Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

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Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

Postby Ironfox » Fri 04 Dec, 2020 6:39 pm

I recently trekked across the west peak of Bogong and in the Stirling gap at the headwaters of the Bogong creek came across what looks like a clear set of twin vehicle 'wheel' tracks. They are not extensive and there are definitely no clear walking tracks in this area as it is so 'open'. However for a short distance there appears to be a uniform and clear set of parallel tracks. Maybe a question for @Bogong who has a wealth of knowledge about all matters "Bogong" but I was under the impression that no vehicles could physically access or had ever physically accessed this region? Could these be walking tracks, very old cattle tracks or vehicle tracks? Vegetation in this gap is minimal and very small/low as per pure Alpine zone vegetation. There is also a ring of rocks signifying a camp fire (not photographed) in the vicinity which is intriguing as there is absolutely no readily available access/supply/source of timber for a looooong way away from this site. A terrific site for camping but I truely hope campers have not utilised Snow poles for short term warmth as there also appears to be a number of traditional poles missing in this remote region?
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Re: Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

Postby Lophophaps » Fri 04 Dec, 2020 8:01 pm

As far as I'm aware snow poles have never been over Hooker Plateau or to the head of Bogong Creek. There was a pole line of sorts on the summit-West Peak track, with a trig on West Peak. Stirling Gap is flat and somewhat exposed, miles from timber. I cannot see the point of a fireplace there. Unless dropped by parachute or from a helicopter there is no way that a vehicle could get closer than the existing 4WD and management tracks. The parallel tracks could have been old cattle tracks; they take decades to return to a natural state.
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Re: Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 04 Dec, 2020 10:33 pm

I saw all of those things recently when I was up there last week. The fire circle with stones is only 2-3 years old. There were some people camping there in March a few years back when I was there and they were burning the old gnarly dried dead heath roots. That is verboten but mongers will be mongers!.
I did surmise that those tracks were old 4 WD tracks.
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Re: Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

Postby Ironfox » Sat 05 Dec, 2020 9:34 am

Definitely a nice place to camp in the right conditions (without a fire). Image of the tracks attached here.
IMG_0793.jpg
Tracks in Stirling Gap looking east
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Re: Vehicle Tracks on Bogong Summit Plateau?

Postby Lophophaps » Sun 06 Dec, 2020 4:51 pm

Cattle tracks look like that. There seems to be a third track. It would be useful to see what happens to the tracks, if the distance between them changes.
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