Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

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Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby richardjcam » Sun 26 Nov, 2017 11:35 am

Hi,

I'd just like some feedback on the following walk. My walking partner and I are experienced multi-day walkers (though with poor senses of direction! We do have a good map and compass). We've paced it out so the distances are pretty short. We reckon many of the camps will be at intersections where we can wander off the itinerary should we feel inclined, but we aim to walk ponderously. Any thoughts etc most welcome :)

1st day (12km medium)
Mt Loch Carpark – Diamantina Hut (Razorback) - Federation Hut
Camp at Federation Hut site

2nd day (12km medium; a lot of down toward end)
Federation hut - Feathertop - Twin Knobs/High Knob junction (back) - Blair Hut (Diamantina Spur)
Camp at Blair Hut site

3rd Day (13.5km uphill first 3-5kish)
Blair Hut - Weston hut - Pole 333 (Alpine Walking Track) - Cope Saddle Hut - Cope Hut
Camp at Cope Hut site

4th Day (14km medium)
Cope Hut - Cope Saddle Hut (back) - Horse Yard (via Cope Saddle) - Mt Jaithmathang and back - Tawonga Hut.
Camp at Tawonga Hut site

5th day (12km Medium)
Tawonga Hut - Pole 333 - Dibben hut (Apline Trail, Swindlers Spur) - Derrick Hut
Camp at Derrick Hut

6th day (spitting distance)
Derrick Hut - Mt Loch Carpark (Machinery Spur)
Back to Smellbourne.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Lophophaps » Sun 26 Nov, 2017 2:01 pm

That looks okay, quite viable. I rather like the word “ponderously”.

Mount Loch Car Park to Federation Hut is about four hours. Take care on the start, as you are walking on the road. There's no water until the hut, and if the tank is dry, go back up the hill towards MUMC for about 15 minutes. You may wish to make a short side-trip for water before descending to the hut. If you start before noon then you will have time to climb Feathertop. There's a few campsites high near the summit and MUMC turnoffs.

As many here have noted, Diamantina Spur is steep. If you get moving early then you will be at Blairs for lunch. I suggest starting as early as possible to beat the heat. In summer I leave by 6-6.30am, and as early as 5.20am if the day is long. Blairs Hut is a fair shelter, a bit drafty.

Blairs to Westons is nice. Consider doing this on the second day, as this builds in a safety margin. It's exposed after the bushline, and in bad weather progress may be slow. Think about options for all days. On this day there's Tawonga Huts, Pretty Valley Hut and Ryders Huts. At Cope Hut there's nice spots away from the stupid camping platforms, which have nice views but are exposed. From the hut the platforms are on the left and veer right into the trees a bit for shelter.

One option on the fourth day is to go over Mount Cope, track up and easy scrub down on the west. There's an aqueduct. Cross this and then the creek to Ryders. From there follow the aqueduct to above High Plains Creek, then down to the creek and the waterfalls. Follow High Plains Creek up to the weir and Mount Jim. If the weather breaks head for Youngs Hut. From Mount Jim, go about halfway down from pole 333, then veer left over a gentle bump to end up in a saddle below Mount Jaithmathang. It's an easy off-track walk to here from the pole line, and there may be pads. From the saddle it's perhaps an hour up and back to Jaithamathang, then down to Tawonga Hut. Or camp on the summit. There's water just after the saddle.

Day five is quite short, maybe five hours, if that. If you are ahead of schedule then you can do a bit more, Red Robin or Spargos. Day six is about 90 minutes.

You should have a lot of options in case the itinerary needs to be varied.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby ChrisJHC » Sun 26 Nov, 2017 3:57 pm

Looks like about 4 hours walking a day. For me that’s a bit short as you spend a lot of time sitting around camp.
You could always walk part of the way, drop your packs and do short trips to nearby Points of Interest then put your packs back on and finish the day.
I’d definitely be taking a Kindle!


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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 4:47 am

Agree, 4-5 hours for each day as planned in the OP. Only the first day may be a late start, and camp on the rest of the days will be reached by noon at the latest. This is why I suggested going to Westons on the second day. There really needs to be more destinations. If you get to Westons on the second day it should be possible to reach Marms Point, camp (plenty of water near the management track) and bag Nelse as a side trip. Return via Kellys and Fitzys. If the weather breaks head straight back on the pole line to pole 267, cutting the corner south of Jim, or take the Ryders aqueduct, has a bit more shelter than the ridges. From pole 267 it's about 40 minutes downhill to Youngs Hut. Coming back, cut the corner NW or so and avoid pole 267, saves a bit of climbing and descent.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby dinna89 » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 11:15 am

one of the tawonga huts has a fireplace - don't use it, it fills the hut up with smoke.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Xplora » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 1:54 pm

Water is available down Bungalow spur a short distance. Should be a sign and a good track off to the left to the spring. There is some recent discussion about the Diamantina spur track leading to a rock scramble where ropes could be required. This is not my recollection and I have followed a path which traversed north of the rocks. It may be faint or overgrown. Tracks were not good last time I was there and we followed a bearing. Generally east and not heading off into gullies will see you hit the river and road then turn right. Likely you will be lunching at Blairs. It is pretty manky so don't count on sleeping in it. Look out for Platypus in the river. Don't miss out on a walk up Mt. Cope. You mention horse yards but I suspect it is Ryders hut or Campbells yards. This could be done on the way to Dibbins as a diversion if you prefer. Camping at Derrick hut is not strictly allowed because it is in the resort boundary but it should not matter. Dibbins would be a better site (with water) and it would not take long to make up that ground the next morning. If you camp at Cope Hut and Dibbins then stay 100m away from the stupid camping platforms so you do not have to pay. If it is a hot day at Tawonga huts then make sure you follow the creek down a bit and have a dip in the granite pool spas. If you get to Cope hut early then take a walk on the Wallace heritage trail to Wallaces hut and return via the aqueduct, Rover lodge. Takes about 90 minutes.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 2:20 pm

Xplora, thanks, I totally forgot about the 100 metre exclusion zone. The campsite I referred to is well back, nice flat ground in the trees, should be 100 metres away. Manky is a good word for Blairs. At Federation I'd rather go up and along the Tom Kneen Track than down to camp than down to the water below the hut and go up. I've never used a rope on the rocky bit on Diamantina. The rocks could be hairy in the wet, so your short diversion is excellent information.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby publicrejoicer » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 7:36 pm

I came up Diamantina spur from blairs this time last year. The track had just been slashed and whilst the going was a bit spongey walking on the cut vegetation the track was easy to follow. I cannot picture needing ropes at all, just a bit of sturdy foot placement.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby richardjcam » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 7:58 pm

Thanks all so much for the thoughtful replies. Much appreciated! The automatic notifcation telling me I have replies arrived only today.

I suppose there are enough tracks, huts, and as dispersed camping is allowed, that I might be better off approaching with much more flexibility, and just note down possible options prior. I should have mentioned, caution is also being taken because last few times I've done steep hikes my knee has troubled me (both partner and I limped and squealed the last 70% down Bogong; we've learned a few things since, but my knee still tweeks a little even on much less demanding descents).

Particularly, as you noted Lophophaps, beating the heat may require earlier starts which also means more time after reaching camp.

"stupid camping platforms" :)

I'll certainly take suggestions into consideration, make some changes over the next week, and post them.

The Horse Yard mentioned was beside Pretty Valley Hut

Ta.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 8:32 pm

Ah, the Pretty Valley Horse Yards. I should have guessed. This is not much of a side trip, and is at the end of a road that is open to the public. It's much nicer to either stay on the pole line to Mount Jim and Tawonga Huts, or even better, go over Cope to Ryders and points west.

Dispersed camping is permitted anywhere, provided one stays away from roads and aqueducts. I cannot recall the allowed distance, and if it's too close it's noisy. There's plenty of water, but be careful near some huts. I've never treated high plains water.

Crook knees means that Diamantina Spur must be done slowly and carefully. I don't use walking poles but for knees and DS, maybe take some. Try not to roll - it's a long way down. One option is to collect water from Tom Kneen Track and camp on the top of Diamantina Spur a short way down from the ridge. This means less pack carrying at the expense of a dry camp, albeit close to water.

A belated thought. From Westons go to Jaithmathang-Tawonga, then the pole line east to wherever you want. Go until you have enough time to get back via Cope, Ryders, High Plains Creek, Jim, maybe Youngs. This avoids the route crossing over, and it's a big clockwise circle. The last night can be at Dibbins or Derrick. It's about 90 minutes Dibbins to Derrick, and another hour to Hotham, so maybe 50 minutes to the car park. My earlier times were from memory, and I have just checked the picture times.

Have a menu of options, and to a large extent make it up as you go. It's called flexibility.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby Xplora » Tue 28 Nov, 2017 4:42 am

Lophophaps wrote:A belated thought. From Westons go to Jaithmathang-Tawonga, then the pole line east to wherever you want. Go until you have enough time to get back via Cope, Ryders, High Plains Creek, Jim, maybe Youngs. This avoids the route crossing over, and it's a big clockwise circle. The last night can be at Dibbins or Derrick. It's about 90 minutes Dibbins to Derrick, and another hour to Hotham, so maybe 50 minutes to the car park. My earlier times were from memory, and I have just checked the picture times.


This is a good option and I would skip Pretty Valley as well.

publicrejoicer wrote:I came up Diamantina spur from blairs this time last year. The track had just been slashed and whilst the going was a bit spongey walking on the cut vegetation the track was easy to follow. I cannot picture needing ropes at all, just a bit of sturdy foot placement.

Thanks for this info. PCV has plans to walk it some time soon (according to his alternate ego on the ski forum). Did you go by way of the rocky outcrop or a track that was simply on a steep spur?
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby jdeks » Tue 28 Nov, 2017 10:15 pm

most of the folks talking about needing a rope down Diamantina (myself included) are the mad fools doing it when its covered in snow and ice. In summers it's less of an issue, just your typical scramble.
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Re: Seeking feedback on proposed Alpine National Park Hike

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Wed 29 Nov, 2017 1:30 pm

I am going up the Diamantina spur next month ( Dec. 9th I think ). I shall report back. I would recommend ascending Swindler's spur rather than Machinery spur to reach the Mt. Loch carpark. Machinery spur is a tough relentless never ending ascent. So what if it is on a 4 WD track! . It is still a gonad crusher, esp. when it is warm , then it is just unkind.I liked camping at Ryder's huts last summer so the OP should consider that and Young's hut is a good spot too.
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