Hut Maintenance Feathertop Hike

IMPORTANT: To sign up for this trip you will need to first join the MUMC volunteer group on Park Connect (Parks Victoria’s volunteer management system) and register for the activity. Link here. This will require you to have a valid working with children check. I will only approve sign-ups from people registered in the system.

The plan:

The purpose of this trip is to complete some preliminary maintenance work on the MUMC Hut on Mt Feathertop, including some basic waterproofing and rubbish removal. This will lay the groundwork for further working bees throughout the year. It won’t all be work - to access the hut we’ll hike in over the spectacular Razorback ridge track from Mt Hotham. We should have time for a quick detour up the summit of Feathertop where we can take a break and soak in the views. The maintenance work itself should be pretty chill - we can get some music, snacks and chats going while we clean up and varnish, and celebrate with a yummy sunset dinner. 

Day 1 - Saturday

• Set off (early !) from MUMC club rooms and drive to Razorback trail head at Diamantina Hut (breakfast coffee break en route)
• Hike across ridgeline to MUMC hut, including detour to summit of Feathertop
• Set up camp at MUMC Hut
• Varnish floorboards in mezzanine of hut

Day 2 - Sunday 

• get up early
• Varnish floorboards in downstairs area 
• Collect rubbish in hut storage area 
• Carry rubbish back to cars via razorback track, aiming to be at vehicles by lunchtime
• Return to Melbourne, stopping for afternoon tea or dinner (time depending)

Further details on route, map and elevation profile available here: https://betterhiking.com.au/mount-feathertop-via-the-razorback/ 

Trip notes:

• This is an intermediate trip. We will cover approx 12 kms and 500m of elevation per day with full packs. 
• Participants will be expected to carry supplies and rubbish (e.g tins of varnish, brushes, miscellaneous debris from hut) in addition to their pack
• Participants will be expected to camp outside the hut in tents to enable repair work inside the hut.
• Alpine environments are unpredictable, so everyone will need to come prepared for rain, hail or shine. 
• Participants must have previous experience overnight hiking and a good level of fitness to go on this trip. 

Background:

The MUMC Hut is a unique geodesic alpine hut located on Mt Feathertop that was built by club members in the mid 1960s. More info on the hut’s history is here: https://www.mumc.org.au/hut

The hut is about 60 years old now and is in need of ongoing maintenance and likely structural repair in the near future. While MUMC was responsible for building the hut and retains a special interest in it, the hut is located in the Alpine National Park and Parks Victoria has ultimate responsibility for its management. 

Recognising our shared interest in the conservation and protection of the hut, MUMC has registered as a volunteer group with Parks Victoria to enable a coordinated approach to hut management and repair work. This working bee represents the first volunteer activity undertaken under this new approach to hut management. 

All club members interested in getting involved are encouraged to join the Park Connect MUMC volunteer group, and get in touch with me, your current Hut Warden.