).

I don't need to do that again.
That seems to be becoming my motto these days.

[mbatch]

I confess that I still make room for the tins of Dolmades !