Jackies Lookout (Jagungal Wilderness)

[Sonja and Jakob]

We have found several reports that you can cross-country-ski Jackies Lookout in winter, but can you also walk there off-track in summer? We are intending to try this during Christmas Season, coming from Jagungal Saddle and making the way through to Grey Mare Trail, close to the site of the old farm at the junction to Farm Ridge Trail. – Anybody who has done this or similar? Any suggestions perhaps? Many thanks in advance, Sonja and Jakob

[rcaffin]

That's complicated - a bit.
First of all, the current topos get Jackies LO wrong. They have it halfway up the side of a spur in a senseless, meaningless position. An early map-copying transcription error. The real Jackies LO is a bit to the E of the saddle, on top of a quite narrow ridge. You sit on the rocks there and can look right across the valley below, which used to be called The Basin and was much used by the graziers. A real lookout.

Now, getting there. Basically, you can get there in lots of ways. E along the spur from Jag Saddle is fine, but the more common access would be up the valley from Cesjacks Hut. That is on skis, with snowshoes or on foot.

Some of the valleys are open, while others are a shade difficult with scrub, but the same applies to the ridges around there. I won't go into details on a public Forum.

Cheers
Roger

[Sonja and Jakob]

Thanks for this, that's pretty much what we needed to know. We have done quite a number of the valleys and ridges around, so we know what you are speaking of re the terrain and vegetation. Best, Jakob and Sonja

[north-north-west]

I've always just followed the ridge up from near Doubtful Creek crossing (south of the fire trail junction, over the creek, up the hill a bit to avoid the scrubby gully). It's easy going for the most part, just dodging the more awkward boulders by sidling to the west.

[rcaffin]

Hi NNW
Yup.
Cheers
Roger

[Sonja and Jakob]

I've always just followed the ridge up from near Doubtful Creek crossing (south of the fire trail junction, over the creek, up the hill a bit to avoid the scrubby gully). It's easy going for the most part, just dodging the more awkward boulders by sidling to the west.

Yep, thanks, that is how we think to hit the fire trail, coming from South. Would be nice not descending too far to the junction Grey Mare Trail / Doubful Creek, so we'll consider some bush-bashing or rock scrambling. – Sonja and Jakob

[rcaffin]

If you want to go from Cesjacks to Grey Mare FT, just wander down the Doubtful Ck valley. Not too close to the creek itself. Open and easy.

Cheers
Roger

[Sonja and Jakob]

We have found several reports that you can cross-country-ski Jackies Lookout in winter, but can you also walk there off-track in summer? We are intending to try this during Christmas Season, coming from Jagungal Saddle and making the way through to Grey Mare Trail, close to the site of the old farm at the junction to Farm Ridge Trail. – Anybody who has done this or similar? Any suggestions perhaps? Many thanks in advance, Sonja and Jakob

Early on the ridge, coming from Jagungal Saddle

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We have now done this on 1st January 2018. The main rule is to stick to the top of the ridge and to the rocky sections as closely as possible. Deviating to either slope makes traveling hard, vegetation becomes scrubby and dense. By sticking to the rule one can walk all the ridge from Jagungal Saddle to Grey Mare Trail; slowly, with rock scrambling and bush-bashing for the first two thirds, quicker and mostly fair for the last third.

View from the highest peak of the ridge

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Vegetation on top of the ridge before descend

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Vegetation on top of the ridge during descend

Bushwalk_IMG_6879.jpg (264.36 KiB) Viewed 7716 times

Not much indication along the route of how often it is frequented by walkers. There are a few cairns every now and then, mainly at the rocky outcrops. The route directly above Doubtful Creek is easier and faster, but not matching the views from the ridge by any means.

Cheers,

Sonja and Jakob

[rcaffin]

Hi Sonja

That's interesting about the cairns.
We normally walk down the open grassy Bogong Ck valley from Jag saddle until we reach the scrub, then sidle W up onto the top of the spur. All very easy, no scrambling, minimal scrub.

Cheers
Roger

[Sonja and Jakob]

Hi Sonja

That's interesting about the cairns.
We normally walk down the open grassy Bogong Ck valley from Jag saddle until we reach the scrub, then sidle W up onto the top of the spur. All very easy, no scrambling, minimal scrub.

Cheers
Roger

Hi Roger,

the cairns are north of where you say you normally hit the top of the ridge. They are minimal, one or two stones on a rock. The number is also minimal, it's three or four that we hit.

We saw the grassy terrace towards Bogong Creek from the ridge and were thinking of walking there next time. Will be easier for sure, but we wanted to check out the top.

Best,

Jakob and Sonja

[rcaffin]

We came up the side from Bogong Ck once - the scrub was a shade thick near the top, but the ridge itself is interesting.

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Also very rocky, as you said!
The high bit behind the tent is close to the top corner leading to Jag and Toolong range.

We were here one other time in a howling storm - couldn't see a thing! I think we followed the ridge down a bit then dropped into Bogong through more open stuff.

Cheers
Roger

[Sonja and Jakob]

Nice site and nice photo – thanks for this! We had perfect weather this year, as our photos show. However last year we were, similar to what you tell, locked into a series of thunderstorms for two days. Not in the Jag Wilderness, but below Mt. Townsend. Car too far away to pull out via Thredbo, it had been standing at the camping area at Nimma Rd. However it was worth the wait, because we had fine weather all the way back after these two days. Best, Jakob and Sonja