Trip Overview

This rewarding two night walk takes you into the Alpine National Park for one of the less well known hikes; the Mount Cobbler Plateau Circuit.

A total distance of 28 kilometres, you will pass alpine huts, exposed ledges, river crossings, swimming points, some rock scrambling and of course, some of Victoria’s best alpine scenery.

The track is not always well defined, but I am not expecting too many difficulties in that regard.

The hike itself is a figure 8 circuit, so an early get-out clause exists! Snowgums, alpine grass and hopefully pleasant weather will make for a great trip.

This hike is suitable for people who are rather inexperienced but have the right gear and the relevant fitness. Regardless, do not underestimate this hike.

Camping

2 nights.

Itinerary and Walk Descriptions

Distance: 30 km.

Saturday, 11 March 2023.

Our starting point is Mansfield, around a 3 hour drive from Melbourne. We will meet in Mansfield around 2 pm, before departing for the start of the hike at Speculation and King Basin Roads. It is about a 90 minute drive from Mansfield.

Once we arrive at our destination, it is a short, 1 km hike to King Hut and Campground, where we will camp for the night. A water source and a toilet are available here. The Campground is accessible by 4WD, so if you could probably drive it if you have a decent vehicle.

Sunday, 12 March 2023

A leisurely departure of 8.30 am is in store. We will pack up and hike 15 kilometres to Lake Cobbler, a water source and our campground for the night.

We can walk to the nearby Dandongadale Falls in the afternoon; they are barely 1000 metres away.

Monday, 13 March 2023

Departing at 8.30, we will summit Mount Cobbler before making our way to the cars and returning home.

A GPX file for the trip is available from https://www.trailhiking.com.au

Transport

Transport to and from the walk location is by car. Please indicate your transport requirements and preferences on the booking request form when you book in.

If you don’t have a car, we can’t guarantee to provide you with a lift – this will depend on available drivers and their locations.

Drivers can choose whether they wish to take passengers or not.

Passengers must pay the driver their share of car-pooling costs as described on the Car-pooling page. Please discuss the preferred method of payment with your driver.

Booking

Booking is required for this walk. Please indicate what similar walks you have done recently (i.e. in the past few months) to give the leader confidence that you are capable of doing this one. Refer to Walking Grades which, in conjunction with the walk description, will help you assess whether you have the required walking fitness and experience to do this walk.

The Leader will confirm your acceptance on the walk, or not, via email.  The leader will provide details of where and when to meet.

Booking Fee:
Members: free.     Non-members: $10.

Payment:
To avoid handling cash, non-members are required to pre-pay their booking fee.
Payment by Paypal or card is the quickest method, but if you choose to pay by EFT please follow the instruction to email the Treasurer with your payment details.

Cancellation:
If you need to cancel, please advise the leader as soon as possible, so that someone else has the opportunity.
There will be no refunds, so please do not book unless you are fully committed to walking.

What to Bring

• All the equipment, clothing, food and water you will need for the walks and overnight stays (refer Trip details above).

You will need to self supply six meals, all snacks, all drinks, although drinking water is readily available from Lake Cobbler. Treat it before you drink it with your choice of procedure.

• To help manage the Covid risk, the following may be useful: Hand Sanitiser, Face Mask(s), RAT test(s).

Refer to our Gear Checklist page for more details, or discuss with the leader.  If you are not properly equipped, the walk leader can decide not to let you participate on this walk.

Emergency Club Contact

The emergency club contact for this walk is Ken.  The leader can provide you with the contact’s phone number, if you wish to pass this on to any friend/family member who may be concerned if you return late.

COVID-19 Requirements

We need to follow all state government requirements regarding COVID-19 as explained here:   Coronavirus Victoria: How we live

• You should not be attending this walk if you are Covid-19 positive and/or are required to be in quarantine or isolation.
• If you have any Covid-19 symptoms, you should get tested and follow the instructions in the Coronavirus Victoria website.
• If you are a Household Contact (Close Contact) or a Social or Workplace Contact, you must follow the instructions in the Coronavirus Victoria website.

Check out our Covid-19 status.

Safety and Ambulance Insurance

We strongly recommend that you have Ambulance cover. For more details refer to: Joining a walk and your safety

Still have questions?

Check out What happens on a walk.

Check out Weekend and extended walks.

Contact the leader using the “Enquiry” button.

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