Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Victoria specific bushwalking discussion.
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Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby olisanwah » Wed 29 Dec, 2021 6:12 pm

Hey all. I'm doing a solo hike over new years eve. I'm fit & endurance-ready, but inversely fit at navigation (i'm not a complete numb-nut, but haven't done anything remotely complex in a couple of decades, I get lost trying to find my loungeroom). But I'm happy to work hard for the views.

So i'm looking for a 2-3 day hike suitable with that in mind. 1 night would be fine, 2 nights ideal. My criteria was (spectacularly) elevated, isolated, and an escape from this weeks heatwave, which led me to looking at Bogong/Feathertop with a pretty agreeable forecast being served up. Parking at Mountain Creek carpark and up the stair trail, overnight around the hut then back to the peak for more moving around before heading back the way I came. Spending a night at Vic's highest peak sounds like a New Years well spent. Just seems a little wasteful going back the Bivouac hut and then back to the peak, but "I don't know what I don't know".

Don't care how far I am from Melbourne, but I do want the closest feeling I can get to waking up on top of the world - I also know that doesn't necessarily mean just going to the highest peak just because it's there. I'm a photographer and will have a handful of books and kinda want to get my head into both of those while I am wherever I am.

Bogong is more immediately appealing over Feathertop, and all the footage i've seen tell me that's the kind of views i'd love to immerse in. I've had friends wake up to views like that right outside their tends in Tassie (buggered if I remember where), mist rolling over the peaks and not a tree in immediate sight, but consensus says that's not done out at or around Bogong. I'm obviously not looking to break any written/unwritten rules.

If anyone is able to share any words of wisdom regarding that plan, or has any other ways they'd fill about 2 days with the above in mind, i'd be super grateful. Thankyou!
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Fri 31 Dec, 2021 7:27 pm

Mt. Speculation has possibly the best sunrise views in the Vic. Alps.

Dawn from camping just above Salt Camp creek Near Mt. Fainter South gives you views of the Moon setting and the sun rising at the same time if you time these things well with the weather and heavenly/celestial bodies.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby Biggles » Sun 02 Jan, 2022 2:52 pm

A personal fav: Mount McDonald — a lofty, airy perch overlooking the brow of the Bluff — sunrise and sunsets here more than make up for the grunt and grind of getting to the top. What constitutes a "best wakeup view" depends on what you are desiring, and the direction that you will find it; I rarely camp facing sunrise or sunset directly — more interested in the dusky afterglow colours (west in the am; east in the pm), and never where potentially a landscape pockmarked by tents or walkers could spoil the view.
“Is é comhrá faoin aimsir an tearmann deiridh ag an duine gan samhlaíocht.”
—Oscar Wilde, 1890.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby Hisham » Sun 02 Jan, 2022 4:34 pm

If you're going to do Bogong, keep walking to Cleve Cole Hut for the night or two. That will be good for your navigation and it's pretty safe with the marker poles and good trail. You can stay there for 2 nights under the snow gums and explore the area - there's a waterfall nearby. Or go back to camp on Bogong summit itself the second night then back down either Staircase or Eskdale Spur via Mitchell Hut. I wouldn't stay at either Bivouac or Mitchell Hut if you have other options.

Alternatively, I just came back from Mt Howitt - you could drive to Upper Howqua camping area and take the Mt Howitt track up 1000m to Mt Howitt. Go past a few kilometres and you're at Vallejo Gartner Hut with water. There was also a sign in between Mt Howitt and VG Hut saying water source 200m off the track so you might be able to stay near the summit if there's water there.

Two nights there would be great, as you can explore the crosscut saw the next day with a day pack. It's got amazing views of the surrounding wilderness and mountains.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Sun 02 Jan, 2022 6:28 pm

There was no water when we went to scout out the water the home made sign on Mt. Howitt points to.

Somebody has made a foot pad marked by small stone cairns so we were in the right place. It would seem to be a Nov. only kind of deal for that water source. We found signs of a soak such as dry puddle and much moss growing where the water may have been dripping . Maybe you could trace it down a long way down the mountain side but we just went to mac. Springs for proper easy to get cool spring water flowing in abundance.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby Lophophaps » Tue 04 Jan, 2022 5:56 pm

Speculation and McDonald are lovely places to camp.

A few minutes to the south-east of Bogong's summit there are shallow hollows, very exposed. There may be water at The Bivouac or Michelle Hut, and may be water at the Summit Hut site. None can be relied on. This means carting water from the bottom of Staircase or Eskdale if the summit is the first night. It's far easier to go to Cleve Cole and get water there. Another spot is Stirling Gap, a bit more sheltered, water to the south, but the views are not as good.

Bogong site.png
Bogong summit site, Wills in the background


The Bluff has some flat spots, possible water in a few places, but I'd carry water from the start at Refrigerator Gap.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby paidal_chalne_vala » Tue 18 Jan, 2022 9:45 pm

In good weather camping on top of Mt. Murray in the Dry Barry Mountains makes for impressive sunsets, moonrises and sunrises. BYO water.
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Re: Best wakeup views? (Bogong/feathertop, high country)

Postby ChrisJHC » Wed 19 Jan, 2022 1:19 pm

Any day I wake up and see my tarp rather than my bedroom ceiling is a good day.
:)
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