Snowshoeing in Vic

[andrewbish]

Hi

I want to give my snow shoes and other winter gear an overnight workout and am looking for locations within a couple hours drive of Melbourne. Ideally I can get a few hours walking in and have somewhere - not crazily exposed - where I can pitch my tent.

I believe there's some snow around Mt St Gwinear and that area will be suitable for this. Are there other places you can suggest?

Regards
Andrew

[andrewbish]

Be there no-one with sagely advice?! For sooth!

[gmac]

Gidday Andrew

Did a snow shoe walk up at Mt Stirling ( a bit more than 2 hours from Melb ) last year and had some pretty good conditions. On the way down I did pass a number of persons on their way up with the intention to camp.

Mt Torbreck, out the back of Lake Eildon, would be a possibility if the snow has come down (Elev 1516m). Depending on conditions you can drive to the gate that is lowered for the winter and then it is a walk up the hill to the picnic ground from which the track takes off to the top. Although it not a long walk to the summit it is a very easy walk along a great little ridgeline that provide a number of camping opportunities under the snow gums. The picnic ground could provide the alternative camping spot I have camped there in the warmer months. The risk is that the snow is really patchy or access up the road a problem. Have also done the walk into the monument and the wreckage of the Avro Anson that went done in 1940 below the summit.

The following are a couple of shot of me on Stirling last year

[andrewbish]

Great shots - that's what I'm talking about!

Mt Stirling is a good idea. Which way did you go in?

[gmac]

Took the easy option and paid the fee at Mirimbah and drove up to Telephone Box Junction.

[andrewbish]

Thanks. Good option!

[north-north-west]

There's plenty of snow up on the Baw Baw Plateau and further north, on Selma and Skene, although access is a bit tricky to those two right now unless you have a 4WD.

[andrewbish]

Thanks, NNW.

I ending up walking up to Mt St Gwinear from the carpark yesterday afternoon. Walked off the main track to a lovely valley to spend the night. Then today I did a circuit in to Mt St Phillack from the north side and then out.

Heaps of snow so the Yowies got a great workout. I'm hooked.

[gmac]

Hi Andrew

Glad to hear that you gave the shoes a good workout. Have you got any more pics and what type of tent were you using?

Also what sort of distance were you able to cover?

gmac

[fuegum2001]

Hi
I understand that Torbreck is not too bad at the moment. I am on a camping trip up there in about a fortnight or so. May not be able to drive to the gates - last year I was stopped well short by plenty of snow.
Erica is not bad at the moment climbing up from Mushroom Rocks, although the track to the memorial, summit etc may be indistinct if not well used (as I found it last month).

[andrewbish]

Gmac - I'm flat out like a lizard drinking right now...will try to get some pics up in the next day or so.

I covered about 5kms on the Saturday afternoon (3.30-6pm) and 12km on the Sunday (9am-2pm). I wasn't hammering it, but it is definitely harder work in the snow than 'normal' walking. ( By way of comparison, I covered 30km in a day in the same area a couple of months back, pre-snow.) I also found the showshoes would collect snow on them, adding weight.

[north-north-west]

A bit sheepish about this - but no-one else thought of it either: closest snow to Melbourne is probably Lake Mountain. I haven't been up that way this winter yet, but they had good cover at this time last year and I reckon it'd be even better right now.
Might get up there soon myself, work permitting.

[andrewbish]

No need to be sheepish, NNW. I hope to get up to Lake Mountain in the next weekend or so...with my kids....and toboggans.

Actually, someone else has made the same suggestion - ie. just head right past the toboggan runs and into the wild!

Per the Vic Snow Report, there's only 16cm up there at the moment so perhaps nothing to get too excited about just yet.

[north-north-west]

Thought there would have been more given the conditions.

Looks like you had a good weekend. I was thinking about going up Erica on Sunday but instead opted for Buenba and the loop up to Hope. Freezing cold night and snow on the Flat in the morning. Three inches on Hope by the time I got up there. Lousy weather, though.

[andrewbish]

Hi NNW

For something a bit more challenging, the Telephone Box Junction to Craig's Hut trail, discussed in this thread, looks promising. Good overnight return trip me thinks.

Andrew

[north-north-west]

Yeah, I've done the circuit from TBJ in the snow, and the trip out to Craig's and back without it, both as daywalks. Craig's in the snow is a good overnighter, but first I have to get a weekend or two off work. And there are other things higher on the list. Davies Plain Ridge, for starters.
Spion Kopje (the one above Tali Karng) is a great little trip in the snow, provided you can drive into MacFarlane Saddle - it's been 4WD territory for the last month, and the snow keeps on getting deeper . . .

[andrewbish]

More pictures from my snow-shoeing trip to Mt St Gwinear.

Have put them into a blog post.

Enjoy.

[adzza]

I am heading up to Mt Feathertop next weekend for an overnight hike if your interested in meeting us there?

Cheers, Adam.

[andrewbish]

Not me - Hobart this weekend, Craigs Hut the following, Lake Mountain with the kiddies the one after that and then Bogong not long thereafter.

Keen thought to see some pics from your trip. Planning to get up to Feathertop in September or October.

[adzza]

No worries. I am planning another trip for mid september so keep in touch. I suspect we will be back in that region to snag the last of the snow. Probably looking at Baw Baw.

[andrewbish]

@adzza Sounds like a plan.

[cherryw]

Hi All

Here is the hike I did on 2009. Along the Razorback to Feathertop and then down to Harrietville.


The rest of the photos are here http://www.pbase.com/cherryw/diamantina_hut_to_ferderation_hut_and_down_to_harrietville__24

Wayne

[andrewbish]

Great photos, Wayne.

I'm late to this game and in need of a decent camera, but I do think that winter - and the snow-covered wilderness in particular - offers unique opportunities for stunning photos.

..and good to see I'm not the only one who takes a 'Hey, I'm wearing snowshoes!" photo.

[Nelse]

great pics Wayne. btw your photo labelled Joyce Brokhoff Hut is incorrect - that is an old - disused for some years - of the Murray Valley Ski Club. Joyce Brokhoff hut is within Hotham resort over near Black Snake. Enjoyed the pics, this used to be my 'office'

[andrewbish]

I got up that to Mt Stirling this weekend. Did the return walk from Telephone Box Junction to Craig's Hut (where I camped the night). Got some nice weather. Good snow for 3/4 of the trip. The overnight parking fee ($52) and the chains hire ($20) stung a bit.

Mt Stirling

[cherryw]

Hi Andrew

Great photo, how far is Craig's from TBJ and how far from there to Mt Sterling. Thinking of doing this soon.

Wayne

[andrewbish]

Gday Wayne

It is 9.5km from TBJ to Craig's Hut, crossing Mt Stirling summit on the way.

Andrew