A long walk through the Alps

For many, backpack hunting gives the hunter an opportunity to explore the alpine areas beyond the reach of others in the hope of promising new country and big stags. The remote and harsh environments provide a challenge, demanding more from the individual physically and mentally.

I have always pushed myself and my hunting gear to go further and find new and exciting country to scout.
I’ve found backpacking has always drawn me to experiencing new places and provided new challenges to hunt elusive sambar stags.

Early in 2017, deep in the Alpine National Park on a hunt after the summer hunting closure, I was contouring up a spur towards the main ridgeline of the system.

Thinking I’d come across a deer in my binos at any moment, I found myself staring at a little yellow marker glittering in the sun, on a tree. Snapping a quick photo, I kept hunting, not thinking much of it at the time.

I never managed to catch up to any deer that day, either; that should have forewarned backpack hunting for me.

Inspired, like all of us, after returning home, I started researching and planning the next hunting trip. Looking through all the photos of deer the stag sign and the area I had been hunting on my most recent trip, the yellow triangle marker kept me wondering. What had I stumbled across?

After researching more about the area, I found what I was looking for, the Australian Alps Walking Track.

The track is a hiking traverse from Walhalla in Gippsland to just outside Canberra, 650 kilometres of mountainous and remote terrain. Along the way the track passes through spectacular country: grassy high plains, towering mountain forests, tranquil snow gum woodlands and rugged mountain summits. It follows along the Great Dividing Range through nearly all the main ridgelines that can be hunted in the Victorian high country, summiting all the highest peaks in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.

The more I read of the walk, the more I thought of the challenge. A test — for my hunting gear and myself — to complete the entire length of the track solo, unassisted and alone. There is no denying to attempt the whole journey along the AAWT is a serious and strenuous undertaking.

And just like any backpack hunting trip, planning, preparation and self-sufficiency was paramount. Thus, began the crazy beginning of what would be a year of organising for all the challenges I would have to face along the journey.
All up the trip consisted of 650-plus kilometres, three states, five weeks, and 32,000 metres of climbing (three times the height of Mount Everest) through the wilderness covering some of the most spectacular places. A bonus was spending the nights under the Milky Way.

It was truly rewarding, and yet, once the challenge was over, disappointing because I had to go back to normality. It was an adventure like no other which I will never forget as I am now one lean, mean, walking machine.

I learnt my limitations, to fail, to adapt and to overcome. But most importantly after encountering only a few people along the hike (28 days of seeing no-one), I learnt that without the support of my family and close friends I would not have been able to undertake such an endeavour. For that I am forever grateful.

Would I recommend this experience to just anyone? No. However, if you’re slightly crazy and willing to pursue and endure a lifestyle of solitude and a severe diet plan, this trip is for you.

The alpine areas demand respect and weather patterns can change in a matter of minutes. You could experience 150-plus-kilometre winds, sub-zero temperatures, marvellous lightning storms and complete white-out snowstorms. To endure an experience like this, your gear is the only thing that keeps you going, keeps you alive. Spending 35 days in the high country while the gates are closed, every aspect of your life depends on what you carry on your back, from the shoes on your feet to the shelter over your head. I decided to use my hunting gear knowing it would not perish or be destroyed by the challenging climate.

To save you a lot of trial and error I have put together a detailed list of some gear I used on this trip along with comments on how useful, reliable and functional they were in the field.

Kifaru backpack with Cargo Panel dry sack

This thing was my home, I lived out of it, and my worst fear undertaking the trek was my body would not cope with constantly carrying around 20kg for an extended period of time. Giving plenty of back support, I was able to move freely, adjusting straps depending on weight and gradient. I still use this external frame pack today. Could not recommend more to anyone interested or starting out backpacking to invest into a decent and reliable pack.

Lowa Tibets

Even though these are more of a mountaineering boot, the terrain along the track varied from grassy valley floors to old 4WD tracks and mountain summits. I have to admit, it probably was a poor choice due to the stiffness of the Tibet sole. However, I needed a boot that could last and not fall apart. My feet were pretty disgusting by the end of the walk and maybe would have fared better if I had gone with the Lowa Rangers instead. I may have then had some feeling in my toes after completing the traverse. I would not use these boots again unless I was in the Alps of the Main Range of New South Wales or the Southern Alps of New Zealand, where the Tibets would thrive.

Shelter: Moroka30 Stalker Fly, Mont ground sheet with side walls

I had intended to use my faithful Exped Venus II 4 season tent, weighing in at just over 2 kg. Although, I could not justify carrying that weight for over a month. Only spent one night at most in an area the fly camp setup was versatile. I absolutely abused the Moroka30 Stalker fly. Put it through hell and back, snowstorms, 150km/h winds and nights and nights of rain. It stood up the test. It did not rip and stayed waterproof. The eyelets did break in two of the corners, however this was most likely the result of my trekking poles continuously being shoved into them. I believe Moroka30 have a new improved model of the Stalker Fly, which I am sure is more than capable. Mont’s lightweight sidewall ground sheet did its job but as a result of constant exposure to different terrain some small holes did occur, probably from setting it up wrong or not cleaning up enough debris. Still, I expected more quality.

Sleeping system: Mont Helium 450 — 7 sleeping bag, Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor, Sea to Summit Comfort Light insulated sleeping mat

Many nights I experienced sub-zero temperatures, with using a set of thermals for walking and a clean dry set for sleeping. With the combination of the Helium, Thermolite Reactor and Comfort Light it provided more than enough protection against the exposure of hypothermia, especially due to being above the snow line for the majority of the trip. All of these products proved essential to be able to continue day in and day out. Only using one of them individually would not have been sufficient. If one of them failed, the other products kept the system functional. Therefore, I did not have to rely on just a sleeping bag to keep warm.

Cooking system: MSR Whisperlite fuel stove

Putting 12 food drops in the bush prior to the winter gate closure, I had to make sure of being able to cook my homemade dehydrated meals, and the system I used did not have any flaws. I usually use a Jetboil due to their versatility and lightweight construction. The Whisperlite provided a system with a 500 ml cannister of shellite that could cope with the cold climate. Jetboils can at times struggle in in these circumstances. Weighing heavier due to the cannister, the Whisperlite still proved a better option and I only had to fill the unit twice for the entire trip, compared to several gas cannisters for the Jetboil.

Water filtering system: Sawyer Micro Squeeze

By far the most important bit of gear I used on the hike. Hunting in the high country, sourcing water is always difficult when in the hills up above creeks and rivers. Relying on water quality is a risk. I didn’t use a water bladder or water pump in case of a puncture or malfunction. The Micro Squeeze unit has an optional pop-top opening at one end, turning any plastic water bottle into a water filter. Filtering water from creeks, rivers, muddy puddles and, in dire need, wallows — the Micro Squeeze was exceptional. Could not recommend enough.

Solar system: Anker 21W solar panel and Anker PowerCore Lite 20000

To recharge my GPS unit, camera and my phone, I chose to carry a small solar setup that could keep me on the right path and let me record all the wild dogs, brumbies and deer along the way. The solar panel from Anker was great and functioned extremely well. Its weatherproof construction kept all my electronic goods charged without worrying about what weather I was in. The power bank on the other hand died halfway through the walk. I don’t think it could withstand the cold climate or harsh conditions presented during the traverse. I was lucky enough that the solar panel had multiple ports otherwise I would have struggled to keep up with navigating certain areas.

Contributed by Ben Riley.