Stanely Name spur/ Cross cut Saw/ Hell's window etc.
Posted: Mon 06 Nov, 2017 10:04 pmOn Sat. 4/11/17 I went up from the Upper Howqua to the Cross Cut saw via Stanley Name spur.
The track is VERY overgrown with a squillion fallen logs, thick scrub and 3 or 4 vertical bands of rock to climb. That was challenging and exhausting.
I heard some people got lost out there. I just stayed on top of the spur , kept an eye out for signs of former track clearing such as a chain sawed log and kept an eye on the map and compass.
The Campsite half way up the spur is very good and I could hear the water flowing down the gully but I did not inspect it. Others confirmed it was running , verily there were eye witness accounts from those who camped there on Sat. night and moved onto Hellfire Creek campsite on Sunday.
When I reached the top of the Stanely name spur track it was 4 pm and I had run out of puff, time and water to consider a push for Mt. Speculation so I went to Mac. Springs to camp and rehydrate.It took me all day to get to Mac. Springs.
The Queen spur road from the Upper Howqua campsite to the four ways track junction is quite OK for walking, but the SN track was a slow, bush bashing slog. The clear weather did provide some lovely views of the magnificent scenery .
However
Mac. springs was too busy for my style,
People were lighting fires everywhere in a FUEL STOVE ONLY zone , ripping green snow gums branches off
and someone was washing their dishes in the springs.One had to queue for the loo with a view.
The dunny seat is busted. I am calling the Heyfield ranger this week.
It was like a Labour Day long weekend up there a few years back. THE HORROR. Show some love and respect for the Gantner hut ,Mac. Springs and environs for *&^%$# sake!.
The whole region of the Upper Howqua/ Upper King river catchments was full of walkers.
The weather on Sat. and Sunday was perfect . Clear, sunny , not hot and no flies and abundant water from the last snow melting.
It made for a day pack and day trip to Mt. Magdala/ Hell's Window and the Hellfire Creek campsite to be a marvelous excursion .
It is less visited as a day walk from the Gantner hut than the more obvious Mt. Howitt summit and Cross Cut saw , both of which still had some snow drifts remaining on their southerly and easterly faces.
On my return to camp on Sunday my tent had become encircled by at least 4 more tents!. I was surrounded.
I wished I had camped at Stanely name spur campsite or at Hellfire creek campsite . Water was flowing at both water points making for more secluded camping .
I went to bed early on Sunday night .I was rogered, again! . The sunset on Sunday and the Sunrise on Monday were obscured by clouds . Sat night / Sunday morning were very cold and frosty with my guess being negative 3 degrees and water frozen solid in cups /pots that were left outside of my tent. The sunset on Sat. night was excellent.
The return to the Upper Howqua on Monday morning was via the Howitt summit and easier to deal with Howitt spur track. The summit and surrounds were shrouded in fog. Visibility was down to 10 metres maximum. I know the route well (and kept going west by compass), so had no trouble finding the Howitt spur track coming off the Summit west.
The river crossings were boots on but alas I got wet feet on the way back. There is still quite a bit of water flowing in the branches of the Howqua river.
Anyway I did meet and talk to some good people on the tracks over the weekend . I will return next time to camp in the area somewhere other than at Mac. Springs!
The track is VERY overgrown with a squillion fallen logs, thick scrub and 3 or 4 vertical bands of rock to climb. That was challenging and exhausting.
I heard some people got lost out there. I just stayed on top of the spur , kept an eye out for signs of former track clearing such as a chain sawed log and kept an eye on the map and compass.
The Campsite half way up the spur is very good and I could hear the water flowing down the gully but I did not inspect it. Others confirmed it was running , verily there were eye witness accounts from those who camped there on Sat. night and moved onto Hellfire Creek campsite on Sunday.
When I reached the top of the Stanely name spur track it was 4 pm and I had run out of puff, time and water to consider a push for Mt. Speculation so I went to Mac. Springs to camp and rehydrate.It took me all day to get to Mac. Springs.
The Queen spur road from the Upper Howqua campsite to the four ways track junction is quite OK for walking, but the SN track was a slow, bush bashing slog. The clear weather did provide some lovely views of the magnificent scenery .
However
Mac. springs was too busy for my style,
People were lighting fires everywhere in a FUEL STOVE ONLY zone , ripping green snow gums branches off
and someone was washing their dishes in the springs.One had to queue for the loo with a view.The dunny seat is busted. I am calling the Heyfield ranger this week.
It was like a Labour Day long weekend up there a few years back. THE HORROR. Show some love and respect for the Gantner hut ,Mac. Springs and environs for *&^%$# sake!.
The whole region of the Upper Howqua/ Upper King river catchments was full of walkers.
The weather on Sat. and Sunday was perfect . Clear, sunny , not hot and no flies and abundant water from the last snow melting.
It made for a day pack and day trip to Mt. Magdala/ Hell's Window and the Hellfire Creek campsite to be a marvelous excursion .
It is less visited as a day walk from the Gantner hut than the more obvious Mt. Howitt summit and Cross Cut saw , both of which still had some snow drifts remaining on their southerly and easterly faces.
On my return to camp on Sunday my tent had become encircled by at least 4 more tents!. I was surrounded.
I wished I had camped at Stanely name spur campsite or at Hellfire creek campsite . Water was flowing at both water points making for more secluded camping .
I went to bed early on Sunday night .I was rogered, again! . The sunset on Sunday and the Sunrise on Monday were obscured by clouds . Sat night / Sunday morning were very cold and frosty with my guess being negative 3 degrees and water frozen solid in cups /pots that were left outside of my tent. The sunset on Sat. night was excellent.
The return to the Upper Howqua on Monday morning was via the Howitt summit and easier to deal with Howitt spur track. The summit and surrounds were shrouded in fog. Visibility was down to 10 metres maximum. I know the route well (and kept going west by compass), so had no trouble finding the Howitt spur track coming off the Summit west.
The river crossings were boots on but alas I got wet feet on the way back. There is still quite a bit of water flowing in the branches of the Howqua river.
Anyway I did meet and talk to some good people on the tracks over the weekend . I will return next time to camp in the area somewhere other than at Mac. Springs!