Mount Bogong - Hiking the Staircase and Eskdale Spur Track

At the top of Victoria

Had a fantastic (but challenging) climb of Mount Bogong last weekend.

The weather was perfect, mostly sunny and clear - not too hot going up, and not unbearably windy at the peak.

We had an early start and were heading up the trailhead at exactly 8am. Our chosen route was via the Staircase walking track, so called because it is a consistent steep grade upwards, with only a few short areas that level off. The track starts near a forested creek thick with ferns and ascends through tall eucalypt forest and mountain wattles. As the track climbs, the forest becomes drier and the path rockier. The taller gum trees eventually give way to snow gums, the higher elevation eucalypts.

Looking up through the eucalypts

There is only the hint of a view of the surrounding hills (just enough to confirm that yes, still going up!) There is a mountain hut and camping area about halfway up. Above treeline on the exposed mountain, the wind picks up and the views are fantastic!

The exposed part of the walk feels very desolate, but is extremely beautiful. It had cooled down considerably and we put on our first layers. There were alpine skinks sunning themselves on rocks, tons of brilliant green grasshoppers leaping away from the path, and we even saw an enormous grey wolf spider.

It took us just over three hours to climb to the peak. We rugged up and ate lunch, walked around, took some photos. Being Easter weekend and school holidays, there were quite a few people going up and down ("quite a few", being maybe 25).

Obligatory "we made it" photos

Track to West Peak and Quartz Ridge

Yellow paper daisies, still in full bloom

From the left: West Peak, Mount Buffalo, Kiewa Valley. The ridge in the centre is the Staircase, the ridge to the left is the Eskdale Spur.

Mt Buffalo in the distance, an amazing view of the Gorge

Infrastructure of the Snowy Hydro scheme visible in the distance

We opted to not return via the Staircase, but instead to descend via the Eskdale Spur walking track, and to walk the ~4km track in between the two trailheads.

The Eskdale Spur track is not quite as steep, but still steep enough! Good to have hiking poles and take frequent breaks to rest the knees. A lot of the younger folks were able to speed on by us, but we weren't in a rush. The weather was still fine, might have been a different story if a storm had blown in. I justify our slowness by noting we carried full packs. I am a person who likes to over-prepare and we had extra winter coats, first aid/snake bite kit, additional litre of water per person. That extra weight does slow you down, but allows for peace of mind! I have heard too many stories of walkers being unprepared in the high country.

Winter trail markers. The Bogong High Plains get a decent amount of snow in winter.

Down we go.

Following the ridgeline.

Sunlight and shadows

Looking back toward the peak along Eskdale Spur

One last view looking up the mountain before we go below treeline.

I don't recall the time, but it probably took us about 90 minutes to descend along the Eskdale Spur track, and an additional 90 minutes walking between the two trailheads and back to where we'd parked the car.

Back under the tall gums

Bogong from the Kiewa Valley Highway, on our drive home.
See you next time...

We treated ourselves to a twix bar on the drive home and then hashbrowns for dinner, taking it easy for the rest of the night. Overall, about an 18km hike. I don't keep too close track of these things, but at 37,000+ steps that day was a personal best for me!