Bushwalk Australia

Lophophaps wrote:
From the foot of The Staircase it’s hoped to get a lift to Mt Beauty. If not, walking six kilometre west to 195377 and then south west under the power lines to the East Kiewa River looks viable. It’s intended to cross the East Kiewa River under the power lines and climb to the Falls Creek Road via the reservoir, but not without a bridge. Is there a bridge under the power lines? (There’s a bridge a kilometre west of where the power lines cross the East Kiewa.) TIA.

I walked back to Mount Beauty from Mountain Creek last January. I chose not to try the route along the power-line track because I had plenty of time to spare and followed the roads.

I noticed a gate (or two?) at 195377 on what I believe is Little Bogong Track which crosses Mountain Creek via a small bridge. I should have investigated this at the time because it's possible that the bridge is damaged and gated to prevent vehicles using it. Another option might be to take a very short track south two minutes west of the power-lines and cross the creek at the end of this track. Many blackberries throughout this entire area though.

At the Kiewa River East Branch end of the power-lines track there is a ford shown on the Bogong Alpine Area 1:50k map (but my copy is dated 1991). So if you then had to go west to take the bridge you mention which is on Damms Road, north of Mount Beauty, it might be easier and not much more time consuming to take Fredas Lane south from Mountain Creek Road at 164377. Not as exciting as your proposed route though, so I'd like to know how it goes. Unless you get a lift, that is!

Lophophaps wrote:
From the foot of The Staircase it’s hoped to get a lift to Mt Beauty. TIA.

Just been there so I am able to. On a fine weather weekend, you might be lucky. According to my observation, most of walkers started from Mountain Creek picnic and camp ground which is about 2kms from the base of The Staircase. If having time, hang around the picnic and camping ground, a lift back to Mt Beauty would be a possibility.

My 1991 is just a bit less sticky tape; but the printed colour is still the same. Just having a quick look at both maps, the 2011 is better with ski trails and walking tracks around Rocky Valley in scale 1:25 000.