Mt Clear Traverse September 2023

 

The Mount Clear loop had been on
my radar for a good 2-3 years, so I thought why not tackle this more remote isolated part of the Alpine National Park. The route would take in part of the Australian Alps Walking Track.

Day 1: Clear Creek to Mount Clear Saddle 15 km, 8 hours
As I wanted to get an early start walking
and taking in account the tedious drive from Merrijig to Clear Creek, I left Melbourne at 4.30 am. This gave me plenty of time to think about what I was expecting on this hike. I was a bit nervy and also excited to be back into into a remote place.

After an hour and half of bumpy slow drive
in my VW van from Merrijig I finally reached Clear Creek. It felt like I was driving into the void as i descended into the Jamieson Valley. As I was getting ready I met deer hunters in their big ute tanks, reminding me of the horror movie Wolf Creek. After a quick chit chat, assuring me I wouldn’t be shot mistaking me for a deer, I headed up The Nobs 4WD track which led to the start of walk proper on the AAWT 440 metres higher.

I had read that the 4WD track from Clear Creek to below The Nobs track was quite steep, and with a loose rock surface I was blowing steam already. One of the deer hunters was driving up the track, and this is where Wolf Creek thoughts crept into my head and thinking this is it for me. He offered a lift up to the top to the AAWT turn off, saving

me the last kilometre of this road bash. I was happy to jump into back of his ute which was covered in blood from a fresh kill. It all added to the adventure.

I started walking on the faint footpad eyeing off The Nobs in the distance, two craggy peaks. The walking was beautiful with stunning Aussie bush all around me. I had
six litres of water with a loose plan for a dry camp at one of the many saddles, so the extra weight was affecting my progress

                                                                                        

Approaching The Nobs

After a short scramble up The Nobs I could look down and see the spurs and ridges as shown on my paper map very clearly. As I headed towards High Cone the wind was blowing at around 40 kilometres an hour, and with a blaring spring sun I wasn’t sure if I was cold or hot.

In a few hours I reached High Cone, happy with my progress and really enjoying the wild remote feeling on this route. After a short snack break of dried fruits nuts and a banana I was on my way. I could see Mount Clear in the distance, and nearer there was another bump, Square Top. I'm unsure how the name came about as it looked more like a pointy triangular shape.

Navigation so far had been quite straightforward, following a faint footpad.
I had read a report that the track was overgrown in places, and I got cocky and ahead of myself thinking, “Meh, a walk in the park!” So I went down from High Cone, but after about 20 minutes I lost the track, back on course soon after checking the GPS. This went on for another half hour, losing the track, checking the GPS, repeat ...

Things took a turn and soon I was trying
to locate the trail and finding no track, just overgrown waist-high shrub with fallen trees to climb over and under. I soon found myself choosing my own path through thick scrub
for two hours or so. I was trying to follow the middle of the spur to get onto Square Top but somehow ended up sidling around it. I found
a flat ledge clear of scrub and thought this is too easy to be true. I walked it anyway as it gave me a short sense of relief until I reached a scrubby dead end. I checked the GPS and to my surprise saw how far down the north- west side of Square Top I was. By this stage I was feeling tired and exhausted, and looking straight up to where I had to go to get back on top of the spur was soul destroying.

I scrambled up a very steep slope over fallen trees and thick scrub. I got somewhere near the top blowing a lung out or two and as I looked down a fat long copperhead snake lay there basking in the sun, scaring the crap out of me.

A sense full of self despair overcome me!

Southern slope Mt Clear

After a short regroup to check the map
and GPS I found that I wasn’t too far from
the saddle before Mount Clear, still with no track. It was somewhat easier as I was on
the middle of the spur heading down hill and finally a clearing was in sight of the saddle between Mount Clear and Square Top. I was much relieved and feeling parched I guzzled down a good half litre of water. Fair to say I was really buggered, sore calf muscles, sore shoulders etc ... I was thinking it would be tempting just to set up camp now at 3 pm and relax for the rest of afternoon, or I could try and make a dash to the intended campsite just north of Mount Clear. I figured out that this would be an hour up to summit of Mount Clear, then an hour on the summit plateau and

down other side. I could see that the scrub was not dense upon the southern slopes so I figured that the bush bashing was behind me. With a choccy bar and another banana to give some last energy boost as I felt I was running on vapours I decided I would go for it and have an easy walk back down to car the next day.

Tunnel vision had set in for reaching camp as I was racing against the sun ...

Climbing Mount Clear involved 200 metres ascent from the saddle, steep in places. The wind had picked up speed by late afternoon and I wasn’t too interested in hanging out on top of Mount Clear's flat open area for too long. Tunnel vision had set in for reaching camp as I was racing against the sun as I didn't want to be navigating in the dark.

And sure enough just after 5 pm I stumbled and limped into the camp spot at the 4WD junction, feeling awesome but buggered .

Dinner of penne pasta with meatballs I had cooked before the trip went down a treat followed by some fruit, cups of tea and Lindt dark chocolate and a beautiful sunset. I was in my sleeping bag by 7.30 pm, all cozy with 127 hours which I started in 2016. I only read it on hikes.

Author selfie time

Big Agnes with Mt clear behind

Around 9.30 pm I started to experience painful thigh cramps. I would bend my legs
up and would be in agonising pain. I felt like my thighs were going to pop out of my skin. I slowly crawled out of the tent to stand up and massaged my legs and thighs in particular, and gobbed down a pack of Pringles. I figured that I lost too much salts and didn’t drink enough water during the day.

Day 2: Mount Clear Saddle to Clear Creek, 8 km, 4 hours
I woke up at about sixish feeling good, leg cramps gone. I broke camp a bit after 7 am and headed down the Mount Clear Track.

Today was a relaxing cruise on an open clear track with nice bush around me, a big contrast to yesterday's walking. The track runs parallel to yesterday's route, about 3 kilometres across the valley and the same height at

first, so I could see across from afar at the undulating ridge where I had walked. It was quite rewarding reflecting on that hard day with spectacular views. I do and enjoy these tough adventure hikes but won’t be in a hurry to do this one again!

I reached the car by 11 am and headed to Melbourne via a lunch and coffee in Mansfield.