Across the Crosscut Saw.

Rain, hail, icy winds, leeches, snakes, river crossings, sheer rock scrambles, scrub bashing - what a fantastic walk! What started out as a challenging Razor-Viking circuit, albeit not the classic route, was turned on its head as unexpected shifts in the weather patterns encouraged a change in plans. Undaunted, Phil and his co-conspirator Jopie, crafted a revised schedule that placed safety and comfort before dogged determination to do what we had set out to achieve, and slipped in a final twist that earned us the right for a refreshment stop on the way home.

Saturday morning started out as expected. Light rains had been forecast and we were dressed to suit. The route was one done many times before. Follow the Howqua River upstream, pick up the Queen Spur Road to the side of Queen Spur and amble up to the top of Mt Buggery. Buggery by name, Buggery by fame! "Light rains" persisted and expensive wet weather gear was more wet than gear. Post-fire regrowth ensured that reluctant droplets would soon be trickling down the inside rather than the outside as we fought our way through its tenacious reach providing convenient launching places for heat-seeking leeches. Shortly after lunchtime, spirits still high, we had reached the top with enough blood left to rest as sunshine intermittently broke through the threatening mist. Mt Speculation now beconned along the Crosscut Saw. Only Horrible Gap stood between us and the prospect of a warm dry tent on the far side of Mt Speculation. It was easy to imagine that whomever had chosen such evocative names for the hills and hollows must have really been having a bad day! By the time we had reached to top of Mt Speculation there were those amongst us who had added a few more adjectives to the descriptions.

4:30pm. Tents up and dry clothes replacing damp. Sheltered from the worst of the screaming wind high overhead. Should we light a fire while we prepare dinner? The decision was taken from our hands. A light drumming on the tents, slowly building as mist became hailstones and our previously green and brown campsite turned into a blanket of white. The marvel of modern telephony said it all. We could expect temperatures overnight of -3C with showers and wind persisting. With a hasty goodnight we all retired early to our individual castles to snuggle in as we dined in solitary comfort.

Phil pokes his nose out on Sunday morning. (John Fritze)

From inside the tents Sunday morning seemed more inviting. Voices echoed out from nearby neighbours as debate ensued as to whether it was +6C or -6C while thermometers struggled to match the conditions. Only John dared venture out to capture the beauty of the sun rising over cloud filled valleys. The crisp crunch underfoot over even more hailstones favoured the -6C camp! Better to role over again for another couple of hours as the next wave of mist and fog swept across our campsite in the saddle. By the time hunger and nature's persistent call forced a re-emergence Phil was on the rounds gathering votes. It was a landslide in favour of sitting out the bleak conditions and an alternative walk plan was put into action. Sunday rolled on, the weather improved and a side trip to Mt Koonika relieved the growing signs of craziness brought on by confinement to small (tent) spaces. By dinner time an open fire was in order and Saturday's damp gear was once again dry and aired.

Monday was a day for easy walking in pleasant conditions. We retraced our path to Mt Buggery and continued beyond along the Crosscut Saw. Our planned descent into The Trerrible Hollow and up to Macalister Springs would have to wait for another trip. Clear blue skies saw us across Mt Howitt and along the Australian Alps Walking Track as we soaked up the bountiless beaty of the nearby mountain ranges. Camp in a saddle before Mt Magdala seemed a world away from the conditions of the night before.

We used anything to slow the descent. (John Fritze)

Only one day left! Our cars were not far away waiting patiently alongside the Howqua River far below. We warmed up by heading over Mt Magdala with a photo-shoot at Hells Window. Spirits high we were ready for anything to round out this eventful trip. Should we follow the beaten track down Helicopter Spur, take a more challenging route down the spur from Picture Point or plunge headlong with a spirit of adventure down an un-named, untracked spur along the western slopes above Howqua River South Branch? Jopie and John were sent ahead to scout a route. Cautiously confident it could be done we set off in their wake down the un-named spur. Gently at first, then plunging steeply, arms legs and anything else that could brake the descent were put into action. A few testing rocky outcrops and we were soon down onto the more gentle lower reaches of the ridgeline. The vegetation thought so too and free-fall turned into a wrestle to the death as we fought like gladiators to fend off more tenacious shrubs and branches, this time without the leeches. And then, suddenly, the wall of green ended and we walked non-chalantly out onto the clear, even path along the Howqua River that would lead us home.

Thank you Phil for a fabulous walk, to Jopie and John for your navigation and route scouting, and to Susan Jeanette, Leo, Heath and Frank for your company on a memorable trip.