Mt Nelse September 2023

The 2023 Australian snow season in particular Victoria was below average with ski resorts closing weeks ahead of usual end times. I had managed a trip prior in July when the snow was at its peak for the winter to Mt Stirling as introductory for my Thai lady visiting Australia as first time to see snow.

I headed up to Myrtleford on Friday evening plan was to head to Nelse area which lies in the backcountry of Falls Creek alpine resort for an overnighter and catch the last of the early spring melt.  

I booked a campsite at the caravan park, saving an early wake up and long drive on Saturday morning , the resort is appox an hour and half from the Myrtleford.

I grabbed a pizza in town for dinner and went back and setup my 3 man car camping tent which I brought for a previous road trip up the east coast earlier in the year along with a cheap not so trusty inflatable mattress from Big W.

I drifted to sleep around 10:30pm, I woke up around 1 am which felt like I was sleeping on concrete I thought I was just dreaming but realised the mattress had deflated, I scurried out in the cold with just my jocks  to grab the pump from the car to inflate it again but figured I will be on my arse again in a couple hours so grabbed my hiking mat from pack and used this instead. The mattress was discarded in the bin the next morning!

The drive to Falls resort was pleasant with tunes playing was really looking forward to the day ahead, outside of ski season there is no  entry fee up the mountain but I figured just this once will wear the steep fee to park my car at the resort.

Was approx 9:30 I started walking up the Bogong High Plains Rd a 3 km road bash to the start of the Heathy Spur Trail Head gateway to the wilderness area of the high plains.

For this trip microspikes were suffice I didn't bother with the usual snowshoes as it was hard packed icy snow, the sun was radiating heat off the snow I lathered up on sunscreen and tore my down vest off.

     Heathy Spur trail

The walking was easy enough slight undulating with a gradual incline I headed in general direction to the east across the icy plains approx 4 kms to the Big river trail.

I decided to take a short cut and headed northward  for the last 1 km to Mt Nelse where I was planing on spending the night.

I skirted around the base of Mt Nelse up to a flat area with views of Mt Bogong in the far west and pitched my tent.

Taking a break with Rocky valley lake in view

                                           

After faffing around setting up the tent I took a walk up to the summit of Mt Nelse as it was mid afternoon, on approach to the summit cairn in view what seemed to me like someones head wearing a beanie was on other side of cairn sitting down , it spooked me out I wasn't game to walk around and have a look am sure was just someones beanie left behind but my mind was playing tricks on me.

I figured someone got caught out and took refuge behind the cairn but succumb to the elements.

I did a 180 and headed back down to my tent.

Was a beautiful evening the sunset was stunning  dipping to around 3 degree overnight I had a great sleep , was back n the trail early morning for the walk back to my car.

I nice little trip enjoyed very much.

Image I imagined