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Australian Alps Walking Track - 2011 Diary Dave's Website AAWT 2011 Overview Schedule Pictures Map Diary
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Day 07 Date: Monday, 21 March 2011 Kilometres: 19.2 Total kilometers: 153.6 AAWT Animals: birds People: none Weather: Mostly overcast Campsite: Chesters Yards Camp location: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-37.23677,+146.59647 Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/byrnesinoz/AAWT2011Day0721March?authkey=Gv1sRgCN_Q8u_V3pGTJQ
The early walking made up for the hard work of yesterday as I followed the crests of Mt McDonald round to the east. Although overcast, it was clear and I could see many kilometres to the north, east and west. The ski village on the peak of Mt Buller across the Howqua Valley seemed almost touchable. I remembered a year ago, having run a race that finished at the top of Mt Buller, looking across to these mountains knowing that was the route of the AAWT. Despite the pleasant views, the going was slow and there was no real track to follow. It took me far too long to eventually descend to Nobs Track junction which I reached at noon. Aware that water was scarce ahead, I hid my pack and walked 1.7km down a firetrail to a pretty little creek and then hauled about 5 liters back up, having drunk my fill from the pure little stream. By the time I had done that and had a snack, it was after 1pm and I knew I might be pressed to make it to Chesters Yards for the night. My pace improved along the firetrail, and then on the vague foot track on the climb of High Cone (which I actually sidled across, rather than climbed) and I started to think I might be OK for time and enjoyed the faint trail through the snow gum forests. However, when I decided to follow the supposed trail that crossed the slopes of Square Top, I just could not see the track at all and ended up wearing myself out making progress cross-country along the very steep slippery and scrubby slope. My feet and legs became so sore and my progress so slow, I gave up on the route and hauled myself up the steep slope to the top where it was a relief to stand on flat ground. I had wasted at least an hour. I still had to descend from Square Top and then climb Mt Clear (1695m). I picked up a faint trail on the Square Top descent. By now it was 6pm and getting foggy and raining. With some misgivings about the risks of proceeding at this hour in these conditions, I pressed on, often losing the trail and saw nothing in the fog from the top. By the time I started my descent from Mt Clear, it was very gloomy and I slipped and fell on the wet rocks several times but managed to stick with the faint trail. By the time I reached the bottom, it was dark and I had to get my headlamp out. The 3.5km to Chesters Yards in the fog and rain was no fun on the boggy firetrail. I could barely see 5m in any direction and worried I would miss the Yards where there was supposed to be a place to camp and fresh water. The GPS came in handy and I arrived at 9pm. There were cow pads about (shouldn't be cows in a National Park, but there's a political dispute going on between the State and Federal governments) and they had churned up the road and round the stream. The rain fortuitously stopped, I set up camp, cooked dinner, gave the wash a miss and was in bed by 10:30pm. |
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