Weekend in the victorian alps

[esharp]

Hi guys
I am currently organising a overnight weekend hike in Victoria with my brother and another friend.
We are all fit and have experience hiking in the snow.

The two options we are looking at are mount Feathertop or mount Bogong.
Looking at camping out overnight and making it a two day trip, camping below the tree line or near the ridge if conditions allow.
We would be doing the walk either late june/early july so we are expecting snow.
Does anyone have experience with these walks in the winter months? Are crampons/ice axe needed at all?
& for your first experience, which one would you chose?
I am sure we will go back & do the other later on regardless.

Thanks!

[north-north-west]

Depends how much snow there is. Just a light dusting and you can get away without assistance. But otherwise crampons or snowshoes. Ice axe wouldn't hurt although I've done both with snow more than once and never needed one.

Feathertop is a shorter walk, assuming you go up via Bungalow Spur - although the loop via Bon Accord and the Razorback is a wonderful two dayer. More route & hut options for Bogong, which can also be turned into a two day loop.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

If there is a massive dump of snow in Early July then Mt. Bogong and Mt. FT will be ice axe, crampons and snow shoes country. The Eskdale spur on Mt Bogong as well as sections of the Razorback and Mt. FT are very steep and being able to stop yourself sliding off an icy section would be handy .

[Xplora]

Crampons are good for early morning when the snow is solid ice and you have an incline of any sort. Snow shoes just do not work that well for this but you may need them for the softer stuff. We take both but have never carried or needed an ice axe so far. Bogong had a good cover the other day so you may be lucky enough to catch some unless more rain comes. I would agree with NNW that it provides a better option for snow and huts but huts are not to be relied upon for sleeping. You should be able to start at Eskdale spur if you do not want to start at Mountain Creek and do the Staircase. Bungalow spur offers an easy access to Feathertop and the Razorback is nice in snow. Federation hut is quite good and much the same as Michell hut on Eskdale. Cleve Cole hut is worth visiting but again it may be occupied as it has its own club. Parking at the end of the Razorback at that time of year is very costly as it is in the resort boundary. The Razorback and Bon Accord would be a BIG day so make sure you do Feathertop on the first day. I would not contemplate going up or down via North West Spur on this trip as time would not permit. For scenery I think Feathertop and the Razorback would be a little better but it may be busier too until you get onto Bon Accord. Be prepared in either case to pitch a tent on snow so get some snow pegs. Which ever you decide to do I am sure you will enjoy. They are both great first time winter alps walks and if the weather turns on you there are good exits or shelter nearby unless your name is Tim Holding.

[Lophophaps]

They are both great first time winter alps walks and if the weather turns on you there are good exits or shelter nearby unless your name is Tim Holding.

LOL! For those who cannot recall this event, see
http://www.smh.com.au/national/minister ... -f5rl.html

Good advice above.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Tim Holding 's name will forever be in outdoors activities' circles synonymous with IDIOT! . I heard he did not have snow pegs or 'nuffink' ! . ;-P .

[Xplora]

Tim Holding 's name will forever be in outdoors activities' circles synonymous with IDIOT! . I heard he did not have snow pegs or 'nuffink' ! . ;-P .

And once he was rescue he was taken to Bright hospital with a sprained ankle. They of course were not equipped to deal with such a serious injury so he was transferred to Melbourne by Air Ambulance. We were going to be up there at the same time but pulled out as the weather report was not good. This is probably the biggest lesson for anyone contemplating winter Alps walking (or anytime Alps walking). Being prepared for bad weather is a good thing but a being prepared to cancel your plans is better. I know this is hard for those who have to book time off work but it is better than time off your life. If you are unsure how to read the mountain weather then you can always ask here or on one of the ski forums. The other mistake Tim Holding made was leaving his mobile phone on so it was sure to be flat when he needed it most. Batteries do not last as long in the cold. You get phone reception most if not all of the way in both locations and they have installed a cradle for phones which is connected to an antenna at Cleve Cole hut so I am told. If your phone is your lifeline then turn it off or carry a charging device or backup. A PLB should not be activated if you can get phone reception.

I am sure there is a good gear list somewhere on this site for the essentials for winter Alps walking and it will vary depending on the person. Without this being an exhaustive list and not repeating the above items I would normally add a few things to my summer pack such as waterproof overpants, balaclava, beanie, snow goggles, alpine sleeping bag, full length snow suitable sleeping mat, 4 season tent, inner gloves, waterproof outer gloves, thermal layers top and bottom, down hut boots, down vest or jacket, space blanket or similar and 2 walking poles with snow baskets. A gortex jacket is a must and can double as a wind layer but a windstopper jacket is also good for fine weather. Every item listed I have used in the snow at some stage but they are not always needed, except for the one occasion and I was glad to have it. Discussion of these things is probably best done in the equipment threads of this site but it does not hurt to have it elsewhere every now and then.

[Lophophaps]

Xplora, +1. I'd go further on the phone point and take the battery out or otherise electrically isolate it - some phones run down on standby. Sprained ankles are serious. I hope his government driver did not get too bored waiting at the foot of the mountain.

[GBW]

Shovel

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Xplora's Vic. Alps snow trekking gear list is a good one.
I take all of those things, possibly more , in fact.

If I see bad weather coming ,in the snow season, I just bail out.
I did it last year on the Razorback. We snow camped at the Diamantina hut having trekked up the Bon Accord spur all day in early September.
It was clear at dawn the next day. Then in the blink of an eye the weather changed. I said to my less experienced trekking friend, "There is no way I am going across the Razorback in snowshoes in a potential white out". So we went back down the BA spur on day two and lived to tell the tale.

[Xplora]

Shovel

I have thought from time to time a shovel would be handy but we have managed without one so far. If we were camped in the one spot for a while then maybe. It would be handy to dig the snow pegs out in the morning or maybe even dig yourself out. We also put a pull cord on the snow pegs and the poo spade is strong enough to dig them out. Even another snow peg can chip away at the ice. The good thing about snow camping is that finding a level spot for the tent is easy. Just make one.

[Moondog55]

Shovel is now on my must pack list
See my snow camping 101 thread for more info

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I know a snow shovel could be handy but surely an ice axe can be used to dig things out and fashion surfaces etc. The Bluff Spur hut at Mt Stirling has a resident shovel. One would only consider taking a snow shovel for major back country trips where finding a hut would be highly unlikely.