Mt Timbertop, Mansfield State Forest - March 2019

There are some gnarly old Snowgums up on Mt Timbertop.

The Bluff from Mt Timbertop.

Mt Timbertop is one of those walks that I tend to drive past quite often but never actually get around to stopping and doing the walk. While the climb up Mt Timbertop is reasonably short it is still a tough little walk as there is a climb of over 400 metres involved over a pretty short distance. I suppose that is the reason that I always seem to pass by the track head as I’m either shattered after some far flung epic or I’m preparing to head off on another tough walk and wanting to save my energy a little - hey I’m old remember! Today though there was no excuses really, I’d spent the morning walking along the Howqua River so I wasn’t already rooted tired, the weather was good and I had a fair bit of time up my sleeve.

There is no easing into this walk.

Pulling up at the car park on Howqua Track at Timbertop Saddle I was out of the ute and on my way. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been up here but after leaving the carpark I was back in familiar territory, climbing steeply up the flanks of the mountain. It looks like the track builders have been busy up here though, instead of the track basically climbing straight up the side of the mountain, it now climbs via a series of seemingly endless switch backs.

The track climbs Mt Timbertop via a what can seem like a never ending series of switch backs.

It was a pretty warm afternoon so I was happy for a bit of shade where I could get it.

Climbing higher I started to get some views down through the trees towards Mansfield.

Initially I was climbing beneath a good canopy of trees so the edge was taken off the afternoon heat a little. After half an hour of sweating my way up the mountain the track suddenly emerged out of the forest onto a grassy shelf and I now had some extensive views to take my mind off the steepness of the climb. Being out of the trees also meant that I was now copping the brunt of the late afternoon sun and there was a bit of sting in it today, although happily for me there are plenty of Snowgums around up here that were giving me some shade.

The Eucalyptus forest is pretty nice up here.

The climb suddenly breaks out of the forest onto grassy shelfs.

I really enjoy this kind of walking.

Mt Timbertop

Apart for making for great walking the grassy shelfs also signalled that my climb was getting close to its end. The final section of my ascent had me climbing up through a band of rock, this is probably the crux of the climb and I suppose you’d call it easy scrambling, although the use of hands was really only for reassurance more than anything else. This track is named Timbertop Track (on some maps) and the track actually continues straight over the summit and down the other side of the mountain to eventually meet up with Doughtys Road. Just before the final climb to the summit I had to avoid a freshly cut track that looked to be contouring the northern flanks of the mountain, which I’m guessing rejoined the summit track on the other side of the mountain…maybe?

I'm guessing that this new track has only been cut in the last year or two.

The older more direct climb is still obvious in spots.

Climbing higher I was into the Snowgums.

Looking back towards Mansfield on my climb.

There is a short, easy scramble through this cliff line.

The summit of Mt Timbertop is really a long crest with a a few high points along it. The highest spot was just as I finished the scrambley bit I think, a spot that is crowned by some very nice Snowgums. It’s worth wandering along the track on the summit ridge of a few minutes as there are some nice views through the avenue of Snowgums that the track passes beneath. The views up here stretch from Mt Stirling all the way around past The Bluff and across to Mt MacDonald, although trees prevented me getting a view of Mt Buller.

Mt Stirling from Mt Timbertop.

The summit of Mt Timbertop.

The top of Mt Timbertop is a Snowgum covered ridge.

I could easily see the burnt country where the Jamieson bushfire went through.

I'm thinking that is Mt MacDonald....although that could be a Feral fact.

Once again the late afternoon sun wasn’t helping my photos to much today. Dropping back down through the small band of cliffs I meandered my way across the grassy slopes to the southern flank of the mountain. The view from down here was arguably better than from the summit itself, Mt MacDonald and The Bluff drawing my eye, as well as all the country that had been burnt in the recent Jamieson Fire. From where I was standing it looks like Mt Sunday might have been torched in this one, so I’m imagining the AAWT will be closed for awhile.

Heading back down the views continued.

The track is a lot easier (and longer) than it use to be.

I'm guessing that this track on the left that looks to be contouring the side of the mountain must rejoin Timbertop Track on the other side of the summit.

I'm thinking that is Mt Clear, although once again I've done zero research into that.

Eventually I decided that it was time to leave my lofty view point and I dropped back down into the tree line. Like my climb early this afternoon, my decent was made fairly easy by the amount of switch backs in the track now, so it didn’t seem long before I spied the ute coming into view through the trees below me in Timbertop Saddle. Arriving at the ute I pulled my boots off and settled in for the fairly long drive home, fairly hot and sweaty but happy enough after another great day out in the bush.

The weather was getting a bit unsettled now (I copped some big storms on the drive back to Melbourne).

Snowgums on Mt Timbertop.

Back in the forest.

The Dirt.
According to my GPS I walked 5.8 kilometres and climbed 415 metres on what I’d call a medium grade walk. Whilst the distance is only fairy short there is a fair climb involved, although now days at least the track rises a little more gently than it use to. This walk is a nice one if you are in the area and have a couple of hours to spare, that said I’m not sure it’s worth going too far out of your way for, although having said that I think a walk up here in the snow could be worth the effort. As far as I know this walk has only been written up by Tyrone Thomas in some of his old books, although his old notes and map don’t accurately reflect the newer alignment to the track. To be honest though you don’t really need extensive notes or good maps to climb Mt Timbertop as the track is obvious.

Relevant Posts.
The Bluff Circuit, Alpine National Park, 2019.
Ritchies Hut Loop, Alpine National Park, 2019.
Rumpff Saddle to Low Saddle, AAWT, Macalister State Forest, 2017.

The late afternoon light wasn't hurting my photos.

Timbertop Saddle has just come into view.