Everything I packed to snow hike & camp at Mt Stirling in winter

I recently camped in the snow for the first time at Mt Stirling. I had an amazing time (stayed toasty warm at night!) and wanted to share everything I packed for this hike.

We started our day at Telephone Box Junction, snowshoe walked approx 4.5km to Bluff Spur Memorial Hut where we set up camp for the night. We hiked approx 2km to the summit – it was stunning! The next day, the weather was a bit rubbish (no views) so instead of taking the more scenic route, we snowshoed back the same way.

Remember: weather conditions can change very suddenly in the mountains. It’s so important to be prepared for all conditions, regardless of the weather forecast. Be prepared and you’ll have a safe and comfortable trip!

My pack with food and approx 2.5L water weighed approximately 12kg. I shared my tent with a friend so had some weight savings there!

Here’s everything I packed for my overnight hike at Mt Stirling during the month ofAugust 2026: 

Backpack and accessories

Deuter AirContact Ultra SL 45+5 (or non-SL version here)

Being an overnight hike, I decided to bring along my 50L pack, which was the perfect size. The deuter AirContact Ultra 45+5 weighs 1.2kg, so it’s designed for lighter loads. My total pack weight was 12kg, and it felt comfortable during the entire hike.

I was really happy with this pack – usually I carry packs with heavier frames so have been really surprised with how comfortable I’ve been using this.

Note: the deuter SL (or Slim Line) fit is deuter’s fit designed for hikers with narrow shoulders and shorter torsos (often women!) I used the SL version for the AirContact Ultra, but you may find the non-SL version more comfortable, depending on your body.

Deuter Avengo 1.5L hip bag

I love a good hip bag!! This one is more a day-to-day bag (the material is prone to absorbing dirt). I used this one for easy snack access, and also clipped my Nalgene bottle to it and PLB when we headed up to the summit after setting up camp.

60L Pack Liner

So important to keep your gear dry incase it rains! Depending on how I feel, I’ll use a pack liner or pop my important gear in little dry bags.

Hiking outfit – what I wore during the day!

It’s a bit of a balance between staying warm and not getting too warm when you’re hiking. Dressing in layers is SO important – a lot of my gear is based on how I dressed for the Overland Track and it’s served me well!

Zorali Merino t-shirt

I’ve used the Zorali Merino tees for many years now. Merino is naturally odour resistant, making it a great material to hike in. I love the way the Zorali Merino tees fit, and they’ve been a long-time staple in my wardrobe for years.

(PSST: if you purchase from my link here, you can get 15% off your Zorali purchase!)

Amble Sundial Pants

I’ve worn the Amble Outdoors Sundial Pants for countless hikes – they’re a trusted hiking pant for me. The elastic waist makes them super comfy, and they’re quick drying too.

Zorali Air-Grid Fleece 2.0

This is a great active layer, and never felt too warm (or cold) when worn with my merino t-shirt, especially when I was walking up hill. (PSST: if you purchase from my link here, you can get 15% off your Zorali purchase!)

Amble Outdoors Elements Rain Jacket

The Amble Outdoors Elements Jacket is waterproof rated to 15K. I liked that the jacket is made out of a slightly thicker material, which is windproof. I wore this at the summit of Mt Stirling and layered over warm layers at camp.

Amble Outdoors Rain Pants

Amble’s rain pants are 10K waterproof / 10K breathable. I wore them over my hiking pants during the day, and also at camp when it got cold. Wearing snow shoes can kick up snow so it was good to have a waterproof layer so my legs didn’t get cold.

Waterproof Dexshell socks

I’ve been a waterproof sock fan since I wore them on the Overland Track. You feet can get wet (and cold!) in the snow, and waterproof socks keep your feet warmer. I had these on for both days while hiking and at hanging around camp, but switched to my wool socks overnight.

Teva Hurricane Daybreaker RP

My recommendation would be boots or hiking shoes that are waterproof. You don’t want to get wet feet! I’ve a big fan my Teva hiking shoes, having worn them previously to summit Hallasan in winter (the tallest peak in South Korea) so knew they’d be great for this winter adventure too.

COROS Apex 4 Watch + Nylon Strap

I’ve been wearing my COROS watch non-stop since I got it at the beginning of this year. I use it to track my hikes (so much fun to see the kms and elevation you’ve done!) It also works great as a backup navigation. I download GPX files from AllTrails and load them on my watch – the watch alerts you if you’ve gone off trail. I’d recommend the Nylon strap as it’s way more comfortable for multi-day hikes than silicone watch straps.

Use my link above and code: hikewithmg for a free watch strap with any watch purchase!

Mountain Designs Wide brimmed hat + Knockaround Campeones Sunglasses

Even though we were hiking in winter, it still got pretty sunny – so good to be prepared with a hat or sunnies if needed!

Mons Royale Double Up Merino Neckwarmer

Old wool Uniqlo gloves & Heavy Duty Gloves XL size (from Woolworths)

I always pack my waterproof gloves (yes, I found them in the dish washing glove section at woolies). This specific version are made of a thicker material than dish washing gloves. They help a lot in wind blocking or when it’s wet. I also use them to pack up my tent in the morning, which was wet and icy!

Camp outfit – what I wore in the evenings!

These were all stored in a dry bag as an extra precaution. I was *very* warm in my sleeping bag at night, so very happy with this setup.

Mont Zero Ultralight Down Jacket

I love this jacket – I wore it on the Overland Track and it’s very warm! The material is a bit delicate, so I used it as a camp jacket. The jacket weighs approx 210g, so very light!

Paire Ultra-Fine Merino Wool Tee

I’ve been wearing this merino tee to stay warm on all my overnight hikes lately! It’s made of a 16.5µm ultra-fine Merino wool, which feels very soft on the skin – perfect for sleeping in! (I probs wouldn’t use this as a hiking shirt as the rubbing from pack may damage it)

Zorali merino leggings

I’ve been a big fan of the Zorali Merino tee and leggings for a while now, they’re warm and comfy – great investment into your sleep setup! (PSST: if you purchase from my link here, you can get 15% off your Zorali purchase!)

Outdoor research trail mix beanie

Macpac Alpha Direct Fleece

Made from Polartec® Alpha® Direct, this fleece gives you huge bang for buck. The material is very light (my size 10 weighs only 110g!) and thin – but keeps you very warm. The fleece works best when layered under another item in windy conditions, so it was perfect for layering under my down jacket at night.

SmartWool Socks

I wore these sleeping at night and they kept my feet toasty warm!

Sleeping Gear

I based my sleeping gear on the set-up I used on the Overland Track. Being my first time camping on snow, I wanted to make sure I was really warm.

Neve gear Waratah Pro 950FP Quilt -8deg

I’ve used my Neve Gear quilt for a couple of years now and as a side sleeper who tosses and turns a lot I absolutely love it. This version weighs approx 700-800g. I was super warm all night – almost too warm, but honestly being too warm for a trip like this is what you want (rather than being too cold!)

Nemo Tensor Extreme Sleeping pad

I always pair my quilt with a very warm sleeping mat – the Nemo Tensor Extreme has an R value of 8.5. I have the regular mummy version, which only weighs something like 472g. It’s light, warm and comfy – what more could you ask for!

Exped Flexmat Foam Pad

I brought this mostly so I could kneel on to get in and out of the tent. I was going to use it to pop underneath my sleeping pad, but ended up not using it to sleep – I lent it to a friend. I was warm without this, so I would say this is more a nice-to-have. It was nice to have when packing up /down so I didn’t have to sit directly on the snow.

Sea to summit reactor liner

I packed this to add a bit of extra warmth to my sleep set up – I was borderline too warm with it, but would still pack it on future trips to be sure I’m warm enough.

Heat packs

I used the Deep Heat brand of heat packs (odour free) I don’t apply them to my skin as I’m worried about burns, so after I open them up I fold them in half on the sticky side (the XL ones are like 2 patches). They lasted allll night (labeled as lasting 8hrs and that’s accurate!) They were a really nice addition to my sleep set up – I was borderline too warm but it was nice to not have to take too long to warm up once I got to bed.

I also brought along the Hot Hands hand warmers, but found they lost heat in about 3hrs, despite being labelled as lasting up to 10hrs.

Definitely bring along instant heat packs if you’re worried about staying warm! I also had my Nalgene bottle as a backup, but didn’t end up using it – I get worried about burns, plus I’m not sure it’d last as long as the heat packs do.

Loop dream ear plugs & eye mask 

If you’re sensitive to light and sounds, I highly recommend an eye mask and ear plugs. We camped at Bluff Spur Memorial Hut, which can get busy on weekends (especially if the snow is good!) so there were at times head torches going through the campsite or people chatting going in/out of huts.

Nemo dagger OSMO 3P Tent and footprint

I didn’t want to invest in a 4-season tent, so used my regular 3-season tent. The Nemo dagger OSMO 3P is very spacious for 2 people and weighs 2.1kg (minus the foot print). I shared this with a friend, so we only ended up carrying approving 1.2kg each (splitting the tent, footprint and snow pegs). It was a bit breezy as it’s not a 4-season tent, but having a really warm sleep set up meant that wasn’t really an issue for us.

4 x Mont Snow Peg 310mm and regular pegs

We had some pretty strong winds overnight (at one point I worried our tent was going to blow away!) Thankfully our tent peg game was strong – I used 4 snow pegs (one for each corner of our tent) and also used regular pegs to peg out the vestibules.

If you’re using your regular pegs, make sure to look up the deadman anchor method – this means your pegs are secure as otherwise they’ll slip out of the snow. I find when using any pegs it’s useful to compact snow – this helps secure the pegs.

If you have any “natural” things like rocks or trees, it can also be helpful to secure your tent. I secured one of our vestibule points to a tree log which is faster than digging a hole to do deadman anchor method!

Safety gear

Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1

Always important to pack a PLB or Satellite Messaging Device when hiking. I consider this an essential piece of equipment.

First aid kit, stored in a dry bag:

My first aid kit includes items that I’ve needed on previous hikes, however on this trip I didn’t pack snake bandages (it is way to cold for snakes!) I also packed items to treat blisters and various medication like Panadol and Imodium. Some of things I packed:

• Leukoplast tape, Fixomull Stretch Tape
• Blister prevention and treatment: Hiker’s wool and Moleskin 
• Various dressings, bandaids
• Imodium 
• Panadol
• Anti histamines 
• Water treatment tablets
• Thermal emergency blanket
• Swiss Army knife

Electronics

Nitecore NU20 Classic 360 lumens head torch

I didn’t have to re-charge my head torch once – I love this one as it only weighs 38g. You can re-charge it using a powerbank, it doesn’t use batteries. I took this on the Great Ocean Walk and the Overland Track too!

Anker Powerbank 20,000mAh

A 20K powerbank is overkill for a short trip like this, but this was the only Powerbank I own, so I brought it along. I like the Anker brand as I used it for 5 days on the Overland Track and also 8 days on the Great Ocean Walk. Remember with electronics they drain faster in the cold, so put my phone on aeroplane mode pop any electronics in your sleeping bag to reduce battery drainage!

Kobo e-reader

Flextail Zero Air Pump

This is definitely not an essential item, but I use this tiny pump to inflate my sleeping mat – I’ve found over the years I just can’t be bothered manually inflating it. I do bring the pump sack still in-case, but this little pump just gets it done when I’m tired after a day of hiking! Depending on your sleeping mat, you can also use it deflate your mat (note: doesn’t work for the Nemo Tensor Extreme, you need to deflate manually!)

Miscellaneous charging cables 

Toiletries

Since this was a short overnight trip, I went a bit sparse on this trip with toiletries! I packed:

• Baby wipes, to give myself a wipe down at the end of the day
• Toothbrush, toothpaste
• Small tub of moisturiser
• Lipbalm
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitiser
• Toilet paper (the hut we were at had toilet paper, but I find it’s good to have spare incase it runs out!)

The hike from Telephone Box Junction to Bluff Spur Memorial Hut is only 4.5km, so I knew I’d only need to use the toilet at the hut and trailhead.

Depending on your toilet habits, this may not be sufficient for you. If you need to use the toilet on trail, you will need to carry out your toilet paper / poo – it sounds gross but you cannot simply bury your business in the snow. It won’t degrade and when the snow melts… it’ll still be there! You can bring dog poo bags, and store them in containers. It sounds gross but please LEAVE NO TRACE.

Kitchen, cooking and water

230g gas canister

I would normally pack a smaller gas canister, but this was the size I had at home, so I’m trying to use it up!

I have the Jetboil Jetpower brand of gas – it’s labelled as a 4-season gas canister, but I have no idea if that’s true or not. I had no issues using mine, but that could be simply because I was boiling my water in the hut in the evenings / morning!

Toaks Light Titanium Pot 650mL and SOTO Windmaster Hiking stove (used with SOTO Triflex Windmaster Pot Support)

This tiny pot is great for one person, but I find the titanium gets too hot to touch once the water is boiled, so you need to use your sleeve to lift handles etc. I brought along the SOTO micro lifter so I can pour when the handle is too hot – but I’m not 100% sure on it as I’m a bit clumsy!

I really like the SOTO hiking stove – it’s super light weight, easy to setup and has in-built ignition. It’s designed to work well in windy environments – I have not had a chance to test that yet!

Sea to summit spoon and fork

Scent Stopper Odourproof Food bags

After a bad experience with rodents on the Great Ocean Walk, I always store my food in these bags.

Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible Cup

Nalgene 1L bottle, deuter 3L water bladder and Aqua Tabs Water Purification Tablets

I carried about 2.5L of water for the day, and then melted snow for dinner and for next day’s water. This can take a bit of time, so for some it may be more convenient to carry extra water. A tip I learnt from a friend was to melt a small amount, and then keep adding snow (which is faster!)

I treated my water with water purification tablets before drinking – if you’re not a fan of taste, you could boil or filter water. Just a reminder with filters, they can freeze when it’s cold – I didn’t want to deal with storing mine in my sleeping bag on the this trip, which is why I went with the tablets instead.

Food & snacks

I’m not the best person to look at for appealing food on hikes as I prefer pre-made or packaged options, but all the items I packed are:

Breakfast:

• cup-a-soup (chicken flavour!)
• oat slice

Snacks & Lunch:

• 1 bag of snake lollies
• salami sticks
• protein bars (clif bars, koja bars)
• oat slice (again!!)

Dinner:

• dehydrated meal from Campers Pantry

Other items, including permits

Snow shoes

If you’re hiking at Mt Stirling Alpine Resort, you need to wear snow shoes – hiking without or with microspikes instead creates a hazard for skiers on trail. You can bring your own snow shoes, or rent them from Stirling Experience at Telephone Box Junction for $65/pair. If you’re heading up in a group, it’s a good idea to call ahead so that they can put some snow shoes aside for you.

Hiking poles with snow basket attached

I broke my hiking poles right before this trip, so ended up renting a pair of ski poles from Bogong in Melbourne CBD. They were great to deal with and the poles were great to use. However, I should have checked with Stirling Experience as your snow shoe rental does come with poles – so I probably didn’t need to rent any separately.

Wheel chains (for the car, not the hike!)

It’s compulsory to carry wheel chains when driving in winter season. I went on this trip with some friends who already owned a pair, however if you need to rent or purchase – definitely check out FB marketplace (one of our friends scored a pair for $60!) or you can rent chains in Mansfield.

Overnight Permit & Camping Permit

When parking at Mt Stirling in winter you need to pay for a permit for your car. The overnight permit cost $138 per car which allows you to park at Telephone Box Junction overnight. You can pre-purchase this online.

Camping Permit

Mt Stirling Alpine Resort has introduced a camping permit, as of 1st June 2026, this applies year around. The permit costs $17.30 per night per tent. So if you’re sharing a tent – it’s cheaper! You can pre-purchase this online.

And that’s everything I packed for my overnight snow hike at Mt Stirling! I had so much fun and honestly can’t wait to do this again next winter x