Your correspondent in the field ticked off
another bushwalk that required a fact finding mission. It was in a part of the Mt. Buffalo N.P. that is less visited than more popular areas that are close to car access.
The Rocky Creek track would be OK for XC skiing around Wild Dog Plain but it drops down out of the snow gums and has many rocky sharp turns where it loses elevation and most probably would not have safe/adequate snow depth for safe BC XC skiing.
The return ski would be an uphill slog.
If the snow is good at 1100 M. then it would be amazing at Cresta Valley so why bother?.
I drove up on Sunday 5/12/21 and armed with my camp site permit , I hiked in from the Reservoir. Leaving the guitar in the car made the pack carry weight lighter as did only having 2 days worth of food.
My knees liked that idea.
The camp site at Rocky creek was badly burnt in the 2019-2020 fires. The drop loo looks new and so do some of the signs. The water in the creek was very clear and fresh and only 100 M. from the camp site. I had the camp site all to myself in a peaceful montane forest at 1100 M. ASL.
The new MONT ground sheet/ foot print for my tent works well esp. on hard granite gravel surfaces which could rupture the gossamer thin MONT MOONDANCE tent floor.
I set up camp, fetched water, cooked dinner and curled up with a good book before dusk. The wind picked up through the trees for a while during the night and then abated. I saw some stars without any light pollution and went off to sleep.
The Next day I was up at 0530 and packed and walking at 0700. The weather looked good. The walk on day 2 was the longer part of the loop from Rocky Creek to Mollinson's Galleries, Eagle Point, 5 Acre Plain, Og , Gog and MaGog and back to the car at The Reservoir.
18 kms or so in total.
Parks Vic. have re routed the track from Rocky Creek to Mollinson's Galleries and recut all the tracks out that way. They were also tagged with pink tape. It was a super highway . I didn't see anyone until I reached the new looking ladders at Eagle Point.
The views from up there in the clear sunshine were noteworthy.
I ate lunch on my own scenic Boulder just prior to reaching and ascending the side track up the rocks at Og , Gog and MaGog.
The route then slithered around the back of the Reservoir and popped out on the Mt. McLeod track , just a short way from the Reservoir car park.
Mt. Dunn would have to wait as I was feeling done.
I did go and visit the Horn picnic area in the car. The Bushfire damage up there is dismaying. So much of the park has been turned into charcoal.
I also stopped at the Lake Catani day visitor area and took some more photos and went and had a look at the Chalet and the new look out ramp at the Gorge .It is rather obtrusive. The gardens at the Chalet were very colourful.
I went back to stay at my friend's house in Myrtleford . I was ready for a shower, a meal and an early night.
It was a good hike.
another bushwalk that required a fact finding mission. It was in a part of the Mt. Buffalo N.P. that is less visited than more popular areas that are close to car access.
The Rocky Creek track would be OK for XC skiing around Wild Dog Plain but it drops down out of the snow gums and has many rocky sharp turns where it loses elevation and most probably would not have safe/adequate snow depth for safe BC XC skiing.
The return ski would be an uphill slog.
If the snow is good at 1100 M. then it would be amazing at Cresta Valley so why bother?.
I drove up on Sunday 5/12/21 and armed with my camp site permit , I hiked in from the Reservoir. Leaving the guitar in the car made the pack carry weight lighter as did only having 2 days worth of food.
My knees liked that idea.
The camp site at Rocky creek was badly burnt in the 2019-2020 fires. The drop loo looks new and so do some of the signs. The water in the creek was very clear and fresh and only 100 M. from the camp site. I had the camp site all to myself in a peaceful montane forest at 1100 M. ASL.
The new MONT ground sheet/ foot print for my tent works well esp. on hard granite gravel surfaces which could rupture the gossamer thin MONT MOONDANCE tent floor.
I set up camp, fetched water, cooked dinner and curled up with a good book before dusk. The wind picked up through the trees for a while during the night and then abated. I saw some stars without any light pollution and went off to sleep.
The Next day I was up at 0530 and packed and walking at 0700. The weather looked good. The walk on day 2 was the longer part of the loop from Rocky Creek to Mollinson's Galleries, Eagle Point, 5 Acre Plain, Og , Gog and MaGog and back to the car at The Reservoir.
18 kms or so in total.
Parks Vic. have re routed the track from Rocky Creek to Mollinson's Galleries and recut all the tracks out that way. They were also tagged with pink tape. It was a super highway . I didn't see anyone until I reached the new looking ladders at Eagle Point.
The views from up there in the clear sunshine were noteworthy.
I ate lunch on my own scenic Boulder just prior to reaching and ascending the side track up the rocks at Og , Gog and MaGog.
The route then slithered around the back of the Reservoir and popped out on the Mt. McLeod track , just a short way from the Reservoir car park.
Mt. Dunn would have to wait as I was feeling done.
I did go and visit the Horn picnic area in the car. The Bushfire damage up there is dismaying. So much of the park has been turned into charcoal.
I also stopped at the Lake Catani day visitor area and took some more photos and went and had a look at the Chalet and the new look out ramp at the Gorge .It is rather obtrusive. The gardens at the Chalet were very colourful.
I went back to stay at my friend's house in Myrtleford . I was ready for a shower, a meal and an early night.
It was a good hike.
Last edited:
