Advice for accessing the Crosscut Saw

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I will recommend to BTAC that the old Queens spur logging road get a haircut. That looks fairly crap to me.

[Baeng72]

Nice.. did you make it to Spec or Buggerey?

Didn't even make it up top on XCut.
Weekend started poorly, got woken up at 11:30pm at Upper Howqua by people walking around the vehicle (I was sleeping in back), and they were just setting up late, but only got an hour or two sleep.
Just didn't feel it in morning but was there so set off.
By time I got a bit above SNS campsite, was feeling crap and pulled pin.
A few cramps on the way down*, I think SNS spur hates me.
I think I'm a cold-weather creature, too fat once it gets hot and hard.

*Yes, I drank plenty, sports drinks and took magnesium tablet.

[Baeng72]

I will recommend to BTAC that the old Queens spur logging road get a haircut. That looks fairly crap to me.

It's just accumulation. It had all the logs from last time I went there, plus some bonus from winter I guess.
There were some pretty clear sections, but there seemed to be a long section where it felt like a log every 20m to be got over, under or around.
It probably wasn't every 20m, and just felt that way.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Don't worry comrade. It took me years to make it all the way across the Cross cut saw and back in one trip. Conditions conspired against me many times.
I have seen people drive up from Licola to the Howitt Plains Car Park in a 2 WD. I have done it myself in a 2 WD in the past.
Give that a go and tell us how you get on. Just drive carefully and put the jalopy in low gear if the road looks a bit poo.

[Baeng72]

Don't worry comrade. It took me years to make it all the way across the Cross cut saw and back in one trip. Conditions conspired against me many times.
I have seen people drive up from Licola to the Howitt Plains Car Park in a 2 WD. I have done it myself in a 2 WD in the past.
Give that a go and tell us how you get on. Just drive carefully and put the jalopy in low gear if the road looks a bit poo.

Cheers! I've been having a little pity-party the last few days, but I've got a pisser of a cold now, so maybe it wasn't all lack of fitness/excess body mass.
I will go in via Howitt Plains one day, but driving 3.5 hours to start a walk versus 6 hours seems more defensible, so I've been going that way.
And I like the challenge, if it mostly ends with the challenge chewing me up and spitting me out.
It was really nice walking along the Howqua in the early morning and I got a 21km workout to boot, so all good.

[scroggin]

Recently did a two nighter with my son from Howitt Plains carpark thus avoiding the climb form the Howqua. This meant there is plenty of backtracking which I'm not normally a fan of, though I didn't mind it too much as it was on different days.

Camped at Mt Spec the first night then at Hellfire Creek where we did the Mt Magdala loop stopping at the top for a magnificent sunset smack bang between the Bluff ant Mt Eadley Stoney.

Weather was pretty much perfect and difficulty level was comfortable for someone who is slowing down a bit. I even did a food drop on the first day near the AAWT junction (2KG is 2KG ). We were back at the car by lunch. Great trip all round.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Well Done.IMHO starting at the Howitt Plains Car park means you start fresh and do not totally burn out slogging it up from the Howqua/ King River Valleys.

[Xplora]

The walk in from Howitt Plains is very nice and in the right circumstance I think it is perfect. Bringing new people to the area or young people, this access provides a good start. The spurs are also great and I just don't see them as hard as some make out. That is just my perspective but when you live at the bottom of the spurs you just think it is normal to walk up them. I do think some people carry way too much and that makes it harder. I've been there too but was also younger and marathon fit so it was just more training. Being sensible with weight and maintaining a pace that suits your fitness means anyone can walk these spurs but you just have to plan. Year 9 kids do it but I hear they complain a bit.

The Crosscut is one of my favourite places and it is not a hard walk. It is daunting for some but I have taken a few over who where absolute numpties and in bad weather. Just needs a good plan. My highlight would be a winter traverse. What is it? 7km. Can't remember but also could not care. Just think you could do it at 1km/hr and you have that much daylight even in winter.

[Baeng72]

I was in two minds about whether to post on my recent walk or not.
Posting naturally invites people asking how far you get, etc.
But I thought it might be useful to someone getting to the Crosscut via Queens/SNS, and Queens Spur could do with a bit of chainsaw action.

I've made it up top on the Crosscut a few times via SNS, so it's not impossible for me.
Just wasn't happening the other day, which was disappointing as 2 weeks before I had no trouble grinding out a fairly hard slog between Bogong/Falls creek.
I'd love to do Crosscut in Winter, but the approach is a 13km walk from Cobbler Lake to Mt. Spec., would need a few days to do it I think.

[Xplora]

I was in two minds about whether to post on my recent walk or not.
Posting naturally invites people asking how far you get, etc.
But I thought it might be useful to someone getting to the Crosscut via Queens/SNS, and Queens Spur could do with a bit of chainsaw action.

I've made it up top on the Crosscut a few times via SNS, so it's not impossible for me.
Just wasn't happening the other day, which was disappointing as 2 weeks before I had no trouble grinding out a fairly hard slog between Bogong/Falls creek.
I'd love to do Crosscut in Winter, but the approach is a 13km walk from Cobbler Lake to Mt. Spec., would need a few days to do it I think.

We all have days were things just don't click and pulling the pin is nothing to be ashamed of. I think you should be encouraged by your effort on the Bogong loop and draw on that experience. Knowing you can do it if you have to is an important lesson. I am not suggesting people push on to the point of exhaustion but often there is a great deal left in people physically and all it requires is for you to learn how to pull it out. I can't tell you how to do that. It is an individual thing but I have found drawing on the triumphs of my past helps me keep going when I feel like stopping. Breaking things down to manageable pieces also helps me. Its hard to explain but a bit like setting an achievable goal for the short term and once you achieve that you set another small goal. That is how I managed running ultra marathons. I didn't think about the finish being so far away as that was too daunting.

Doing the Crosscut in winter takes some prep and you will need to have a window of more than just the time it takes to walk it. There are some tricky bits so a bit of experience elsewhere would be helpful. Going it alone is also something to take into consideration. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

[Xplora]

duplicate post deleted

[Baeng72]

there is a great deal left in people physically and all it requires is for you to learn how to pull it out.

Thanks for you comment and I appreciate your advice, as with PCVs and anybody else.

I think I know how to grind something out.
But I had unrealistic goals, even starting early.
I was hoping to make it to Mt. Spec early-mid afternoon, (I started 6am and it's only about 16 km) and preferably push on, and that wasn't gonna happen, so...I guess I thought why bother with the grind?
I envy those fast-packers/trail runners, and need to get more in shape like them so I can pump out 20-30km days in rough, hilly terrain and not be arriving after dark.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

As I said starting at Mac.Springs with the car at Howitt Plains car park in good weather makes
hiking over to Mt. Spec. and camping there easier than starting at the Upper Howqua . Or try starting
it from Lake Cobbler however the 12 km walk from Lake Cobbler to Mt. Spec. takes time and uses up energy.
I have not yet slogged it up Queen's spur or King Spur so they are still challenges that await me in the future.

Muesli spur is another way to get up onto the range starting near King Hut.