Australian Alps Walking Track - Mt Wills Hut to Taylors Crossing

Day: 15
Date: Wednesday, 01 May 2019
Start:  Mt Wills Hut
Finish:  Taylors Crossing Hikers Campground
Daily Kilometres:  26.1
Total AAWT Kilometres:  322.5
Weather:  Foggy then overcast with occasional rain and high winds
Accommodation:  Tent
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Rehydrated Meal
Aches:  Both very tired
Highlight:  After a pretty wet day, having a dry last two hours of walking to reach the very pretty hikers' campground at Taylors Crossing, where we managed to set up camp, wash and eat just before it started raining again.  Very lucky timing.
Lowlight:  Fog and cloud prevented views for most of the day.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

We delayed getting up to 6:30, and left Mt Wills Hut around 7:30, having farewelled our fellow hiker residents.  They were also hiking the AAWT, but only the section from Hotham to Thredbo, and planning to take 17 days.  We plan on 8 days for the same section.  It's possible we will see them again, since they also have food cached near the Benambra-Corryong Road, where we will be spending much of tomorrow, but probably not.

There should have been great views from Mt Wills as we traversed its alpine summit, but it was very foggy and breezy, and even navigation was difficult, with the GPS resorted to on several occasions.  I was listening to the morning news as we hiked and heard there was a severe weather warning for all Victorian alpine areas.  We were lucky that most of today's hiking was going to be about descending from the alpine areas, and although we had enough rain to make things unpleasant, and we could hear the wind roaring in the tree tops, it wasn't too bad.

The rain did make the steeper descents tricky in parts, but there were many sections of the day's hiking where we travelled along narrow trails through dense wet forest, and there's something beautiful and atmospheric about the Australian bush in the rain.  Our route went along the Omeo Highway for a couple of kilometres, and we saw a few vehicles, the only people we saw all day after leaving Mt Wills and before getting to Taylors Crossing where there were a couple of tourists.

From the Omeo Highway, a long descent down Gill Spur brought us to Gill Creek, a damp ferny place where we had lunch. It was probably here that we picked up some leeches, a couple of which left Julie hiking all afternoon with spectacularly bloody legs.  After fording Gill Creek, there was a monster ascent in the rain on a narrow track through sodden vegetation up to the top of the Wombat Range that left us both exhausted.  But from there, the rest of the day was almost entirely on firetrail and the rain eased, making for very pleasant walking at a good pace.  We pushed on to Taylors Crossing, a few kilometres further than scheduled, knowing the camping there was good (see above).  We now have an even shorter day tomorrow (9km) to our food cache on a day forecast to be very wet, so we might just get there, set up the camp, and spend the rest of the day eating (our treats), reading and sleeping inside the tent.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Edmondson Hut to Mt Wills Hut

Day: 14
Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Start:  Edmondson Hut
Finish:  Mt Wills Hut
Daily Kilometres:  29.0
Total AAWT Kilometres:  296.4
Weather:  Cold early then mild and mostly sunny
Accommodation:  Mt Wills Hut
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Rehydrated Meal
Aches:  Both very tired
Highlight:  We reached Big River Saddle, our target for the day, just before 5pm.  To get water for camping, we would have had to walk 500m downhill, which may not seem much, but that's 1km return and the next possible spot for the night, Mt Wills Hut (with tank water), was only 3.4km further on, though up a massive climb.  We knew it would be dark in an hour, and that it would take us at least that long to cover the very steep first 1.8km, but after that was firetrail which should be easy enough to follow in the dark, so we set out.  The first bonus was to find that the gnarly steep trail had recently been cleared, making it faster than expected.  But the highlight was when we reached the hut about 6:30 to find it occupied by two hikers, Andrew and Gary, who had a fire going in the hearth and immediately cleared out one of the two hut rooms for us to occupy.  We were later than we would have liked, but the day ended well.
Lowlight:  None really
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

We let ourselves sleep in a little, since we did not have to pack up a tent, and left the hut just before 7am.  After clambering cross-country back to the AAWT, it was easy walking across the vast treeless high plains, though a little cool.  However, once we passed the quaint Ropers Hut, the trail began to descend steeply through forest down the Duane Spur to the Big River.  I managed to slip and fall twice, giving both knees a workout they could have done without.

After some discussion, we decided to ford Big River, hanging onto the safety chain suspended across it, in bare feet.  It was bitterly cold water and the rocks were slippery, but we crossed without incident.  After breakfast in the sun in a nearby clearing, we began the dreaded climb up T-Spur.  Almost continuous climbing for two hours had us both very ready for lunch in the beautiful alpine meadow by a small stream at the Old Madison Hut site.

From there we headed east for 12.5km along the Long Spur through lovely snow gum forests and past many great views until we reached Big River Saddle, our target for the day.  We decided to carry on to Mt Wills Hut (1757m) in the hope of better accommodation and lucked out (see above).  The two resident hikers were the first people we had seen all day.

We are going to sleep in a little tomorrow, in honour of two hard days.  The weather forecast is for considerable rain in the next three days, which we are not looking forward to.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Mt Loch Carpark to Edmondson Hut

Day: 13
Date: Monday, 29 April 2019
Start:  Mt Loch Carpark
Finish:  Edmondson Hut
Daily Kilometres:  32.3 AAWT plus 2.2 from Davenport Village plus 1.0 to Hut
Total AAWT Kilometres:  276.4
Weather:  Cold start then mild and sunny all day with a light breeze
Accommodation:  Edmondson Hut
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Cereal and toast and peanut butter
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Rehydrated Meal
Aches:  Very tired
Highlight:  The views.  All day we had magnificent views in all directions at one time or another.  Humidity was low and we could see many kilometres to distant mountain ranges, or far across the Bogong High Plains, or to far-off rural valleys.  Everywhere we looked were muted shades of green, orange and brown making a beautiful patchwork beneath the clear blue sky, with the profiles of the hills softened and made silver by the dead white trees killed by bushfires of the past.
Lowlight:  None really
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

We got away from the lodge at 6:15 as the eastern sky glowed a pre-dawn orange.  It was cold and we were wearing several layers along with gloves and beanies to keep us warm.  First, we had to walk the 2.2km to Mt Loch Carpark to rejoin the AAWT and then we journeyed past ski runs and ski lifts for a few kilometres before leaving the resort area behind.  We warmed up quickly as we tackled some minor hills and were soon losing some of our clothing layers.

The views were breath-taking and we stopped frequently to take them in and/or take photos.  The trail was generally well-maintained and we made good time, stopping for a morning snack in a beautiful little valley next to Dibbins Hut, one of the many that dot the Alpine National Park.  From Dibbins there was a long climb up onto the Bogong High Plains where the gradients lessened and the views were fantastic.  In the distance we could see a small herd of brumbies (wild horses), and in the other direction, the unmistakeable Mt Jim.

We stopped for lunch in the sun at Cope Saddle and then continued on to the north-east.  To the north-west, in the distance, we could see the towers associated with the Falls Creek resort we had stayed at just after Christmas, and were now walking one of the trails we had run along during that vacation.  The trail went on to pass the historic Wallaces Hut before dropping down to follow an aqueduct, part of the works designed to capture as much water as possible for the nearby Falls Creek Reservoir.

Eventually, the AAWT climbed away from the aqueduct and we stopped at a small stream to collect water for camping tonight.  Our goal was Edmondson Hut, an old cattlemans' hut where we hoped to be the only residents, now that the school vacation period was over.  Alas, when we joined a firetrail for the last few kilometres we could see a group of what looked like teenagers back down the firetrail, but apparently heading in the same direction as us.  We powered on and reached the hut to find it unoccupied and the teenagers never turned up, so our fears were misplaced.  The hut is very rustic and there is a sign saying it is only to be used overnight in the case of an emergency, but it's comfortable enough and saves us setting up and taking down the tent, which will be good since another very cold night is forecast.

Today was our longest, in terms of distance, so far and we were both very happy to finish.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Davenport Village

Day: 12
Date: Sunday, 28 April 2019
Start:  Asgaard Lodge, Davenport Village
Finish:  Asgaard Lodge, Davenport Village

Daily Kilometres: 0.0

Total AAWT Kilometres:  235.1
Weather:  Cold and sunny
Accommodation:  Asgaard Lodge, Davenport Village
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Cereal and toast and peanut butter
  Lunch:  Hamburger and chips
  Dinner:  Nachos and ice-cream
Aches:  All mending
Highlight:  Having a very quiet day doing chores, catching up on email, and eating. 
Lowlight:  None really
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

We had quite a lazy day finishing laundry, sorting out food and other supplies for the next leg, and catching up on email, social media and phone calls.  In between, we managed to slip next door to the pub for morning tea and lunch.  Sadly, they close at 4pm on Sundays, so we had to make our own dinner.

We have quite a long day scheduled tomorrow, but the forecast is good and we know we are going to be travelling through some of the best alpine country Australia has to offer, so are looking forward to it.  Feeling refreshed and ready to hit the trail.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Selwyn Creek Road to Mt Loch Carpark

Day: 11
Date: Saturday, 27 April 2019
Start:  Selwyn Creek Road Junction
Finish:  Mt Loch Carpark
Daily Kilometres:  24.9 AAWT plus 3.5 detours plus 2.2 to Davenport Village
Total AAWT Kilometres:  235.1
Weather:  Very cold early and late, but mostly sunny.
Accommodation:  Asgaard Ski Lodge, Davenport Village
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Chicken parmigiana, salad & chips, warm chocolate pudding and ice-cream
Aches:  Julie has a blister and sore ankle, while I have some heel abrasions.
Highlight:  Julie says the highlight was getting to the lodge and having a hot shower and washing her hair.
Lowlight:  Packing up the frozen tent fly-sheet to start the day's hike.  There was so much ice on it, it folded to more than twice the usual volume and weighed twice as much.  As the day progressed, I had a constant drip of ice cold water onto my calf muscles as the ice melted.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

It was a very cold night, but keen to get to tonight's lodge, we forced ourselves to get up at 5:30 and pack up in darkness so we could be walking by first light, soon after 6:30 (see above).  It was still very cold and everything was frost-covered, but the skies were clear and it looked like being a beautiful day.

We were still following the Barry Range towards Mt Hotham (1868m) the second highest peak in Victoria.  The AAWT alternated between following the Twins Track, a firetrail, and following the ridgeline as a faint trail where the Twins Track did not.  This meant that in places there was an option to follow the Twins Track for a less mountainous, but longer journey and that was what we did, adding 3.5km to our journey.  It was easier walking and the views were still incredible.

We made good time along this section, occasionally encountering trail-bikes and 4WD groups, and only taking a couple of breaks, during which we tried to progressively dry out our saturated tent fly-sheet in the cold sunlight and icy breeze.

Eventually, the Twins Track reached the main Mt Hotham Road and we had 8km of uphill road-walking with a passing parade of tourists and cyclists to observe our progress.  The climb up (and descent from) Mt Hotham is popular with cyclists and at one steeper uphill section we were passed by two cyclists barely travelling faster than we were.

The higher we went the colder it got as the afternoon wore on, and by the time we reached the last 1km to the summit of Mt Hotham, which left the road and followed a single-track trail, it was bitterly cold with an icy wind.  The summit was obscured by cloud, so after a quick selfie, we headed east and downhill for the few kilometres to Davenport Village where we had booked a room in a ski lodge next to the only general store/ hotel/ post office on the mountain out of ski season.  There was no-one else at the lodge, including the manager, but she had texted instructions on access and our room, and turned on the heater in our room, which was very welcome.  We were frozen.  Before showering we nicked next door to the store and bought some chips and drinks and collected our food parcel for the next four days from the Post Office (closed, but no problem).  Later, we had a pub meal next door before adjourning to the lodge, which we have entirely to ourselves.

Australian Alps Walking Track - The Viking to Selwyn Creek Road

Day: 10
Date: Friday, 26 April 2019
Start:  1.0km north of the Viking
Finish:  Selwyn Creek Road Junction
Daily Kilometres:  26.5km AAWT plus 4.0km of detours
Total AAWT Kilometres:  210.2
Weather:  Cold and mostly cloudy with occasional showers.
Accommodation:  Tent
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Rehydrated Meal
Aches:  Julie's ankle a bit better and Dave has sore heels.  Both very tired again.
Highlight:  Catching up to schedule, which means we have a manageable day tomorrow to reach Mt Hotham and a ski lodge where we are booked in for two nights.  We're ready for showers, laundry, junk food, soft beds and en suites.
Lowlight:  Missing an unmarked and invisible trail junction late morning that left us crashing around in head-high wet bracken in the rain trying to find the trail by GPS.  Julie literally fell 2m down onto the overgrown trail over a small cliff which wasn't visible in the dense undergrowth.  The trail didn't look like it had been used in years, and we emerged sodden wet and with an hour lost.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

The wind roared all night in the trees high above our sheltered campsite as a cool change moved through.  We were on the trail by 6:40 and after a very steep, long and slippery descent and some nice forest trail, left the Razor-Viking Wilderness Area behind us.  We were now in the Barry Ranges, a relatively low section of the Great Dividing Range, but still with plenty of ups and downs.  They are also known as the Dry Barrys, because of a lack of water sources, but the authorities have installed a few rainwater tanks in remote locations for hikers (thank you!).

We were hoping to make good time and get back on schedule (see above), since much of the day's hiking was on firetrails, but our plans suffered on a stretch of little-used overgrown single-track when we lost the trail (see above) and also on the many climbs, which had demoralisingly frequent false crests.  It was very cold, and while taking a break at the top of South Mt Selwyn (1398m) it began snowing very lightly.

Around mid-afternoon we decided that we would walk until after dark, if necessary, to reach our goal of the Selwyn Creek Road crossing and this is what happened courtesy of a forest road detour that added 3km and 45 minutes to our last leg.  Those 45 minutes were spent walking with headlamps in freezing conditions.  On arrival we quickly set up camp, washed and donned warm clothes.  I managed to knock over the boiling water that would have been a very welcome cup of soup (we are short of gas), but we had already hydrated our meals with hot water, so it wasn't a total disaster.  We'll make another early start tomorrow in what I'm sure will be freezing conditions so that we can get to the Mt Hotham accommodation in good time.

Australian Alps Walking Track - Mt Buggery to The Viking

Day: 09
Date: Thursday, 25 April 2019
Start:  0.4km south of Mt Buggery
Finish:  1.0km north of The Viking
Daily Kilometres:  14.9km
Total AAWT Kilometres:  183.7
Weather:  Mild and mostly sunny
Accommodation:  Tent
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Trail Mix
  Dinner:  Rehydrated meal
Aches:  Julie now trying anti-inflammatories for her sore ankle and we are both very tired.

Highlight:  After the many missed vistas because of yesterday's fog, we savoured the crystal clear 360 degree views we had atop Mt Speculation (1668m).  It followed a tough climb, but it was well worth it.
Lowlight:  None really.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:

We had another early start (6:40am), somewhat apprehensive about the challenges in front of us.  The guidebook suggested our average speed was likely to be between one and two kilometres per hour and Julie had been avidly reading the trail notes which described steep ascents and descents, and difficult trail and navigation.  And, I had vivid and scary memories of my last climb up The Viking Chimney.  The previous day's weather had also dampened our spirits and there's nothing inspiring about donning wet socks and boots to do it all over again.

However, every day is a new day when you are hiking, and although foggy as we started, the sun soon broke through and our spirits lifted.  The forest brightened and we had great views as we climbed our first named peak for the day, Mt Buggery (1605m).  There followed the aptly named Horrible Gap, a steep slippery descent of a few hundred vertical metres to a notch in the mountains, followed by an equally steep ascent to Mt Speculation (see above).  After admiring the view from the latter for some time, we descended to Camp Creek, our only "reliable" water for the day and had breakfast while drying our tent flysheet in the sun.  We loaded up with 3 litres of water each, enough to get us through the next 24 hours, but not relishing the extra weight.  Our next ascent was the snow-gum covered Mt Despair (1464m) and then followed an, at times, hair-raising descent across wet and slippery rocks, punctuated with superb views of The Razor, a high knife-edge rock mountain.

The trail continued to be challenging and we both had falls, though no injuries, and resorted to crawling on hands and knees in parts.  Balance can easily be lost with 15-20kg on your back.  The Viking (1519m) with its steep rock escarpment was now visible in front of us, heightening our apprehension about its ascent, and we didn't welcome the slippery descent to Viking Saddle which preceded it.  According to the guidebook, the climb from Viking Saddle to The Viking was 1.2km, and Julie timed it as taking us one and three quarter hours.  Initially it was slow because it was relentlessly steep, but then we reached The Viking Chimney, a cleft in the rocks beneath a rock fall, that was literally like a dark vertical chimney.  Kindly, someone had installed a rope suspended from a dead tree wedged at the top of The Chimney, but it was too narrow to climb wearing our rucksacks, so I went up first then hauled up the rucksacks which Julie had tied to the rope, then up climbed Julie.  It was exhausting and scary, but gave us a great sense of satisfaction when we got to the top.

After a short break to take in more spectacular views from the peak, we walked another kilometre before finding a rare spot for our tent in the forest, again right across the trail, and we camped for the night.  We only made 15km for the day, but it was very rewarding and satisfying.