Snow hikes

[wildernesswanderer]

I really want to get out snow camping/hiking this year. This will be my first time and I'm after a hike that is not to difficult but somewhere in the high country, I was think Bogong area maybe but open to all suggestions. And I guess any snow hike will need snow shoes

[Strider]

Contact Moondog55 if you're looking for someone to go with

[andrewa]

I agree that Moondog is gong out of his way to assist newbies in getting to appreciate snow camping etc. it's a shame more people aren't taking advantage of his offer.

Bogong is a big start. Once you get above the tree line it gets steep, with big drop offs, and the weather is often contrary to other places. Getting off the summit plateau of Bogong when it freezes is only practical if you have crampons/ice axe/or are good at edging skis etc. I've been up there 50+ times in winter, and just don't see it as being a place to learn snow camping.

I'd suggest you think about either Baw Baw plateau - eg from Mt St Gwinnear or Mt Erica or Falls Ck , which has some easily accessible snow camping around the dam. Even walking/skiing out from Hotham towards Mt Loch provides some great snow camping opportunities without being too remote.

Andrew A

[andrewbish]

G'day Wildernesswanderer

Hiking and camping in the snow is great fun and can provide a terrific adventure. Search this forum for threads on 'snow' and 'winter' for some good starter advice.

Mt St Gwinear and Mt Stirling are good places to practice. As mentioned above A forum member, Moondog55, is well worth contacting as he is organising a snow camp at Falls Creek for the first week in August - check out this thread: viewtopic.php?t=12289

Andrew B

[wildernesswanderer]

Thanks for the info and will check out the thread

[quicky]

Another awesome place to start is the Bluff/Mt Eadley Stoney. You can drive up relatively close to the hut (before you reach the closed gate). The walk in to, and above the snow line is straight forward.....up a snow covered road for about 45 minutes. From there, you can snow camp on camp ground (or not), utilise Bluff Hut, day hike to The Bluff or Eadley Stoney...all in relative safety and with mobile reception.

Highly recommended as a good place to start too. Can share pics if you wish.

[wildernesswanderer]

Thanks, I may even be able to get my other half to do that, sounds a little easier. Pics are always good

[andrewa]

Quicky, you'd need an AWD with reasonable clearance for that trip wouldn't you? ( as distinct from a 2wd). I took our Audi Q7 up to Bluff Hut last year in summer, and needed to be careful with the speed humps in the track. Wouldn't have got my Golf there though. And, yes, the 4wd guys in their GQ patrols, land cruisers etc scoffed at me ( ..........but I scoffed back at them, coz I still own a 22 yo Nissan Patrol myself!).

Andrew A

[Solohike74]

I say go to Mt Stirling. There are nice huts for backup if it gets really pearshaped, with toilets & fireplaces. You're mostly sheltered & its great fun, a really special place. Also consider walking to Federations hut from Harrietville its only 4-4.5 hours with total ascent of 1000m.

Anyway I don't mind the company of a rookie on some of my snow camps I'm well equipped, cook on atrangia & can demonstrate snowcraft at the campsite. I might also be joining Moondog but am also going to Tassie in August for the OT.

[andrewbish]

.......but I scoffed back at them, coz I still own a 22 yo Nissan Patrol myself!).
Andrew A

The king of four wheel drives!

(Ok I have one too)

[Strider]

.......but I scoffed back at them, coz I still own a 22 yo Nissan Patrol myself!).
Andrew A

The king of four wheel drives!

(Ok I have one too)

Have to be good at something when you're slow and ugly, I guess

[andrewbish]

.......but I scoffed back at them, coz I still own a 22 yo Nissan Patrol myself!).
Andrew A

The king of four wheel drives!

(Ok I have one too)

Have to be good at something when you're slow and ugly, I guess

Yes we are

[north-north-west]

You can get into the Bogong High Plains via Bogong Village, Falls or Trapyard, and just wander around. It's great walking under snow. Plenty of huts if you feel more comfy with the knowledge of having them as a fallback in case the conditions go sour.
But I do tend to agree that Stirling or the Baw Baw would be easier places to start.

[Moondog55]

Hi WW; have a read of the thread ( both of them) and PM me if interested. Only a week left until we drive up to make the basecamp dump

[andrewa]

NNW, do you really walk "under" snow? ....

A

[Hallu]

Unless there are glaciers we're not aware of in Australia.

[Moondog55]

Under snowy skys and leaden clouds, feathery flakes singing on my lips with a cold, cold kiss, wind lifting my shirt and cooling my skin, cold outside and on fire with-in.
White horizons and deep blue sky the next day and the joy of first tracks on new snow
I love winter

[Kinsayder]

Very nice, Moondog. I love it too.

[north-north-west]

NNW, do you really walk "under" snow? ....

A

There's one in every crowd.
I meant - and I would have thought this was painfully obvious - when the ground is under snow.

[wildernesswanderer]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to go to Baw Baw first and then going to go to Craig's Hut also sometime in the season, before I commit to anything that is harder/more challenging.

[Moondog55]

Just be aware that [ unless it has been totally rebuilt since my last visit] Craigs Hut isn't a real hut and offers no protection from the wind and / or driven snow. We did use the hut as a partial windbreak and pitched our tents inside it tho

[bailz66]

We did our first snow hike about 9 months ago.

We were planning to do Falls -> Hotham but got caught in a blizzard on the high plains (Fun experience)

Anyway if your after another easy track you could do. You could leave from falls and do a loop track out past Towonga huts, to pole 333 and back on the loop back to the lake (I forget its name now)

[sim1oz]

This thread couldn't be more timely! I went snowshoeing in NZ last July (while hubby attended a conference ) and loved it, so we've finally bitten the bullet and bought some snow shoes. Thanks for all the tips on places to go. Our kids are looking forward to it...I get asked daily when we are going. I think we'll start with a day snowshoeing at Lake Mountain, then perhaps a trip or two to Baw Baw (maybe even an overnight snow camp - will have to look into a 4-season tent), then the Mt Stirling camp sounds great. If we manage to pull all that off, it would be fun to make it to Pretty Valley in August. I think I'll stick to places I've walked without snow to start with, but all the other places sounds great.