My comments yesterday about commonsense and alpine weather proved prophetic today as I walked along the Blue Rag Range near Mount Hotham.
The forecast was for a fine day with southerly winds freshening later. We were expecting 29 degrees here and 13 at Mount Hotham.
The prospect of a southerly change warned me to expect strong winds on the exposed ridge, but I wasn’t fully prepared for the freezing conditions, rain and snow.
No complaints though. I wore shorts and a long-sleeve shirt. My legs didn’t get cold, but the icy wind froze my hands.
The track starts 11.5km south of the Great Alpine Road along the Dargo High Plains Road. It descends sharply before a steeper climb to the intersection of two tracks.
The remainder of the walk follows a ridge that would ordinarily offer majestic views. “Alone and aloof” is how one book accurately describes this range, which is above the tree line at nearly 1700 metres.
I walked through fog and light drizzle. Cloud passed over the ridge in a haunting mysterious shroud. Conditions were comfortable out of the wind, but freezing where its full power was felt.
I reached the summit and skirted down out of the gale for lunch. I then retraced my steps to the car, completing a total walk of 13.6km in three hours and 40 minutes.
The views opened up temporarily on the return journey and were indeed stunning. The snowcapped peaks around Mount Hotham loomed on one side, while hills creased into endless valleys toward the Wongungarra on the other.
The wind eased as I arrived back near the car, only to be superseded by a heavy fall of snow. I preferred the snow to the rain, as it was less wet (if that makes sense) and the still conditions weren’t as cold as the wind I’d encountered near the summit.
I enjoyed the walk and will try it again in better weather. The fog saved me from seeing a preview of the challenging ascent near the beginning, but it wasn’t too bad.
I’ll try to avoid weekends and holidays in future, as the track is suitable for 4WD vehicles. I came across five of them and two trail bikes.
I found walking conditions better than the Razorback. The track is wide and mostly even, not too rocky. The views are probably just as good.
