Stormbringer

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I slept Ok and there were no storms during the night. I am getting quicker at breaking camp and today I'm off walking at 7:30am. The initial 2km are slightly uphill but on a good track. From there it is a short ascent up to The Nobs which is probably my first real viewpoint of the hike.

The track down to the High Cone campsite and saddle is quite steep in places but I reach there at 10am and stop for a rest. I also go looking for the nearby water source but as I expected there is evidence of moisture but no actual water that I can find.

The next section of the track is hard work as it is very overgrown with numerous trees down across it as result of bushfires. Though it is only 200m ascent to the top of High Cone if feels like it is much more. There is meant to be a choice of paths here but it's all I can do to follow any track and I end up walking to the summit. From here I can now see Mt Clear and the ridge which I need to follow. I find the next section just as hard and reach the point on the top of a rocky knoll where the path turns sharp right thoroughly exhausted. My water supply is now looking a bit low and I’m hopeful I might find some on the slopes of Mt Clear. If not, I don't expect to find any until I reach Chesters Yard 4.8km after the summit of Mt Clear.

The section over Square Top I find better, but the path here is still very overgrown and hard to follow. I finally emerge onto a good track and have a clear view of the ridge up Mt Clear. It is another 200m + of ascent and a slog up to the top of Mt Clear and as a boost my spirits (not) I find the water soak I was hoping for on Mt Clear to be dry.

By now I’m focused on Chesters Yard as my next overnight camp. It’s still almost 5km away but the path down is far better, I just need to take care on the steeper sections. I can now see dark clouds building up to the West, so I am keen to lose height and find shelter in the next hour or so.

I reach the junction with the Mt Clear Spur Jeep track and know that the worst for today is now behind me. There is plenty of surface water hear collected in the deep ruts of the track, so trusting my LifeStraw I drink like a camel and fill my water bottles just in case the water at Chesters Yard is not as reliable as indicated.

The final 3km is a bit of a plod with high grass and flies not as pleasant as I had hoped, and I'm caught in a brief heavy shower. In the first large clearing the grass is so long the tracks are hard to see so I scout around for a few minutes looking for where the track leaves the clearing. I reach Chesters Yard around 5pm. It is a good spot with a small creak and a small creek with fresh running water. I’m quick to pitch the tent as the wind is picking up and the sky is looking ominous.

About 6pm a couple come down the AAWT from the north. This is their 4^th day from Mt Hotham but they say it has been hard walking.

The storm hits just after 6pm and lasts until 7:30pm. My tent is good but not built for a storm this severe, but I have pitched on a gentle slope so can let the water build up near the door from where I can bail the tent try. I try to keep as much of my things dry and generally succeed. I decide to skip my evening meal and dine on the wraps, cheese and salami. When the rain stops, I mop up the tent and boil some water for a hot chocolate and think that tonight is as good a time as any to eat my emergency bar of chocolate. The wind is howling, and a few things are a bit damp, but as I settle down for the night my spirits are high as I have worked out a backout plan. Continuing on to Mt Hotham, assuming the track is just as rough is not sensible. Though I can probably do it I think 4 days will be very tough. At the moment I'm reasonably close to Mt Buller so there are options to walk out to a road. After today that will not be as easy. Today I could see Mt Buller so I’m pretty sure I will have good phone reception from the ridge here. In that case I will be able to get a message out now to J and rearrange my pickup. My first idea was to walk out east via Macalister Springs to the Howitt Road but checking the map and thinking about this more, it makes more sense to walk out in a westerly direction. At the next saddle a good track comes up from the Jamieson River, and though it looks a longish way it should be straightforward to reach the Upper Jamieson Hut by tomorrow night. I’ve then 2 days to walk to Sheepyard Flat where I can be picked up on Sat. If I get to Sheepyard flat early I might even be able to hitch out to Mansfield, but that would be a bonus.

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