Last minute trip to go play in the snow. I have been to Mt Matlock and Mt Selma a number of times but never made my way around to Mt Useful. This time I am going to start at the other end and summit Mt Useful first.
Plan is to camp the night above the snow line somewhere, as getting snowed on is so much better than getting rained on. Will be driving basically on 2wd drive roads that just happen to be covered in snow and perhaps alot of it judging by current reports. I will be leaving Geelong early tomorrow morming, I have suggested to meet at the outbound Pakenham servo but happy to be flexiable.
The current forecast suggests that snow fall will be lighter throughout Saturday before another front comes through Saturday night / Sunday morning. Should wake up to swags covered in the stuff.
Recently people have been complaining about trips running that require big cars with big tyres, big winches, etc... I am placing no such restrictions as I myself don't even have a winch. But I will say this, if you have one and you come on my trip I would expect you to use it if required to help anyone that needs it, me or otherwise.
I do have the following list of requirements though:
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You have plenty of warm clothing and the approriate wet weather gear, once had a guy turn up on trip without a jumper, the poor guy nearly froze and it wasn't even snowing.
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You have a tent / swag. This same guy that didn't have a jumper slept in his car. Big no no! Your car has zero insulation and loses any heat out it's windows.
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You have plenty of food and water, enough to last several days should we get snowed in, unlikely but possible non the less. Again the same guys that had no jumper and slept in his car, thought a box of shapes was good for dinner. I mean I get it sometimes when out bush I'll survive on that shit but this guy really had no other food where as I had an entire fridge full of steaks, sausagaes, homecooked pasta & of course beer :)
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You have sensible modifications to your vehicle, turn up with road tyres, sorry but they just won't cut it. All terrians with decent tread at a minimum.
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Snorkel highly recommended, don't plan on any crazy river crossings but you just never know.
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Your own recovery gear, snatch strap, shackels, shovel, etc.
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Bring some dry firewood
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Chainsaw, bring it if you have it, bigger the better.
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Lastly you require a sense of adventure, it's really possible we might not even get to the top which might change where we camp / where we go.
I have an EPIRB and will use it if things go really pear shaped but gees things would have to dire and I would hope we have turned around well before needing such a thing. Also I don't want to sound alarmist about all this, it's really not that bad just apply some common sense and you will be fine.
Requirement