Bushwalk Australia

I haven't done a trip report in a while, as I always seem to just be repeating variations of what I've done before.
Anyway, apologies if this is too rambling, I'll add videos as I've already prepared them and took few standalone photos.

I completed the lollipop sort of circuit from Falls Creek to Mount Bogong on the 4th and 5th of November.

Day 1 - About 21km
I drove up to Falls Creek from my outer suburban lair, arriving at Watchbed creek just before 9:30am.
After the obligatory faffing about packing stuff properly and checking gear is in order, I set off direction of Roper's Hut.
I didn't have a plan, and had up to 4 days to spare if I needed it.
I haven't done a proper walk since Mt. Koonika in mid-September so was wary of how unfit I was, and how much my legs might get soreness after a few days, so was leaning towards less than 4 days.
After a warm up going along the Big River Firetrail, I saw the AAWT/Hotham Pole line join the trail, then shortly after, Marum Point track.
Sometime shortly after I could see a hill rising behind a ridge, which turned out to be Mount Nelse.
I then passed the pole lines to Johnston and Endmonson hut and the track rose up onto the mount.
I kept moving and made to Mount Nelse North/Spion Kopje Firetrail/Mount Nelse West not long after.
It was nice rolling country with lots of peaks like Hotham and Feathertop in the distance and the big Fella straight ahead with the summit ridge enshrouded.
I got to the Timms Spur/Ropers Hut junction and headed for Ropers.
I had lunch at Ropers and was feeling ok, but it hadn't been hard to that point.

After lunch, I started down Dwayne Spur.
I ran into a bunch of young fit blokes just before the spur drops down, and they were either leaning over or sitting down catching their breath.
After a quick chat, in which I ascertained that Dwayne Spur and T Spur were worse than Staircase Spur in the opinion of these guys who'd come up Staircase the day before, I set off.
It was pretty steep down, but thanks the to selfless, heroic efforts of PCV and his track-clearing minions, the track was clear.
About halfway down, it leveled off, and even went up a bit before it started steeply down toward the river.
Nearing the river, I passed some guys coming up the zigzags in the track, and asked about how bad T Spur was.
I was starting to feel it in the legs, and thinking I may be in a bit too deep here.
But my plan was just to push on past the point of no return, which I'd done by then, as I didn't fancy walking back up Dwayne Spur, and just had to accept it might be hard.
I reached the river, the chain was up, and crossing was simple.
The water level was above the knee, almost mid-thigh.
I had a decent break once across, and then began the slog uphill.
Getting on the spur proper was a job, steep with zigzags in the track.
I got there in the end, and the slope wasn't as bad, but I was pretty much stuffed, so it was just walk a few minutes, stop for a breath, and repeat.
The sun was out at this time, and little breeze down low, so a bit hot too.
The track was pretty clear, which was good, as I'd hate to have had to negotiate fallen logs and all that.
Nearing T Spur Knob, the incline steepened a bit, which was not what I would have requested, so took a while and lots of mini-breaks to catch breath to get up there.
It was a bit stuffed, to put it mildly when I got to T Spur knob, and by this time/altitude a fog had descended, so at least it wasn't hot.
In fact, I pretty much had to put on fleece,beanie and gloves to ward of the chill soon after.
There was another short climb after the knob, then a couple of kms of easy walking, save a few fallen trees to the junction of T Spur track and Long Spur/Mount Bogong.
There was a little creek there, and I might have thought about camping, as it was just on dark, and someone else had already setup tent and gone to bed, so I didn't want to be a noisy pain setting up nearby.
It was now dark as I walked along a bit.
The track seemed easy, then it started to go uphill again.
Navigation wasn't an issue in the fog, as I could see the track with the headlamp, but each snow pole had a green reflector letting me know the direction.
I finally arrived at Cleve Cole hut at about 8:30pm.
I setup the tent in a place I thought wasn't a bad spot, but missed slope from one side of the tent to the other, but all in all, not a bad nights sleep.
https://youtu.be/GUTBOt_RVwQ?si=Amop8YTEjhOliI6Z

Day 2 - About 31km
I got a 5:45 wakeup from a Currawong, with a blue sky and sun shinning.
I packed up, used the facilities, grabbed some water, and headed up to the summit.
I didn't manage to find the rolling stone, or whatever it's called.
I reached the summit after about 2 hours or taking it easy, lots of checking out the views.
It's the 4th time I've attempted to summit Bogong this year, the other times in Winter with varying amounts of snow, and coming up either Eskdale or Staircase Spurs.
It was brisk up there, so after a break and catching more views, time to move on.
I wanted to get back up on the high-plains that evening, so if my legs started giving me hell from muscle soreness (usually takes 24-48 hours I believe), I'd be a short hobble from the car.
After a break, I continued on to Hooker Plateau, then on to Quartz Knob.
I looked at the ridge going steeply down to the right a few hundred meters and thought oh dear.
But the track wasn't too bad, a bit steep in places, and after a while it veered to the left, and away from the steep part and down a more civilized track below the treeline.
The sun came out, and wind disappeared, so it was warm going down, and after I while I started to feel it.
I spoke with a guy who'd camped at Cairn Creek Hut after starting from Granite Flat Spur the day before and was heading back up the Quartz ridge to go to Cleve Cole.
Then soon after a group who'd come from Falls Creek, via the Grey HIlls and were heading for Cleve Cole.
I had a stumble and fell, picking up some ants who wanted to make a meal of me.
Apart from a bit where the track rose to a small knob, it was downhill, but wasn't too steep, if a bit warm to the junction with Cairn Creek Hut track/Helipad track.
I startled a large deer, that honked and all I saw was a big deer's *&%$#! disappearing into the bush.
Not long after reaching that junction, I was at the Big River firetrail and really in need of a break.
I had thought of going back via the Grey Hills, but thought that might be too much of an effort, so took the easy(er) way back.
I continued on down the trail to Big River and crossed.
I collected as much water as I could carry for the trip up Timms Spur to the High plains.
I spoke with a couple who arrived just after me, they were thinking of staying at Ropers.
I started up the trail, not super steep, but enough in the conditions and feeling fatigued to make it a slow, slog kind of thing.
I was passed by the couple a while after, and they were going at a fast pace.
Young fit people, I'm not jealous, much.
Anyway, apart form nearly hitting a brown snake with a trekking pole, and a few sun showers that weren't worth the name, it was 3 and a bit hours to get up high.
It was nice up top, and cool.
I continued on to the Timms Spur/Ropers junction, and preferred the though of solitude than sharing the hut with the couple and whoever else might be there.
I guess I'm antisocial when I'm tired.
I plodded back past the Nelses, it was getting on, and sun was low.
I saw smoke coming from the Chimney of Johnston hut, so decided, if I hadn't already, to head for the car, and sleep the night there.
The sun was set by the time I reached Marum Point, and got back to the car a bit later, and drove home next morning.
https://youtu.be/XqK9Ihn7D3k?si=KOuKHlapMaMNbR4x

It turns out I got a few photos:




Addendum: After all that worrying about not being fit enough and my muscles getting DOMS, they're fine and apart from a blackened toe from not having the shoes done up correctly on Dwayne Spur, no injuries to report.

That was a heroic effort . I still don't understand why you walked 4-5 days in two days. I walked that route in April 2022 and it took four nights and five days. Edmondson's hut has good camping and makes an easy final day back to the car from Mt. Nelse.
There is water available at Ed. hut from a stream not far from the hut itself. It comes out of a pipe !
BTAC cleared the track at Roper's hut down to the water source at Duane creek and the hut door was removed from its hinges and oiled properly. The door step at Roper's hut was rebuilt using stones and cement.
As you observed in your video Roper's hut is indeed excellent in winter and also in very poor weather
in green season it is a life saving refuge for AAWT trekkers, which is one of the reasons it was rebuilt after the original hut burned down in a bushfire. The present hut is vastly superior with proper insulation and a proper wood burner stove.
I will return to walk at Mt. Bogong next month and I might see you up there !

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:That was a heroic effort . I still don't understand why you walked 4-5 days in two days. I walked that route in April 2022 and it took four nights and five days.

It is a good effort and people just like to do their own thing. For me that walk was be 3 days (that was going via the Grey Hills). For you it is five. Nothing wrong with taking longer. The walking on the High Plains is easy and quick. Once above the tree line on Bogong it is also easy and quick. Most people doing the AAWT will walk 20 plus kms a day. You don't have to understand anything. Just do what you do and be happy for others to do their thing.

paidal_chalne_vala wrote: I still don't understand why you walked 4-5 days in two days.

Just the way it turned out.
I wasn't gonna camp at 1-2pm anywhere, there's a good 5+ hours walking light at that time of the day at this time of year.
So that ruled out Ropers on the 1st day, and Cairn Creek/Helipad on the second.
Ropers was occupied, as far as I knew, as was Edmondson.
I guess any answer won't suffice, as you're not a weirdo loner like me, so you'd do it different.

Thanks again for the track work, and advice.
I was thinking of just a Feathertop Loop because of concern I was not up to doing this circuit.

Xplora wrote:

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:That was a heroic effort . I still don't understand why you walked 4-5 days in two days. I walked that route in April 2022 and it took four nights and five days.

It is a good effort and people just like to do their own thing. For me that walk was be 3 days (that was going via the Grey Hills). For you it is five. Nothing wrong with taking longer. The walking on the High Plains is easy and quick. Once above the tree line on Bogong it is also easy and quick. Most people doing the AAWT will walk 20 plus kms a day. You don't have to understand anything. Just do what you do and be happy for others to do their thing.

Those AAWT walkers, or thru walkers on YouTube doing American long trails bashing out 20+mile days week after week are something else.
I remember the Magnesium tablets and after your tip, so thanks! as the cramps didn't happen at all in the walks, when normally I would have got them half way up T Spur or Big River Firetrail after all that effort.
I didn't have to nerve to try Grey Hills as I'm not aware of camping sites after the Helipad until your reach Spion Kopje Firetrail and thought it might be a 'bridge too far' effort wise.

There is no water on the Grey Hills but there is a dry but exposed camp site on
top of Mt. Arthur. On top of Grey Hills Knob there is space to put up a tent so too
is there space for a tent on top of The Crow's Nest.
There are too many ants up there in green season.
I prefer a sheltered campsite in the treeline with a water source if possible.
I do quite a bit of walking on my own but I do enjoy relaxing and winding
down for the day at the camp site and just being with nature. I always take a book to read in my tent .
I don't need to walk from 7 until 7 . That was never my thing really.
Anyway you have done the whirlwind version of this route .
Next time you can visit some peaks, enjoy the views and take in some of the huts too.
As someone who skis I can recommend The Mt. Nelse area and
perhaps you might like to snow camp at Edmondson hut.
The trip back to Watchbed creek is faster and more efficient on skis, even with a heavy overnight pack.
This region is what converted me from snow shoes to skis. Snow shoes are tedious on the easy descents
on the rolling Bogong High Plains terrain.

Are you sponsored by Big-Ski?
You're always trying to get me into non-Alpine skiing.
I reckon I'd spend a truck-load gearing up, then do an ACL first turn or something silly like that.
I think I'd like to checkout the High-Plains in Winter, but would need chains/pass to do that, or walk up from somewhere.

paidal_chalne_vala wrote: The trip back to Watchbed creek is faster and more efficient on skis, even with a heavy overnight pack.
This region is what converted me from snow shoes to skis. Snow shoes are tedious on the easy descents
on the rolling Bogong High Plains terrain.

I would have thought it was harder with skis, even snowshoes, this time of year.

A nice relaxed pace is good but there is nothing about this walk that would take you 5 days unless you stopped at lunch every day. If that is your think more power to you. The last time we did this it was day one to Bogong Creek saddle via the Grey Hills (camp by 4pm). Day two was a short day because I wanted to camp at Big River. I think we were there by 2pm. Day three we were back at Falls Creek for lunch. I think we pushed it hard from Ropers to the car but it is a road and getting that done quick is good. I guess it helps that we were only carrying light packs and not an entire caravan.

I was referring to using skis versus snow shoes for July, August and early September travel in the Mt. Nelse area.
I have walked all day not along ago at The Prom.. I walked from Sealers' Cove to Halfway hut. That was a long day.
I prefer to reach camp by about 3 pm if possible when bushwalking. People have their own preferences and that is fine.
I am not taking anything away from anyone walking the Watchbed Creek - Mt. Bogong Loop in 2 days and one night.
Even just carrying a 5 kg pack I doubt I could do that or would even be interested in trying.
I like having a nice lunch break , stopping for photos, leech removal and so on.

Leeches on the Watchbed-Bogong circuit? How on earth do you manage that?

Leeches have grabbed onto me at both Big River crossings and had lunch well before I did!

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:I was referring to using skis versus snow shoes for July, August and early September travel in the Mt. Nelse area.

You missed the obvious humour.

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:Even just carrying a 5 kg pack I doubt I could do that or would even be interested in trying.
I like having a nice lunch break , stopping for photos, leech removal and so on.

Absolutely. It would not appeal to me either but I am confident I could do it if needed. Our two and half days was pretty relaxed and I am not sure how much extra time the Grey Hills would have added. If we had gone down Timms spur we may have just steamed on to the river instead of taking the time to enjoy the scenery.

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:Leeches have grabbed onto me at both Big River crossings and had lunch well before I did!

I'm starting to think that, as much as mozzies love me, there must be some sort of leech repellent in my blood because I've spent a fair bit of time dryiing things out after crossing that river on various walks, and never seen so much as a twitch from a non-flying blood-sucker.

Walking all day compensates for my snails pace up hills.
Really need to shed more kilos (body weight) to speed things up.

What is considered a good pack weight for a few nights?

I was packing about 15kg with 4 days food and 3 litres of water, so not ultralight, and I didn't eat a meal after lunch first day, just some chocolate bars, and a couple of muesli bars.
So, carried a kilo or two of noodles, pasta and freeze dried meat for nought, so not eating meals wasn't the plan, just got to camp late or didn't feel hungry so forced in high-energy stuff like chocolate bars.
I'm clearly still working on being efficient at this caper.

Baeng72 wrote:Walking all day compensates for my snails pace up hills.
Really need to shed more kilos (body weight) to speed things up.

What is considered a good pack weight for a few nights?

I was packing about 15kg with 4 days food and 3 litres of water, so not ultralight, and I didn't eat a meal after lunch first day, just some chocolate bars, and a couple of muesli bars.
So, carried a kilo or two of noodles, pasta and freeze dried meat for nought, so not eating meals wasn't the plan, just got to camp late or didn't feel hungry so forced in high-energy stuff like chocolate bars.
I'm clearly still working on being efficient at this caper.

If 15kg is your total weight I would say you are doing well for 4 days. I am running 15 -16kg for a summer 3 nighter but could improve, although I do fine with that. That includes 700ml of red wine and a dram or two of Scotch. I don't eat much for an evening meal but prefer to snack through the day. Also trying to lose some weight but living in the mountains provides a level of fitness I don't often appreciate until I walk with others. I don't call myself fit at all but can still manage to keep pace. Perhaps it is just that I am used to lower oxygen. Still wish I could be fitter but getting older I relax my expectations. I think you are doing well and this walk shows you can achieve beyond your expectations.

Eating sugary crap junk food is not good.Period.

You should try to eat complex carbohydrates such as Daal and rice. The food powering many a Himalayan trekking trip and esp. the porters.
Even just a noodle soup of some sort would beat eating mars bars and other cr*p for supper which just makes you put on weight and puts
your endocrine system under duress.
You will sleep better with less sugar in your system.

The matter of accessing the Mt. Nelse area in the snow without wheel chains or paying for Falls Creek resort
entry at Howman's gap or online in advance can be dealt with by taking the early
Bus up from Tawonga South. It is a good way to get up there to the bus depot at Falls Creek and an easy way to get back too.
Of course you could cozy up to a regular ski season pass user such as yours truly .
Staying at Johnston hut in the Telemark ski club section of the cabin is great !.
Staying for a week at the Bogong Rover Chalet is superb.

Cous cous cooks quickly , uses very little stove fuel and very little water to cook.
Adding a sachet of tuna, deydrated peas, onions, garlic, mushrooms etc. ,salt , ghee and a spot of chilli
flakes makes it taste like food.
You boil the water with the dehydrated veggies and then add the cous cous. Put the lid on and wait for a few minutes.
Add the tuna, ghee, salt etc. and eat .

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:Eating sugary crap junk food is not good.Period.

You should try to eat complex carbohydrates such as Daal and rice. The food powering many a Himalayan trekking trip and esp. the porters.
Even just a noodle soup of some sort would beat eating mars bars and other cr*p for supper which just makes you put on weight and puts
your endocrine system under duress.
You will sleep better with less sugar in your system.

Maybe just let people do what suits them and this was a matter of circumstance as opposed to not having other food. I wouldn't be cooking dinner if I got to camp after dark and was exhausted. I should probably be polite about where to put your cous cous.