Bushwalk Australia

Return trip from Mt Erica car park north as far as I could manage and back again the next day. First overnighter.

Mon 15th Jan - Left the carpark around midday. I was delighted to find the mountains enshrouded in clouds. Drizzle all afternoon, but shorts and tshirt were enough, with the occasional grab for the poncho.

Only saw one family camping by Mushroom Rocks, apart from that the mountains were all mine.

I headed generally North along the AAWT, up Mt Erica. Turns out this hiking jazz is hard work! Especially recovering from an ankle I twisted on christmas day (don't ask).

I continued on past Talbot Hut (running water here), to the Mt St Gwinear turnoff. All up around 12km from the carpark to this point. Filled up at another running water spot around 100m down the track towards Mt St Gwinear, then headed back to a delightful camping spot around 800m back down the track towards Mt Erica.

Woke up to silence and fog, had breakfast and made the hike back to the car.

A great first solo overnight trip. Thanks to all the people on this forum that gave me tips, including the water locations.

Good work rattler thanks for the report. No photos???

hehe looking at other trip reports, i didn't think the photos were up to par!

here ya go

Nothing wrong with those photos rattler well done.

When I went up that way to Mt. Erica from the Mt. Erica Car park in August 2017 ,it was so foggy and the snow and ice was so deep and prevalent I am not sure I saw what you saw . I did n't see that much other than possibly a polar bear in blizzard ;-P .

Do you just wear hiking boots in the snow on that trail? You don't get soaking wet and freezing?

I wear snow shoes and /or micro spikes.I wax up my boots with saddle wax and spray them with water stopper. I am now into Back Country XC skiing , but you would still need good snow shoes and poles to get up to Mt. Erica. From there you could ski. That would mean lashing the skis to your pack and trekking up in XC ski boots.Once on the Baw Baw plateau you could cover quite a bit of ground on skis before you 'd have to head back down to the car before it hits 1500 so as to arrive back at the car, well before dark.