Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Victoria specific bushwalking discussion.
Forum rules
Victoria specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Mon 15 Dec, 2014 12:05 pm

Hi,I lead a private hiking party of 5 in total up the Bungalow spur On Sat.13/12/14 .We made it up there to Federation hut in good weather and went to the summit after a rest and pitching our tents. The next day We elected to descend via the NW spur. The track after the MUMC hut is barely there, it is very damaged by bushfires , marked out by sporadic pink tape on burnt twigs etc and the spur just goes
S T R A I G H T
D O W N for 7 kms !!!!!.

It was beyond hardcore!. There was quite a bit of bush bashing and scrambling down 85 Degree declines. My thighs are just shot now.I won't be going near the NW spur track again. The track vanishes a number of times and when you hit the cool flowing creek at the bottom the 'track' keeps going for a number of Kilometres along the creek even though fatigue is setting in.
I would imagine
Going
UP
:-0
the NW spur would be the gold standard in torture .If it was raining or snowing on the spur I think I would have cracked it, and had moment of being tired and emotional. :shock: :( :cry: :lol:
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby Moondog55 » Mon 15 Dec, 2014 12:41 pm

You went straight down the Spur ?/ Most people use the firetrack and Yes I did that in winter once but coming up which I think is easier
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
Moondog55
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11066
Joined: Thu 03 Dec, 2009 4:15 pm
Location: Norlane Geelong Victoria Australia
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Mon 15 Dec, 2014 1:06 pm

The track has been burnt by fire. Is that what you mean as the Fire track?. The angle of the descent is straight down , steeper than many other descents that I have done in The VIC ALPS.
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby Stew63 » Mon 15 Dec, 2014 4:19 pm

Was up at Feathertop last night with the kids to watch the AMAZING Geminidis Meteor Shower. Started late - at 12:15am and although not as many as we expected (only ~10/hr) the meteors we saw - in particular 10 of them were just HUGE and bright. They left a long, bright momentary 'comet like' trails across the sky, before the 'head' fizzled into red/green/blue. Not what I was expecting at all - AMAZING natural wonder that I and the kids will never forget...

In the past I was used to meteors as unremarkable, very faint, tiny dot like 'stars' moving and disappearing in moments... Not any more.
Stew63
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 388
Joined: Sat 03 Mar, 2012 2:53 am
Location: Eltham, Victoria
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby alanoutgear » Mon 15 Dec, 2014 8:56 pm

NW spur has always been "memorable". I did it a few times in my fitter days, and those steep downhill sections about half way down are a quad test beyond belief.
User avatar
alanoutgear
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun 02 May, 2010 9:21 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 16 Dec, 2014 10:42 pm

My Thighs are still shot. I can hardly walk around , I just hobble down the stairs to the drive way to the letter box. I went for a swim( 2 kms ) and a sauna today and I am still sore and stiff beyond belief .I can't see a rapid recovery tomorrow either.
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby andrewbish » Wed 17 Dec, 2014 6:36 pm

I'd like to experience this horror for myself - this Sunday/Monday to be exact. I will report back.
Twitter: @andrewbishxplor Blog: Trails & tracks
User avatar
andrewbish
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 802
Joined: Mon 03 Jan, 2011 7:08 pm
Location: Melbourne
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby walkon » Wed 17 Dec, 2014 6:40 pm

andrewbish wrote:I'd like to experience this horror for myself - this Sunday/Monday to be exact. I will report back.


gee your Hardcore after that warning. You will have to report back and give us your thoughts on what it was like :D
Cheers Walkon

"I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world."
User avatar
walkon
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 803
Joined: Sun 24 Nov, 2013 7:03 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Thu 18 Dec, 2014 7:09 pm

It is now Thursday today and my legs are still sore! I made a mistake in hiking down the NW spur.It was an adventure!, but it was the adventure you get when you expect something more pleasant. I spent a lot of time looking at my feet/footing so I didn't fall over. So the scenery wasn't something I can say that I noticed too much. I have not been this sore since I went down the Eskdale spur in Jan. 2014.
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby icefest » Wed 24 Dec, 2014 6:33 pm

The NW spur will always have a special place in my heart. It was my first route and still the one I've used most. It's definitely not the easiest though.

I think my best time down from MUMC hut was just under an hour.

Over of the best preventative strategies for DOMS is previous exposure, so it shouldn't be that bad next time (there's also apparently some weak evidence the caffeine may help in naive individuals).
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful.
User avatar
icefest
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 4475
Joined: Fri 27 May, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: www.canyoninginvictoria.org
Region: Victoria

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby north-north-west » Wed 24 Dec, 2014 6:41 pm

icefest wrote:... DOMS ....

Downhill Overuse Muscle Strain? Damned Outrageously Moronic Senators? Don't Own Many Shoes? Dan's Only Moderately Sane?
?????
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
User avatar
north-north-west
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 15069
Joined: Thu 14 May, 2009 7:36 pm
Location: The Asylum
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Social Misfits Anonymous
Region: Tasmania

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby andrewbish » Wed 24 Dec, 2014 8:49 pm

andrewbish wrote:I'd like to experience this horror for myself - this Sunday/Monday to be exact. I will report back.



I ascended NW Spur on Monday and I can declare that it IS a hard, long slog, but - it is no harder that some of the other big spurs in the areas - like Diamantina Spur or the Staircase Spur. The trail was also pretty easy to follow. I will follow up with a blog post soon.
Twitter: @andrewbishxplor Blog: Trails & tracks
User avatar
andrewbish
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 802
Joined: Mon 03 Jan, 2011 7:08 pm
Location: Melbourne
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby icefest » Thu 25 Dec, 2014 9:47 am

Delayed onset muscle soreness.

Using your muscles while they stretch (ie while you go downhill) makes tiny tears in the body of the muscle and these become painful over the next day for about a week.
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful.
User avatar
icefest
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 4475
Joined: Fri 27 May, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: www.canyoninginvictoria.org
Region: Victoria

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby north-north-west » Thu 25 Dec, 2014 4:28 pm

icefest wrote:Delayed onset muscle soreness.

Using your muscles while they stretch (ie while you go downhill) makes tiny tears in the body of the muscle and these become painful over the next day for about a week.

Thanks. I will probably still call it Oh *&%$#!!
Making sure you stretch a lot at the end of the day helps. Particularly not sitting or lying down before doing a lot of stretching. And when I say 'a lot' I mean half an hour minimum.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
User avatar
north-north-west
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 15069
Joined: Thu 14 May, 2009 7:36 pm
Location: The Asylum
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Social Misfits Anonymous
Region: Tasmania

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sat 27 Dec, 2014 6:09 pm

Yes, I didn't start hobbling until two days later ! Everyone who likes sore legs should Try going D O W N the NW spur. That is the killer!
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 11 Jul, 2017 2:30 pm

Never say never again. I am heading up the NW spur on Monday with a full winter mountaineering pack!
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby icefest » Wed 12 Jul, 2017 11:37 am

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:Never say never again. I am heading up the NW spur on Monday with a full winter mountaineering pack!

But will you be going DOWN there too?
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful.
User avatar
icefest
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 4475
Joined: Fri 27 May, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: www.canyoninginvictoria.org
Region: Victoria

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 12 Jul, 2017 7:53 pm

I am not going DOWN :-0 the NW spur if I can help it !!. If I have crawl with an ice axe and self arrest pole in each hand respectively to get to Fed. hut then onto the Bungalow spur track then that may have to be the way it must be and the way to get back to my car at the bottom of the hill.
;-P
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby jdeks » Sat 22 Jul, 2017 12:39 am

You made it back in one piece paidal? How's the snow cover looking up there now? Still a bit thin?
jdeks
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 349
Joined: Sat 15 Mar, 2014 5:05 pm
Region: Australia

Re: Mt Feathertop.Dec. 2014 trip report.THE NW spur

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sat 22 Jul, 2017 2:05 pm

Hi,I piked out of the NW spur and went up to Fed. hut via the Bungalow spur.The hut with a wood heater made a huge difference in poor conditions.
It hammered down with snow all night on Monday night cum Tuesday morning. We now have good snow cover from the Old Fed. Hut ruins upwards. The season is now on.I will be back with a VNPA group under my glorious leadership do it all again next month. Check the VIC trip reports for the details of what happened on July 17th and 18th 2017 .
paidal_chalne_vala
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Sun 22 Jan, 2012 10:30 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: VNPA.BTAC.Friends of Baw Baw.
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male


Return to Victoria

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests