Day 3: Feathertop Goodness! and a mad dash across the Razorback

Today's post will be full of picturey goodness. If you run out of bandwidth, please feel free to pin it on me.

It was bloody-cold degrees that night. Very exact and scientific measurement of temperature. Misery matched only by the awesomeness that the morning would bring. I could not see into the future so I just plain miserable.

The plan of the attack was to go up to Feathertop for sunrise then explore the surrounding area and to chillout and relax. I set my alarm at 6:40 am with the intention of going up to Feathertop for some sunrise goodness. I reveilled miserably cold. I already had every item of clothing on so there was no way to get warmer. I packed food and water for a breakfast on Feathertop. 7 am and I was off. Late for sunrise I know, but it was hard to get into gear. May I burn in the furnace of hell for it. Hmmm...BBQ

Mt Feathertop is somewhere behind those trees. Lets go look!
The way to Feathertop has not been spared the ravages of the fire.

Onwards. The climb is not steep nor long. It was windy but bearable.

As I got higher up the summit. I cleared the cloud level and it was blue sky. Blameless blue. 

My best self portrait to date.

I found a spot a little sheltered from the wind and boiled some water for porridge and coffee. The view was great, the sun was warm. Life is good. Coffee could be better, but I'll live. 360 degree view of the Alpine NP.

OF COURSE! It makes sense now. FEATHER - TOP

This is a great photo. Pardon my humility. Check it out in IMAX size. On the ridge is the MUMC hut and the valley in a hazy blue. I think it could be Harrietteville.

I sat there soaking in the warm and UV. Someone from the campsite came up and spend a few minute there and left, Not before asking me to take a few photos for him. As I spend my morning there, he was the only person I saw. I had the whole summit to myself. I do not own the Apline NP yet, but it sure felt like it.

The morning was marred by my lack of power. Battery power. For the camera. 4 battery and 500 shots. Out of power. I screamed "JUST GIVE ME ONE MORE SHOT!" and was about to fling the camera off Feathertop when I remembered. Leave no trace.  That and the camera cost $750. I took to keeping all the batteries in my back pocket and swapping them when the camera flashed battery depleted. My radioactive behind that let me coax a few more photos from those inadequate power source.

Time flies and its pass 11 and really should move my ass. I wanted to head down Tom Keen track to the creek to get some water and head up to see MUMC hut but the track was closed due to fire damage. I debated if I should go on. I decided to be a sign abiding hiker and head back to Federation Hut for water from the rain tank.

 By 12 I got back to my tent. The sun was nicely warm. I rolled up the fly to air the tent and put out the sleeping bag. As I was boiling water (AGAIN!) for coffee, I got a message alert and it was my friend in Harrietteville telling me that there is severe weather coming. Hmm..last night was pretty shit. Can I stand another night here? It was then I discovered another dire situation. Surer and more immediate than possibly bad weather.

I was out of coffee.

Out of battery power and out of coffee. There was not any real reason for me to stay. Without coffee or electricity, we are no better than animals. This ape got packing

It is 12:10pm. I worked out that by the time I eat and pack it should be about 1pm and I'll take about 4 hrs to make my way across the razorback. I message back, meet me at Diamantina Hut at the start of the Razorback at 4pm.

Wait a minute, you say. It does not add up. it is 12pm you leave at 1pm and 4 hrs so it should be 5 pm?
Yes. Please do not show off. You can do maths. I cannot. I am a disgrace to my race. You should also realise that impossible deeds are done by people who did not know otherwise.

I finish packing and started my way across the razorback at 12:50, glad to have extra 10 minutes.

The fire did not detract from the great view from the Razorback. Nature tells an interesting story. The fire damage was a lot more obvious here. There was burnt stumps on either side of the track. Fire is a natural disaster. Things burn and things regrow. Such is life.

It is not all burn and charred.

I kept a very brisk pace, slow jogging when it was flat. I passed at least 3 groups heading to Federation Hut. Looks like it is going to be cosy there tonight.

Finally I can see the chairlifts at Hotham. 1 last km. There was some clouds coming in and it was getting chilly.

The Great Alpine Road. End of the hike. Exactly 4 pm. 3 hrs and 10 minutes.

Day 3 Summary:

• Feathertop is awesome. 
• The weather can change quite quickly in Alpine areas.
• Bluegrass is banjo, guitar and double bass
• Gerald Pink makes great Beef jerky. 
• I need to find a more comfortable pair of shoes for hiking. 
• Blogging is fun but not as easy as it looks. 

Day 2: Blairs Hut to Federation Hut

The aim of the day is to get out of bed (sleeping bag), continue along West Keiwa logging track and go up Diamantina spur to get to Federation Hut and maybe go up to Feathertop for a romantic sunset with myself.

Getting out of bed proved harder than it sounds. I heard rain last night, not wanting to get wet, I boil water under the vestibule for porridge and coffee and stared packing. Exiting the tent after everything was packed, I realise that IT DID NOT RAIN. The damn creek and wind tricked me into thinking it did. The entities in the hut did were reclused so I had this moron moment to myself. 8:30, its time to go.

Before I leave, more running creek photo.

It is about 700m to get back on the main track and I can see the area where I camped last night.

 

Blairs Hut from a different perspective. 

The track ran along the Kiewa River. There were certainly interesting spots along the river. At one point, 2 creeks joined as they cascade over a log and more boulders. I really need to take photos. I found a boulder on the rocky river bank. Better yet, I found a fallen log that bridge the track and the boulder. I dump my pack, and tried to make my way across.

As I told myself "You better not slip." I did. The first step. 

No harm done. I was prepared. i am starting to feel these trail running shoes are unsuitable. the log as wider than butt width so I bum slid down. 

Going back up was a lot harder. Gravity works one way. The log was about 5 meters long. too far to jump, so I flung my tripod up and belly climbed my way up. It worked.

Next stop, Diamantina Spur. Only 3.5km to the Razorback. Should not be hard. Afterall, I climbed stairscase to Mt Bogong with a pack at least 5kg heavier.

I have heard things about Diamantina Spur. It is hard. How can can it be. After all I've climb Mt Bogong...with...blah blah blah blah. Well, it is hard. It started like this and it didnt get easier for the first km.

Yes. There is a track under all the debris. That is how Diamantia spur starts

The climb was not pretty, but the view was.

I found it tough going and I realised I did not allow myself adequate recovery after my Bogong hike. The first 1 km of the spur was STEEP. In parts, involving climbing hand and foot. Trekking poles helped. After about 1 hr of climbing I finally came to a flat area!

Fist pump! Yeah! Eat that Diamantina spur! That was not too bad. Time for some coffee and lunch and to try out my clothes.

i

Blue screen?

As I was having lunch and enjoying the view. I spied this lone tree sticking out right on the top on a knoll, wishing for a shot from that vantage point.

Fare evasion on the Diamantina Spur.

You know what they say. Be careful what you wish for. Next time I am going to wish for a million dollar. No Wait. One Billion Dollars. No wait. One Billion Million Dollar. Delivered by a hot, leggy red head.

I think that is Mt Jaimanthang. It looks like a spectacular ridge walk. I will have to do that some day.

After that nice view, the track flatted out a bit on the ridge.

There have been times where I wish things will ever end. Diamantina Spur was not one of them. It went on and on like the Evil Energizer battery. It is around 1pm at this point. The weather was starting to change and I pick up the pace, which mean 20 steps per 5 second rest instead of 10 steps.

As the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. Mt Feathertop went from

to

All evil spurs come to and end and it finally joined the Razorback. Ken mention that once I got to the west side of the razorback I will be able to see the damage of the fire earlier this year.

Federation Hut was not far and I just legged it, arms pumping.


It was around 4 that I made it to Fed Hut and after a quick recce, selected this spot and made myself a well earned coffee. There was about 9 people in total at Federation Hut that night. After not seeing anyone for almost 2 days, I was a bit spoiled. Till I buy the Alpine National Park, I would have to learn to share.

By this time, the fog was rolling in. I decided to not go up Feathertop. I left my thermals and wool hoodie in  the fading sunlight to dry.

Time for some grub. I cooked up a lentil and dahl curry. It smelt great. As some of the other hikers were coming back from Feathertop. I cold hear more than one say. "Something smells great! That dude is cooking some mad curry." Thank you Ainsley for a nice lentil and dahl curry.

*After linking the lentil and dahl curry. I realise, from the website, that 1 packet is 2 serves. I ate it all. Fat bastard. *

It was not so windy, but it was cold, more than the previous 2 nights. I slept early but work up to answer nature's call and take a photo. At about 10 pm, the night was clear and the moon was out. It was still at that point. The wind did pick up overnight. Not gale force, but a lazy 10-15 km/h wind.

I went back to bed on what would be the coldest night I have every experianced outdoors. Overnight it came to bloody-cold degrees. My mid layer did not dry in time but I do have spare thermals. I put on everything I could. It was at this point where I am glad I changed my mind about changing my mind regarding changing my mind about abandoning my neck warmer. It would be a shame to wake up to a snapped frozen neck. Especially when I had the best time of the hike tomorrow. But how would I know how good tomorrow would be. If I did know, the thought would have warmed my heart in that bloody-cold degree night.

Day 2 Summary

• Diamantina Spur starts really steep for the first km. Ascend is hard, descend is looks harzardous at times. Try not to fall backwards.
• The bottom of Diamantina spur is a bit overgroom but the track is still visible
• The last source of water is the Keiwa River at the bottom of the spur or at Federation Hut.
• At times the track is not so obvious, but there is only 1 way. UP. As long as you keep going against gravity, you will get to the Razorback at some point. 
• There are a few sheltered flat sites along the Spur for which you can use for emergency campsite. EMERGENCY!!!
• The Sigma DP1 Merrill has abysmal battery life. Day 2 and I am into battery #4. Great photos. SHIT battery life.  
• From Diamantina Spur, I can see what looks like a really great ridge walk along Mt Jaimanthang. I really have to look into it.
• These Vivobarefoot trail running shoes am wearing are unsuitable for hiking. They have no traction over rocks and logs. The back of the shoes cup the heels really tight uphill, making it uncomfortable.
• I need a down jacked. 
• I need a better sleeping bag
• Ainsley meals are quite adequate for hiking.