It's dry in them hills! Is it?

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

It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby Drew » Tue 27 Feb, 2018 5:46 pm

No plan yet for the Labour Day weekend but I'm itching to get out, preferably somewhere high. It's been so dry though that I'm thinking a few options could be off the table (unless there's good rain in the next 2 weeks). Thoughts?

I've got something on in Melb on Friday night, so without the option of driving up Friday night, one of the closer alpine options is preferable.

- The Crinoline. Likely to be dry as a chip I think. Anyone disagree? Those waterholes on the way down from Mt Tamboritha looked pretty permanent when I was there in Jan 2017 but but maybe not.
- Something in The Bluff vicinity. Reckon the 4WDers will have drained the tank at Bluff Hut over summer? Any other reliable water around there?
- Baw Baw. I guess this would be just one night so could carry water if none available. But I'd rather a 2 nighter.
- North Prom. No, it's not the mountains but I'd like to do it again... Surely too dry. Even the southern prom was fairly dry at New Years.
- Tali Karng. I haven't done the "up the river" route. I guess that's a safe bet for water! Not really a 2 nighter though is it?

Cheers.
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 02 Mar, 2018 9:30 am

Hi. Walking up the Wellington river can be made into a two nighter if you camp near where the Riggall's spur track meets the Wellington river. You can use that as base camp and visit Lake TK on one day including the waterfalls and go up past Echo Point and visit The Sentinels or Gables end another day without a heavy pack. With a day pack and good fitness plus and early start these day walks from the base camp are possible.
I am going up to Mt. Bogong for the Long weekend and I will be coming up Mulhauser spur. So I will have a chainsaw handy just in case. There will be water at Camp Creek and near the T spur junction.
The Northern Prom will be very dry . You don't want to chance it on a hike like that when it comes to water.
The Bluff area is of concern to me because I plan to walk from the Bluff to Hellfire Creek over Easter . If the soak near King Billy 1 is dry and so too is Hellfire Creek then a walk near Chester's Yards may have to do because that spring is from reports, never running dry.
The water near Mt. Spec. should be flowing. You could set up a base camp at Mt. Spec. and do a day trip to Mt. Buggery.
I can recommend MAYFORD.
https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/dargo ... ver.80603/
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sun 04 Mar, 2018 9:42 pm

It is so dry out there I think a longer drive to the KNP in NSW and a walk from Guthega power station to Valentines hut and back would be a better bet esp. regarding finding water.
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby Drew » Mon 05 Mar, 2018 8:31 am

It is so dry out there I think a longer drive to the KNP in NSW and a walk from Guthega power station to Valentines hut and back would be a better bet esp. regarding finding water.


That would be nice but no way I'm driving that far for a 3 day weekend, especially given I can't leave until Saturday morning.

I'm just spoke to Mansfield Parks Vic office and they reckon there should be plenty of water in the tank at Bluff Hut. Might just do a 2 night circuit from 8 Mile Gap. Or I might head up to Bogong if I can be bothered driving a bit further. Cleve Cole doesn't often go dry does it?
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Mon 05 Mar, 2018 10:25 am

I am going up to Cleve Cole hut this long weekend. There is water out there somewhere for sure in March on most approach routes to the Big Fella. I am going up Mulhauser Spur and Long Spur to CC hut. I can report back if you like. The Easter period out past the Bluff hut heading North along that ridgeline may be infested with 4 WD enthusiasts. However the water in the King Billy #1 soak/ stream and at Hellfire Creek may not be a sure bet, whereas in November you can bet on finding water up there.I did a loop from 8 mile flat up to the Bluff in May 2016 and found water on the Bluff summit ridge and in the Bluff Hut Tank. On day two along 16 mile track there is water near the bottom before you turn towards Ritchie's hut and go down stream back towards 8 Mile track.
One person who knows the area quite well suggested that the watersource on the Stanely name spur campsite , about 1 kms below the Cross Cut Saw hardly ever runs dry.
If you walk from the Upper Howqua to that campsite then you can camp there and avoid the masses and then walk /crawl/climb up to the start of the Cross Cut saw and Mt. Howitt & return via the Howitt spur the next day.
I have no qualms about driving to the KNP/ Thredbo for 3 nights in the KNP. It beats driving in Melbourne's donkey droppings type congested traffic any day. Coming back via the Barry Way is a scenic drive.
Last edited by paidal_chalne_vala on Mon 05 Mar, 2018 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby north-north-west » Mon 05 Mar, 2018 10:44 am

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:I have no qualms about driving to the KNP/ Thredbo for 3 nights in the KNP.

I've done it for a one night stay. Late night driving, early start walking the next day,l long day walking . . . gee the drive back is a bugger in that situation. But worth it.

Upper Howqua or Eight Mile and up to the ridges from there gives you plenty of options. Or you could do a bit of 'community service' and recut - or at least remark - the route up MacDonalds north face. ;')
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby CaptainC » Mon 05 Mar, 2018 10:57 pm

Yes I think the Crinoline walk would be likely to be dry. It's always been liable to dry up late summer/ early autumn, and this year has been dry since December.
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby Drew » Tue 06 Mar, 2018 7:40 am

Or you could do a bit of 'community service' and recut - or at least remark - the route up MacDonalds north face. ;')


Hmm, not sure my partner would be too happy with that plan!

It's looking like I'll do something from 8 Mile Flat. Depending on how early I get going after a late Friday night gig it might be either 8 Mile to Upper Howqua or just to Ritchies. Then to Bluff Hut via Helicopter Spur or straight up from Ritchies. Then over the Bluff and down 8 Mile Spur. Done both routes before but that's okay.
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 06 Mar, 2018 12:51 pm

The 8 Mile spur track from 8 Mile Flat to refrigerator gap was cut and tagged in Autumn 2016.
From there you can crab crawl up to the Bluff summit and then pop out at the Bluff Hut and camp near there.
On Day 2 you can either take 14 mile track ( not 100 % obvious ) or the fool proof 16 mile Jeep track down to rejoin the foot track to take Lunch at Ritchie's hut. It is not that far from there to 8 Mile flat. This walk is perfect for a weekend , with good views and it gets the heart pumping!
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Re: It's dry in them hills! Is it?

Postby Drew » Wed 07 Mar, 2018 1:01 pm

And then you get asked to work on the public holiday and it's all called off... Life as a freelancer. Oh well, hopefully I can make my own long weekend a week later, with no holiday crowds and who knows, it might even rain in the meantime!
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