Crampons for Bogong area?

[andrewbish]

I am planning to do a walk around Bogong in the next few weeks. Will prob be a circuit including Mt Arthur, Spion Kopje, Nelse and Bogong.

I will have snowshoes, but I am wondering of there is any likelihood of needing crampons. What do you think?

Also, I am assuming an iceaxe, if just for arrest, is a given.

Andrew

[Bill P]

Hi Andrew.

Its hard to tell until you get up there how icy it is. I went up Feathertop last weekend and left the crampons in the car. Snow wasn't that icy . The snow shoes I had lost grip on traverses but others with the MSR lightning types fared better. I would probably take crampons if you have them. Bill P.

[andrewbish]

Thanks, Bill

[Gippsmick]

G'day Andrew. Bill is on the money. If you have both - consider taking both. It depends on what your doing. If just walking you should get away with snowshoes. But I have seen hard packed sheet ice from the tree line above the Staircase Spur to the summit in which my MSR snowshoes with excellent cleats just wouldn't bite deep enough. Crampons were required but we were on a climbing trip and had them with us - generally we would only have snowshoes though.

[peregrinator]

Please excuse my ignorance. Checking my notes of previous walks, I realise that I've only ever been at such altitudes in February and March. I've been to various places at c.1700 meters in late November and early December and seen no ice or snow, so can I ask at roughly what time of the year can one expect to walk without snow/ice equipment on the Bogong high plains? Thanks for any advice. (Yes, I know I could wait for a few more years of global warming after which it should be possible to walk there in sandals in July.)

[Moondog55]

while you can expect snow at any time of the year the ground is usually only snow covered in winter, Queens birthday week-end is the official start of the ski season and from about then to the end of October I usually go prepared for reasonable snow coverage, that should be about right for the next decade; after that it will probably be reduced to just a moth in the coldest time of the year and who knows after that

[peregrinator]

Thanks, so can I assume that snowshoes would not normally needed between (roughly) November and April?

[JamesMc]

You can assume that you won't need snow shoes from October to May inclusive unless there is exceptional snow fall.