Feathertop hike with kids Jan- tips & advice

[Eucalyptus70]

Planning on hiking Feathertop with the kids aged 8-14 in January. Any tips & advice from others who have already done would be great. Wondering how long it might take to hike, set off time, parking etc.
Kids have done plenty of hiking and car tent camping before.

[Baeng72]

Hi,
Probably the easiest approach is to park at Diamantina Hut near Mt. Hotham, and walk the Razorback ridge to Feathertop out and back. No major climbs or descents. It's exposed ridge for the most part, so good weather is important.
It's a 10km walk, so probably 4 hours. There's only 1 or two slightly tricky bits near Champion Spur if I recall, but nothing that will stop kids.
Parking is a bit tricky on busy days, but basically, get car off road as far as possible so traffic can pass, and point it downhill seems to be the advice. I've left the car on the side of the road, a few hundred meters uphill of Diamantina Hut on the side of road, because the Razorback is pretty popular, and it was still there and untouched next days. I took my eldest back in '21 this way, camped at Fed. Hut. I think he was 11 then.
Next easiest start at Harrietville and walk up the Bungalow Spur. You're below the tree line until you hit Fed. Hut, the main camping area near Feathertop, so less to worry about if a bit windy/light rain.
This is about 9km, and takes about 4 hours, depending on fitness. It's a 1100m climb, but never super steep. I dragged the eldest up this way in '20, (he was 10 then) he complained a bit, but only because he wasn't in the mood, was never hard for him (well, he's still alive, so I presume it wasn't that hard).
Parking is at a lot that's been set aside near the trailhead to stop people from parking at the trail head. I've been up the mountain a few times this way and camped at Fed. Hut.
After that, the approaches become tests in endurance I think.

Water might be an issue at that time or year. There's a tank at Fed. Hut, but depending on recent rain might not be reliable. There's a spring on the Tom Kneen/NW Spur track between Fed. Hut and MUMC Hut.
There's also a spring on the way up Bungalow Spur, near the old Bungalow Hut ruins. If you're starting at Diamantina Hut/Hotham, pack plenty of water, as even at altitude, it might be cooler but it's still thirsty work. Maybe check in the days beforehand how the water situation is on this forum or keep an eye on how much rain there's been in the weeks leading up.

There are other camping spots near the summit. The junction of Bungalow Spur track and Razorback track has some spots in the vicinity. There's camping on the top of Diamantina Spur, but it's a kilometer or so from Fed. Hut. You pass the turnoff walking the Razorback track. You can also camp about a kilometer below Fed. Hut at old Bungalow Hut ruins.

Bungalow Spur

Razorback / Feathertop

[Biggles]

Kids will love it, for the views and the wildflowers and the overall generally invigorating experience! About 10k in a reasonably straight line, with diverse terrain and a couple of early sections with steep right-hand drops that might give you vertigo (did that to me!). Great places to stop for a munchie if looking a very long way down does not make your head spin!

I did this ever-popular walk it for the first time in November 2009 (5 hours, a lot longer than the usual 3.4 to 4 hours) because of short detours to get photos of the vast, sweeping vistas of wildflowers and range upon range). The group had blistering hot sun on the forward journey, a wild and very noisy thunderstorm on night two and rain, furious westerlies then SNOW on the return walk — all the while as Bright way down below, basked in 29°c heat and sunshine! Exhibit A, as to the entirely changeable nature of that lofty alpine environment, one which you and offspring should be very well prepared for, but have no fear off if your preparation is well thought out. There is no water en route, so you have take that with you, at least 2 litres for each person (water is available at a spring nearby the hut), in addition to the well-sorted camping kit, a sunhat, sunscreen, sunnies, a camera (but of course! ), solid bushwalking boots, trekking poles — to aid stability and pace on the rocky bits (there is a 'hump' of rock that must be traversed on the track — nothing serious but it is an unusual intrusion and change of pattern from the usual footpad)

My camp was where the grand old snowgum stands nearby the hut. There are many places to pitch a tent, with the popular grove of snowgums nearest the hut offering shelter in the event of a change of weather (very common in the Spring-summer months!).

Take a day walk to the very summit of Feathertop for a true roof-of-Victoria view. You will likely see substantial drifts of snow up there, with weak, crumbling overhangs that should be kept clear of. This was a feature of the 2009 walk, but not subsequent walks (2014, 2018).
A black snake crossed our path in 2018 passing through a grove of snowgums/mixed vegetation. Mr S. Nake came and went uneventfully, but keep an eye out for anything basking in the warm alpine sun trackside.

I may be doing the walk again this November (Melbourne Cup long weekend); keen to repeat old memories and create new ones. Feathertop really is one of Victoria's great walks and you should be prepared to see plenty of others on the track to and fro.

[Lophophaps]

The above posts have good advice. At times the parking at Diamantina Hut is full, and you may have to park at The Cross, a kilometre or so up the road. There's one climb on The Razorback that may be challenging, 140 metres or so from memory. The track splits a few times, and a bit of care will avoid more climbing. Federation Hut may have a lot of tents. Another option is to go on the Dimantina Spur Track for about 10 minutes, flat. There's lovely camping in a sheltered series of glades. Set up camp, go to the hut, summit Feathertop, get water on the Tom Kneen Track, and then back to Diamantina Spur. The water is almost certain to be running, and is 10-15 minutes from the summit track junction. The Diamantina Spur campsite means a shorter pack carrying journey, but no hut to cook in and no toilet.

Diamantina Hut cars

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Razorback track split

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Daimantina Spur campsite

[EPICEXPLORER]

Hi, Arrange a car shuttle and hike day one along the razorback to fed hut then the next day hike down to harrietville. If you don't have 2 cars i would recommend snowy dog shuttles

[Biggles]

Hi, Arrange a car shuttle and hike day one along the razorback to fed hut then the next day hike down to harrietville. If you don't have 2 cars i would recommend snowy dog shuttles

Is he still operating (Snowy Dogs Shuttle)
I would have thought that a minimun 2-night (or three!) stay in that bewitchingly alpine beautiful environment would be better than a march right in/walk right down approach. Having said that, it might well have merit for the OP if the kids don't like the experience (but as I've said in my own post, there is every chance they'll love it and want more!).

[EPICEXPLORER]

I recently did a 1 night with snowy dog and it was great, though if your looking for a longer trip you could head to fed hut then the next day to dibbins via Diamantina spur and then head over to mt loch carpark on the third, though it will require a short walk along the road.

[Lophophaps]

Diamantina Spur is very steep at the bottom, quite demanding up (lungs) and down (knees). There's a bus between Omeo and Bright that may be suitable to avoid a longish car shuffle. One option may be to drive to the start, drop people and packs, drive to Harrietville, and hitchhike to The Razorback. Having a small bushwalking pack and gaiters makes it more likely that a lift will be obtained. Allow about four hours for the return journey.

Another option for three days is down Brandy Creek Fire Track, camp on the Cobungra River, up Paling Spur (~450 metres, medium to light scrub), SEC Hut, Dibbins Hut, Derrick Hut (up 400 metres), Hotham road (a bit more up)

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Another option for Mt. FT is to drive up the Stoney tops track from Snowy Creek road at the German town bridge.
Any SUV can get up there to the winter gate. Park at the side of the unsealed road near the picnic tables and walk up the 4 WD track to the old helipad. The foot track starts there. It is the shortest and most scenic route to the Mt. FT summit.
You could do it as a day walk and car camp at the Stoney Tops camping area. BYO water and tools for digging a latrine.
There are picnic tables and good tent sites
Take a chainsaw just in case. Even a decent axe is better than nothing in
the event of a tree fall on the access road.
The Creek crossing just before the track junction for vehicles near Dungey's track can be interesting if it has rained a lot. Get out and walk the ford to get an idea of what the creek is doing.
You won't see anyone up there and compared with the hoardes of people at Fed. hut it is arguably a nicer way to walk up a shorter route to Mt. FT.
Pick a good weather window .
The camping area at the top of the Diamantina spur is great and again seldom busy or used at all .
Camping at MUMC hut is seldom busy. The walk as a loop from the Fish farm up the steep NW spur might be a bit much for kids or some adults
but it makes a good loop returning via the Bungalow spur the following day . The walk along through the Harrietville village back to the car at the Fish Farm is easy and flat .
Another loop option is to go up the Bungalow spur , collect water the spring near the hut ruins area, push onto the Diamantina spur campsite. The next day walk over the Razorback and down the Bon Accord spur. There is a tank that has been installed at the Bon Accord hut ruins site. I have yet to examine this tank but it does offer the possibility of water and even camping half way down the long walk along the Bon Accord spur back to
Harrietville.
Thus creating a loop without the longer walk through town that the NW spur and the Bungalow spur loop route presents.
I might even try this since I have not been up Mt. FT for a while.

[Lophophaps]

A variation on the Bungalow Hut site water collection is to get water from Tom Kneen Track. This avoids carrying water up from the hut site, and its flat and downhill from the Tom Kneen Track water. the Tom Kneen water runs most of summer unless it's really dry weather. The bottom of Bon Accord has a creek crossing. I do not know what this is like.

[north-north-west]

The bottom of Bon Accord has a creek crossing. I do not know what this is like.

Wet, but with variable depth.

[Baeng72]

The bottom of Bon Accord has a bridge.
It's like you superfans don't follow my socials!!!!
Just kidding, I wouldn't follow them either. Too boring.
https://youtu.be/2EvbDMiAzXw at about 6:20.

Water tank also in this vid. Had water in it 2 years ago.
Video from day before has Bungalow and Diamantina.

[EDIT] Now I'll be told the bridge was washed out by the great flood of '23 or something because I've made a definitive claim and the universe likes to mess with me.

[Baeng72]

I would like to do a loop that has NW Spur and Champion Spur, because then I've covered the tracked Spurs.
But beggars will ride lately.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Champion spur will be fully overgrown by now. It will be a crazy painful bushbashing mission to end all bushbashing missions. I did the descent down Champion spur
right after the dept. of frequent name changes
cleared the route with a bulldozer up to about 1350 M. ASL.
It went straight down , no zig zags , no switchbacks.
It had 10 plus creek crossings at the bottom.
:-0
You still have to scrub bash off the ridge near Twin Knobs on the Razorback.
Navigation skills need to be up to scratch. Stay on top of the ridge at all times!.

[Baeng72]

It will be a crazy painful bushbashing mission to end all bushbashing missions. ...
It had 10 plus creek crossings at the bottom... Stay on top of the ridge at all times!.

So, scratch the tracked business...Only 1 river crossing, you don't need to take the Ovens river track, you can just cross the river an bush-bash 100m to the Bon Accord track...That's standard and excellent bushwalking advice, when in doubt go to crest of ridge...

[Camminata]

Up NWSpur and then down Champion would make for a tough 2 day grind, I reckon im up for the challenge @Baeng you go first so can report back on condition of Champion spur

[Baeng72]

Up NWSpur and then down Champion would make for a tough 2 day grind, I reckon im up for the challenge @Baeng you go first so can report back on condition of Champion spur

Let me build up to it. I haven't done an overnighter in 2 months. I've only been going to gym, the odd bike ride, and walking dog a lot...and Mason's falls circuit once where I banged up an ankle and knee.
Anyway, that's off topic. Where's our eco warrior friend to make me feel like I'm not the biggest distraction on this site?

[Camminata]

Up NWSpur and then down Champion would make for a tough 2 day grind, I reckon im up for the challenge @Baeng you go first so can report back on condition of Champion spur

Let me build up to it. I haven't done an overnighter in 2 months. I've only been going to gym, the odd bike ride, and walking dog a lot...and Mason's falls circuit once where I banged up an ankle and knee.
Anyway, that's off topic. Where's our eco warrior friend to make me feel like I'm not the biggest distraction on this site?

Elvis has left the building..