Gallery of log for Mount Bogong
We climbed Big Fella today!
We are currently enjoying one of our semi-regular hiking adventures up in our favourite part of the world once again; the Victorian Alpines. A few times a year, we are down visiting family in the north-east from the NSW central coast. For the annual xmas trip we try to fit in some adventure and this year it's Bogong.
We set off from the Staircase Spur at 8.08am, arriving at Bivouac Hut at 10.26am for a rest stop, and then after a few more stops we finally made the summit (after the ~1300m climb) at 1.24pm.
The weather was pretty good on the way up but once we broke through the tree line, the wind noticeably picked up. But once at the final turn approx. 250m from the summit, the wind was completely NUTS so that was where we changed clothes and donned the wind breakers. Once at the summit we enjoyed a lunch break, having the area to ourselves for about 15 mins before meeting a muggle who was a seasoned hiker on his way to Cleve Cole Hut for the night. It was great talking to him as he confirmed locations spied clearly from the summit such as the Horn, the Kosciusko area, Feathertop and Hotham, and Dartmouth dam.
Once we were finished at the summit, we made the return journey via the Eskdale Spur after a detour to the Hooker Plateau on the western peaks. It continued to rain (on and off) all the way back across big fulla and down to about the treeline on the Eskdale Spur, which turned out being the toughest part of the whole day due to the potential of slipping on the wet rocks down this very steep part of the spur. We rested briefly at Michell Hut at 4.03pm.
The descent from there down the rest of the spur was full on BRUTAL on these 50+yo knees of mine but once down beyond the Gap on the flat(ish) Mountain Creek 4WD track (heading westwards now, towards the Staircase trailhead to sign off), it was a little easier again. This section of the walk took us through a number of different trails/ short-cuts and eco systems, not to mention two of three water crossings which involved removing the shoes. Water was COLD. The full loop of the Staircase Trailhead took us 11.5hrs all up (arrived back at 7.39pm). All afternoon from Michell Hut it had threatened to pour with rain and while it did sprinkle on and off whilst down on Mountain Creek 4WD track, it held off right until we got to the car where it finally dumped just as we drove off!
A fairly tough day's hiking but still (perhaps oddly) one of the best ways we could have finished 2022 that we can think of! The Victorian High Country never disappoints! TFTC.
We are currently enjoying one of our semi-regular hiking adventures up in our favourite part of the world once again; the Victorian Alpines. A few times a year, we are down visiting family in the north-east from the NSW central coast. For the annual xmas trip we try to fit in some adventure and this year it's Bogong.
We set off from the Staircase Spur at 8.08am, arriving at Bivouac Hut at 10.26am for a rest stop, and then after a few more stops we finally made the summit (after the ~1300m climb) at 1.24pm.
The weather was pretty good on the way up but once we broke through the tree line, the wind noticeably picked up. But once at the final turn approx. 250m from the summit, the wind was completely NUTS so that was where we changed clothes and donned the wind breakers. Once at the summit we enjoyed a lunch break, having the area to ourselves for about 15 mins before meeting a muggle who was a seasoned hiker on his way to Cleve Cole Hut for the night. It was great talking to him as he confirmed locations spied clearly from the summit such as the Horn, the Kosciusko area, Feathertop and Hotham, and Dartmouth dam.
Once we were finished at the summit, we made the return journey via the Eskdale Spur after a detour to the Hooker Plateau on the western peaks. It continued to rain (on and off) all the way back across big fulla and down to about the treeline on the Eskdale Spur, which turned out being the toughest part of the whole day due to the potential of slipping on the wet rocks down this very steep part of the spur. We rested briefly at Michell Hut at 4.03pm.
The descent from there down the rest of the spur was full on BRUTAL on these 50+yo knees of mine but once down beyond the Gap on the flat(ish) Mountain Creek 4WD track (heading westwards now, towards the Staircase trailhead to sign off), it was a little easier again. This section of the walk took us through a number of different trails/ short-cuts and eco systems, not to mention two of three water crossings which involved removing the shoes. Water was COLD. The full loop of the Staircase Trailhead took us 11.5hrs all up (arrived back at 7.39pm). All afternoon from Michell Hut it had threatened to pour with rain and while it did sprinkle on and off whilst down on Mountain Creek 4WD track, it held off right until we got to the car where it finally dumped just as we drove off!
A fairly tough day's hiking but still (perhaps oddly) one of the best ways we could have finished 2022 that we can think of! The Victorian High Country never disappoints! TFTC.
Rated: for Overall Experience.
