Grey Hills ?

[Anotherjonesy]

G'day , currently doing the AAWT. Looking at avoiding both big river crossings with all the rain up here and what's coming tonight. Has anyone done spion kopje - grey hills - Bogong saddle recently ? Should I be expecting a bush bash ?
Thanks
Ben

[scroggin]

I have walked from Spion Kopje to Mount Arthur about a year ago and it was far from a bush bash, looked like work had been done on the track. From Mount Arthur down to Bogong Creek Saddle I couldn't say

[Anotherjonesy]

Thanks Scroggin

[Lophophaps]

Going up Quartz Ridge is prudent - Big River at T Spur could be high with no chain. The bottom of Timms Spur is usually ankle to shin deep, and even in flood should be okay. The Grey Hills is a bit harder than walking down a road, but you miss the river and keep the altitude. There's a campsite at the helipad and water near there. From Big Hill FT it's a short way to the turn up the hill. From that junction the next summit is about 20 minutes away, reasonably flat and sheltered. The next campsite is at the treeline, around 1700 metres, a bit exposed but okay. Depending on the timing, one of these may be suitable for a campsite. The higher one ... probably not - too much water to carry up 400 metres.

[Anotherjonesy]

Yeah I've crossed both crossing's before, but even the Timms spur crossing is going to be questionable this week I think. There's been a tonne of rain up here , with more tonight/ tomorrow, but I'm happy to be wrong! I'd love to have to just go down Timms spur, but I don't want to risk getting there and it's a torrent and having to walk up, back and around...I can be swayed easily but if you're confident it will be ok - this Wednesday..

[Lophophaps]

Going down Duane Spur and having to turn back due to high water would be a major pain. You may find something in the log books at Edmonsons and Ropers Huts, although Ropers is an extra hour if you have to go over Grey Hills. There's a water gauge on Big River called The Joker, somewhere near the Omeo Highway, and this gives an indication of what levels will be like at the AAWT crossings. I cannot find this water gauge. Can you please advise if you are north-bound and where you are now?

This is the Falls Creek forecast.
Today: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, becoming less likely this evening. The chance of a thunderstorm during the morning and afternoon. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h tending westerly 20 to 25 km/h in the evening. Maximum 5 degrees
Tuesday: Cloudy. High chance of snow showers, most likely in the late afternoon and evening with possible small hail. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the late evening. Temperature - 3 to 2 degrees. Wild weather!
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High chance of snow showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h increasing to 25 km/h before turning southerly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Temperatures -5 to 3 degrees.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. Winds southerly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the day. temperatures - 4 to 7 degrees.

These are not good conditions for Quartz Ridge and Bogong. It's high, exposed, and no poles until the summit, with the track a bit hard to follow in places from the treeline. Do you have enough food to wait this out? Could you get food from Falls Creek and go to a hut?

[Xplora]

The catchment above the Timms Spur crossing is short so the level will drop quickly but a wise move to avoid it this week. No hope of getting over Big River at T Spur this week. The gauge at Joker creek is out at the moment but I have reported it. The river is running over 2m there easily.

Mt. Arthur to the saddle has had some work and should be fine. There is no formed track from Spione Kopje to the Grey Hills. Just pick a line once you are about on the same level. There is a small creek to cross just at the foot of the Grey Hills but it is not an issue. The walking is pretty easy but there are a couple of false tracks. On of them looks like it opens up to a cleared section and entices you to head east and down but the track is actually straight across and could be a bit concealed by vegetation. The false tracks become pretty obvious quickly as in you should work out they are wrong. A geographically challenged person might have some issue.

60mm yesterday and 50mm already today. It should ease later today but has rained constantly all night. Light rain just now. Turning cold for a couple of days like Lops has mentioned but not much in the way of snow. I've done Bogong to the saddle in a white out. Just take a bearing from your map to the summit from the top of Quartz and walk to that or if going the other way walk on your bearing until you reach to rocky drop and follow it down.

So where are you now?

[Anotherjonesy]

Thanks for that. I'm currently in Hotham . Looking at leaving tomorrow. I was going to go over in two days from here, but I might push it out a half day and pull up at Bogong saddle Wednesday night instead of cleve cole. See how I go. 140mm so far last 48 hours with more to come, on what was already there, definitely going around .

Thanks for the advice everyone

[Lophophaps]

With the poor forecast you may wish to consider using huts. The risk of death by small native marsupial may be preferable to death by drowning in a tent, or hang gliding in the tent over Jagungal. Derrick is about two hours on foot from the village, and may be an option today. Dibbins is bleak. If you have bad weather at the treeline near pole 267, the SEC Hut may be an option. I always cut the corner, roughly south-east. Cope Hut is nice.

[Anotherjonesy]

Yeah I'm staying put here for an extra day today, will leave tomorrow. Definitely hutting somewhere tomorrow night, was aiming at Edmondson but was told it's crawling with rats even in daylight, so I'll have to hang everything outside and embrace them mauling me at night, or pick another hut shorter.

[Lophophaps]

Edmonsons sounds pretty crook. If you start late or are delayed by weather, the SEC Hut is a possible. Moving a bit faster, Ryders is okay. From around pole 369 go down to the south-east where you may pick up a faint 4WD track. Then cruise on the aqueduct, more even and drier than the AAWT, although some of the washouts may be aquatic, although by then it may not matter - some of of the pole line after 267 is wet in normal conditions. At the last junction before the hut there's water. With an early start, good weather and a jet pack you could reach Cope Hut. Take care crossing the open water at Cope Saddle - it's dangerous.

[Xplora]

Thanks for that. I'm currently in Hotham . Looking at leaving tomorrow. I was going to go over in two days from here, but I might push it out a half day and pull up at Bogong saddle Wednesday night instead of cleve cole. See how I go. 140mm so far last 48 hours with more to come, on what was already there, definitely going around .

Thanks for the advice everyone

Just make sure you push through the Long Spur before the next rain on the weekend. If it is wet or has rained overnight you might need waterproof pants as parts of it are badly overgrown and you will be saturated quickly. I suspect Morass Creek will have some flow but that is a bit further along. You will not be safe from critters in any hut so Edmonsons will not be any better or worse if you make it that far in a day. Johnsons is just a touch off the track and the public area is small. Edmonsons to CC hut would be easy enough via the Grey Hills. From the saddle to Bogong summit can be done in 2 hours if you're fit and 45min from there to CC hut. Add an hour if you want to take it easy.

[Anotherjonesy]

Thanks for that. I'm currently in Hotham . Looking at leaving tomorrow. I was going to go over in two days from here, but I might push it out a half day and pull up at Bogong saddle Wednesday night instead of cleve cole. See how I go. 140mm so far last 48 hours with more to come, on what was already there, definitely going around .

Thanks for the advice everyone

Just make sure you push through the Long Spur before the next rain on the weekend. If it is wet or has rained overnight you might need waterproof pants as parts of it are badly overgrown and you will be saturated quickly.

Sounds like the previous 100kms then! The AAWT has been eaten up this year compared to last year when I did it in March.

I might walk around the Morass, talking to a south bounder they swam across before this rain...