Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 018 - Buckwong Creek to Cowombat Flat Tk

 

Day:	018
Date:	Friday, 1 April 2011
Start:	Buckwong Creek plus 1km
Finish:	Cowombat Flat Track
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	20.7
Total Kilometres:	391.0 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds, brumbies
People Encounters	None
Weather:	Cold early then mostly sunny and mild
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	I had a good night's sleep and set off at 9 AM in good spirits, a little cold and still wearing warm gear. The guide book indicated there was a lot of "poorly defined" trail today and I was determined to be careful. The early trail was through the eucalypt forest with some scrub and my route-finding was helped by someone who had put out pink ribbon as markers to compensate for the paucity of official markers. I disturbed a couple of families of brumbies on the way and stopped after an hour take off my warm gear. Trail-finding without the markers is very difficult because the brumbies have worn many trails and it's easy to follow a wrong track. At one point I came across a dead horse lying in the middle of the track. Pretty smelly and fly-blown and I was holding my breath as I walked past. I eventually reached the mis-named Misery Trail on a ridge and enjoyed walking along through the snowgum forest. Around 11 AM I followed a wrong trail and found myself off-trail and trying to work out where I was and in which direction I should go in the forest. My mood sank, and I wasted 30 to 45 minutes crashing around on the scrubby hillsides. I fell twice in 10 minutes, twisting both knees in succession quite awkwardly. At last I located Macs Creek Track and found the right route soon after noon. After a break, I continued on the next "poorly defined" section of trail which again proved difficult to follow and included a very steep and awkward descent. Without getting lost on the section, I made better time than expected and reached a nice lunch spot next to the very pretty and fast flowing Dead Horse Creek. I took advantage of the sun to dry my tent and sleeping bag while I ate. Alas, as I left I followed some wrong ribbons and misunderstood where I was on the map, made a navigational error and wasted another hour crashing around on scrubby hillsides following misleading brumby trails. Eventually I got back on the right track and reached Limestone Creek Track in the mid-afternoon. After a slippery steep descent (falling once) and fording the fast flowing Creek, I had my last break before tackling the final "poorly defined" section of the day. I was tired and the 6 km of following faint trail on the steep sides of Stony Creek wasn't much fun. I strayed a few times but didn't get badly lost. The section finished with the steep and rocky ascent of a spur and I reached Cowombat Track, my goal for the day, at 7 PM. It was getting dark and I quickly set up camp, washed and ate. It wasn't as cold as last night but I expect a heavy dew again.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 017 - Johnnies Track to Buckwong Creek

 

Day:	017
Date:	Thursday, 31 March 2011
Start:	Johnnies Track & Beloka Range Track Junction
Finish:	Buckwong Creek plus 1km
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	26.2
Total Kilometres:	370.3 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds, brumbies
People Encounters	Two 4WDs, two logging trucks
Weather:	Cold foggy and overcast in the morning, sunny and mild in the afternoon
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	I woke at 7 AM to a fairly thick fog and still air. Everything was very damp and it was cold. Still that way when I started walking at 9 AM along Johnnies Top Track. After a couple of kilometres on the fire trail I reached Johnnies Top (1556m) and then began following a faint trail down a long spur. The trail was easy enough to follow and I enjoyed walking through the snowgum forest on the gentle downgrade in the fog. After a few hours the fog cleared and after a final steep descent I reached the end of the spur and Buenba Creek. I was supposed to follow it upstream but first had to cross Corner Creek, which turned out to be very marshy with several channels. My feet got wet again. Curses! Eventually I reached drier ground and then followed brumby trails parallel with the creek along the treed grassy flats. There were lots of horse droppings but no brumbies. There were also lots of boggy bits. Pleasant walking, nevertheless. Eventually I reached the Buenba Hut site on a grassy plain. The only evidence of the hut was a couple of poplar trees. It had been farmed once and there were traces of fences and gates. I had lunch under the poplars and spread out my tent, sleeping bag, etc., to dry in the pleasant sunshine. After lunch the trail, again faint, climbed gradually through scrubby country to eventually reach Mt Hope Road, where two logging trucks were parked with the drivers having a yarn. They chatted with me for a while and offered me water and to charge my phone. Nice guys. By now it was after 4 PM and the balance of the day was easy walking down a fire trial as far as Buckwong Creek. From there I followed the creek upstream for a kilometre until I found a campsite by a small tributary after seeing some brumbies along the way. It was all a little damp and grassy and will be wet in the morning. I could hear dingoes or feral dogs howling as I went to bed at 8:30 PM.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 016 - Taylors Crossing to Johnnies Track

 

Day:	016
Date:	Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Start:	Taylors Crossing
Finish:	Johnnies Track & Beloka Range Track Junction
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	21.6
Total Kilometres:	344.1 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds, cows
People Encounters	Bridge workers, one vehicle
Weather:	Mostly overcast, intermittent showers
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	During the night some people turned up on the other side of the river and were walking around the construction site (the bridge is being worked on) by torchlight. Later I heard a couple of gun shots. However, no-one came near me. I had a good night's sleep and got up at 7 AM to a very dewy and damp camp. Lots of condensation in the tent. I didn't hurry my packing and left at 9 AM. The first 6 km was along quiet rural roads, the first and only time that the AAWT passes through a "settled" area. I enjoyed the easy walking. Then it was back onto faint foot trails as I climbed over a hill then made a long slow descent on a narrow difficult hillside path to Morass Creek, which lived up to its name. It was dirtyish water (came from farmland), quite wide and very marshy with multiple channels. I could not be bothered changing into my running shoes and gradually worked my way across the channels. The water was knee deep and flowing and my boots and socks got wet. On the other side I scrambled up the bank and climbed away from the valley on another faint trail through scrubby forest. However a little higher up it became open forest and grassy underfoot and quite pleasant walking. I crossed the Corryong-Benambra Road and began a steady climb up onto the Beloka Range. It was mostly gum forest with some scrub and occasionally rocky outcrops. The forest obscured views and nearer the top the route followed an overgrown firetrail. However, it wasn't as bad as past days and my pace was reasonable. I had lunch in a saddle about 1:30 PM, knowing I only had another 10 kilometers to go. Soon after, I joined a clear fire trail and the rest of the afternoon was spent following cleared fire trails higher and higher along the Beloka Range. Just before 5 PM I reach the Johnnies Track Junction where I had hidden my next food dump. I didn't find it first go, which was a little concerning, but found it easily on the second go with my GPS. I then had a drawn-out evening meal along with my treats and definitely over-ate. I was in bed soon after 8 PM.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 015 - Mt Wills Hut to Taylors Crossing

 

Day:	015
Date:	Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Start:	Mt Wills Hut
Finish:	Taylors Crossing
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	26.1
Total Kilometres:	322.5 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds, snake, kangaroos
People Encounters	One hiker, several vehicles
Weather:	Partly cloudy and mild
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	I didn't sleep all that well. Maybe the metal bed was too hard. I got up at 7:30 AM to what looked like another perfect day. The hut was on a clear grassy crest on top of Mount Wills (1757m) and had great views to the east. I didn't leave till around 9 AM and after a little bit of initial trouble finding the trail to Mt Wills South (1621m), I picked it up. It went through grassy wooded snowgum forest and although faint, was followable. The views east and west were great and I really enjoyed the walking. There were also boulder outcrops adding to the beautiful scenery. No views from Mt Wills South, which was the last peak of the Bogong High Plains. From here I followed overgrown foot tracks and fire trails through increasingly dense forest. Also some blackberries. On the way down I met a hiker on the way up who had just started a week's hike south along the AAWT. We had a brief chat and continued on our separate ways. I reached the Omeo Road about 11:30 AM and had my first break. The next sections involved quite a lot of scrub-bashing along older overgrown fire trails though not as bad as a few days ago and not wet. On the other hand I picked up lots of spider-webs and bugs. It wasn't very pleasant hiking but I could follow the trail and make reasonable time. The route went downhill to Gill Creek which was ankle deep and, after working out the shallowest route, I dashed across. On the other side was more very old overgrown fire trail which climbed steeply uphill for a few kilometres until it reached a ridge where I stopped and had late lunch. Another tedious section. Here I joined a better forest road for another long descent into the valley of the Mitta Mitta River in a semi-rural valley. I reached Taylors Crossing, a pedestrian suspension bridge across the Mitta Mitta, where there was a designated hikers campsite. It was 6:30 PM and I had time for a quick nude dip in the river before cooking dinner. I'm a little ahead of schedule and have a relatively easy day tomorrow to my next food dump. Went to bed at 9 PM. Star-filled night but already a heavy dew.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 014 - Edmondson Hut to Mt Wills Hut

 

Day:	014
Date:	Monday, 28 March 2011
Start:	Edmondson Hut
Finish:	Mt Wills Hut
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	29.0
Total Kilometres:	296.4 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds
People Encounters	One southbound AAWT hiker
Weather:	Sunny and mild
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	I forced myself to get up at 7 AM even though it was barely light and quite cold. The sky was clear and it promised to be another sunny day. I didn't get going until nearly 9 AM because I lost time dealing with prickles that had attached themselves to some of my clothes and towel. I hiked cross country up the slopes of Mt Nelse to rejoin the AAWT and avoid backtracking a kilometer. Once on the trail, it was about 5 km of easy walking across more High Plains with stunning views of Mt Bogong. Along the way I met Paul, a young southbound AAWT hiker, travelling a bit slower than me, and we had a brief chat. At Roper's Hut the descent of the Duane Spur began. It seemed to go on forever, though wasn't too tough. Eventually I reached Big River and decided to take off my boots and socks and put on my spare running shoes for the crossing. I also packed a few things more securely in case I fell in! There was a wire rope across which I used to help me and the water was deep enough to wet the bottom of my shorts.  On the other side, I took a break and put boots and socks back on leaving are my runners on the outside of my pack to dry. Then I had a long ascent up T-Spur which also seem to go on forever. It was hard work though the shade was cool and the views great as I got higher. Around 1:30 PM I reached Maddisons Hut site and had lunch lying in the sun with the tent out to dry. It would've been easy to have a nap after the exhausting climb. After checking the map, I decided to try to get to Mt Wills where there was a hut with water for the night rather Big River Saddle where I would have to camp and water was not convenient. It was going to be hard work. The long journey down Long Spur wasn't too bad in terms of grades but it was very rough track. I was now heading east away from the High Plains. The spur was quite narrow and the views were marvellous. Lower down the track was more overgrown and some of it was blackberry vines which was annoying. I didn't get to Big River Saddle until 6:30 PM, but decided to continue the last 3+ kilometres even though it was all climbing and likely to be rough trail. It was very slow going, and was getting quite dark by the time I reach a fire trail where I had less concern about losing my way. It was almost too dark to see when I eventually reached the summit of Mt Wills and the hut at 8 PM. It was empty and in good condition. I picked a bunk (hard metal) and unpacked and had a wash outside before cooking dinner. It wasn't that cold and quite comfortable. Having gone a bit further and not having to pack up the tent, I may have a bit of a sleep in tomorrow. I went to bed at 10.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 013 - Daveport Village to Edmondson Hut

 

Day:	013
Date:	Sunday, 27 March 2011
Start:	Ski Lodge at Davenport Village
Finish:	Edmondson Hut
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	32.3 AAWT, 1.0 to hut
Total Kilometres:	267.4 AAWT
Animal Encounters	Birds, snakes, brumbies
People Encounters	Several groups of hikers, two mountain-bikers
Weather:	Sunny and mild
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	I got up at 6 AM with the goal of leaving the Lodge around 8 AM. I was mostly packed but wanted to grab a quick shower and then had to clean my room, etc., before leaving. As I ate breakfast, Ken came out and offered to drive me up to the Mount Loch Car Park where I had left the AAWT to come down to the village. I accepted his kind offer and we left soon after 8 AM. A part of me would have liked just spending another day hanging out at the lodge and bistro, but there was no point in staying and it looked like being superb weather for hiking. For almost the entire day I would be in very familiar territory. The AAWT across the High Plains is the same route used for much of the Rooftop Run (a.k.a. Bogong to Hotham 64 km) run each January and I have completed it three times. I also used to come up to the High Plains in summer about 30 years ago when a serious athlete to spend a week or two training at altitude with friends. As I started walking it warmed up rapidly as the sun rose in clear skies and I was soon wearing shorts and T-shirt. There was a very light breeze and a great sense of stillness about the mountains and plains.  As I left the ski fields behind me, I descended a rocky foot trail to the Cobungra River and then climbed up the other side to reach the start of the High Plains. The descent and ascent were slow but not particularly difficult. As I reached the Plains, I caught a school group and chatted for 10 minutes with one of the teachers. It was then about 15 km walking across the tussocky grass snow plains following a narrow track that followed a very long line of numbered snow poles. It was quite wet underfoot compared to January when I ran here. It was a picture perfect day and I had the place to myself as far as the eye could see apart from a couple of small groups of brumbies. On some of the hills and in the distance there were silver forests of dead snow guns, presumably from the bushfires of 2003. I had lunch at 1 PM sitting on some rocks and then kept moving. (For the interest of my Bogong to Hotham running buddies, they were starting to construct a professional foot trail from the road towards Hotham, which should make the run easier next year.) Around 2:30 PM I crossed a sealed road and after a short descent the trail began following an aqueduct that contoured around the eastern edge of the High Plains and gave extensive views to the east. It was easy walking and I was making good time for the day. Finally the AAWT climbed away from the aqueduct (I was ready for something else) and climbed to the High Plains again. I reached my goal, Edmondson Hut, an old cattlemans' hut, just before 6 PM and was in bed soon after 8 PM. I could have slept in the Hut, but decided to sleep in my tent.  When the sun went down it got very cold very quickly. I suspect I've been quite sunburnt by the High Plains sun today, but it was memorable and special hiking.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Day 012 - Davenport Lodge

 

Day:	012
Date:	Saturday, 26 March 2011
Start:	Ski Lodge at Davenport Village
Finish:	Ski Lodge at Davenport Village
Camp Location	Here
Daily Kilometres:	0 (day off)
Total Kilometres:	235.1 AAWT
Animal Encounters	None
People Encounters	Plenty
Weather:	Foggy early then mild and sunny
Pictures:	Here
Journal:	The day was spent drying out all of my wet and damp gear, washing everything I could, updating my diary, reorganizing the way I packed my gear to try and ensure greater waterproofedness in wet scrub, and reading the paper and eating junk food. The weather forecast for the next few days looks good for high country hiking and I will be passing through some familiar and spectacular country and am looking forward to it.