The Crosscut Saw

The Queen's Birthday long weekend, 1997 was a relatively warm one considering this was supposed to be the opening of the ski season. I headed once more to the Moroka/ Wonangatta region for this holiday weekend, this time to Mt Howitt to check out the logistics of walking in during winter when the road is closed. It would have been quite easy in previous years with the gate only 8km from the Howitt carpark but this year there's a new boom gate.

I arrived, as usual for me, at night and decided to walk in and camp somewhere around the tree line. I got about a kilometre when I learnt how to change the globe in my headlamp in total darkness. I got it working but the light was jammed on so I stopped at Vallejo Gantner Hut to fix it properly. They were a little bemused to see me leave again and questioned my sanity at hiking alone at night but I knew the area well and was well prepared.

For all practical purposes there was no snow. I set up camp at the first break in the tree line next to the track and got a good night's sleep. At dawn I poked my head out of the tent to a wondrous sight. The cloud tops were at around 1100 - 1200m and extended as far as the eye could see. There was nothing but cloud between Mt Speculation and Mt Buffalo in the distance, or between the Viking and Mt Feathertop.

It was a warm sunny day. One for just sitting on a rock and enjoying the view which is just what I did with a few other guys on Mt Howitt. Further across on Mt Buggery a group of hikers heading across the to Mt Speculation met a group on the return walk. We all spent a few hours doing bugger all, enjoying the warmth and the view.

I also shot a panorama around sunrise.