Mount McDonald to Mt Speculation return

[Summitview]

Hi there

Depending on the answers to the following questions, I plan to walk:
Upper Jamieson Hut site to Mt McDonald – Alpine Walking Track to Mount Magdala/Hells Window. Then either
a. return trip to Mt Speculation and then back to Mt Lovick- Bluff –Upper Jamieson or
b. walk to Mt Buggery –down Queen Spur logging track – upper Howqua – Helicopter Spur – bluff to Upper Jamieson Hut.

I did most of this walk 30 years ago, but things can change.

Would appreciate any help with answers to these questions
1. I spoke to a young NPS ranger (Mid-December 2011) at Mansfield about road conditions and she said that while the road was newly graded, a 2WD would barely make it to Eight Mile Gap, and not to Refrigerator Gap. Does anyone have recent advice about the condition of the road Eight Mile – Refrigerator Gap, or Eight Mile Gap down Brocks road to the Jamieson. I have a Subaru Impreza (normal 2WD clearance) and would like to start my walk either near Upper Jamieson Hut site (is the hut still there?) or at Refrigerator Gap. Also wondering if there is much room to park at either location.
2. I might go down from Mt Buggery to the logging track on Queen Spur to then link up with the Upper Howqua River track. Is that logging track still followable?
3. Does the water at Macallister Springs/Vallejo Gartner still have nematodes?
4. I am pretty fit, but admittedly not Olympian. Is a day walk with a light day pack from Hell's Window campsite to Mt Speculation feasible - or would it be better to camp at Macalister Springs and day walk from there to Mt Speculation?
5. Any other advice?

many thanks for any advice.

[north-north-west]

1)Your ranger is being unduly pessimistic about the road. I've never seen it so bad that a carefully driven 2wd couldn't get to 8 Mile Gap, and from there to Low Saddle Rd or even the bottom of the Twins Track (all the ford having been recently bridged). I am, of course, assuming you have some experience at driving on gravel roads.
However, I'd be careful about trying for Refrigerator Gap - it's a narrow road and can be rough and partially blocked by treefalls. Not saying that it couldn't be done, but you would have to be very careful. Ditto about going up Low Saddle Rd beyond the bridge - not a bad road but the spoon drains are VERY deep. The hut is 4WD territory.
Plenty of parking at Refrigerator Gap, and The Bluff carpark is only a short run up the road.
Personally, I'd park just over the bridge on Low Saddle Rd and take the route up the north face of MacDonald. It's a brilliant climb and your car is convenient for a pickup at the end of the loop. Little bit of easy scrambling to get up the terraces, but one of Victoria's best kept secrets.

2)I haven't been on the old logging road for about eighteen months, but it was still followable then. It does degenerate a bit between the spur and Stanley's Name Saddle, but there's only one place where it tries to disappear altogether, and that would be easier to navigate heading in your chosen direction.

3)Never had any trouble with the water at Macallister, but I'm not particularly susceptible. If you're concerned, treat it.

4)I wouldn't try Spec from Hellfire, but I can't cover that ground quickly regardless of fitness - the views are too good to hurry. It's a bit of a hike and you wouldn't have much time to enjoy the trip. From Macallister it's much easier. Besides, the cliff campsites there give you one of the best places possible to watch the sunrise and sunset.

5) Leave the camera behind unless you have a LOT of time. Remember the basic rule: a camera takes at least twice as long to cover any given distance. In that area, it takes me three times as long. Wonderful place. My favourite part of Victoria.
Enjoy.

[north-north-west]

Oh, and I almost forgot - if you do decide to go down Queen Spur, why not haul all the gear that little bit further and camp on Speculation rather than making it a daytrip? If needed, there's shelter either on the flat area below the summit or amongst the trees just back from it, water from Camp Creek, and even better views than Wonnongatta Spur. One of the three best campsites I've had in Victoria.

[Summitview]

many thanks for that.

It has been suggested the track from Upper Jamieson Hut site to Mt McDonald might be overgrown with regrowth from the last fire. Would really appreciate any advice on that route from anyone who has been there recently

cheers

[wildlight]

The track from UJH to BigMac summit is choked burnt fallen timber, until about the 1400 meter contour. From the hut, the effort to locate and stick with the track is huge. You would be better off picking it up from the Low Saddle Road, saving you some effort there. Don't expect the section from LSRd to be any better until, say 1400 meters. When you are up a bit higher, 1450 onwards, the most direct route up the bluffs- straight throughout the middle- is generally best. If it isn't, swing west. Mac itself is a beautiful mountain, have camped there many times, and in all seasons. My last trip there was 4th jan 2011, am considering taking wifey up there this break, hence my arrival here on this thread. The wildflowers this time of year are superb. If you are into photography- as I am (full time pro), you will get amazing dawn shots along the open ridge 3k east of the summit. Be sure you have 20-28mm somewhere in the wide-angle reach of your lens (35mm equivalent). This particularly applies to the section where the main ridge swings south from east (approx), and you enter the treeline. Compositions to die for. There are caves east of the summit, by a few hundred meters, on the north side of the spur. You will see these as you ascend the second last bluff coming up from low saddle road.

The linear distance to the caves from the summit is not great- but if you straight-line for them, you will take longer than if you followed the AAWT on the southern side of the crest, then cut down to the caves when you line up with them. Once done with the caves, get straight over the crest onto the AAWT again, ideally do this west of the caves.

There is something about this mountain- like a siren call from long ago. It is enticing and alluring, and offers more with every visit.

I haven't posted here many times. If you are looking for someone to car shuffle with, PM me if such a thing is possible. By "shuffle" I mean one drives to lake Cobbler, the other drives to Low Saddle Road bridge, we start from our respective cars, swap keys on the track and meet at a nominated point on the homeward journey. Or if one is later, either first one waits for a call or second one delivers car to early finisher's home.

Our second contemplation for this break is a walk from McFarlane Saddle, Gable End, Mt Hump, Dolodrook River, Mt Margaret, Licola. Then home for a night, and if time allows, perhaps back out to Reedy Creek Chasm out near Omeo, have been there 3 times, that's every bit as awesome as Macdonald, but very different!

Have just landed here, trying to arrive at a definitive plan...

BTW- carry lots of water on your ascent- the sun absolutely bakes you there. When you hit the vehicle track East of Mac, it's about 20 minutes to a gully, if that one's a bit dry ( no water coming over the road), then soldier on another 10 mins to a deeper, more permanent one. I have been there in summers nowhere near as wet as this one, and the second gully flows well, with a pool on the west side of the track.

The opportunities for camping on the vehicle track where the track from Mt MacDonald meets it are almost limitless. The Nobs, Hi Cone and Friends are right on your doorstep...

Cheers, WildLight

[Summitview]

Hi there - thanks to Wildlight and north-north-west for your very helpful information. the following might be useful to anyone walking this area in future.

I was feeling a bit drained by the heat, so I shortened the trip. My route ended up being Jamieson River- Low Saddle Road - Mt McDonald - camp 1 just past Nobs/ Along the AAWT to Chesters yard/AAWT-Bluff track to bluff hut/Refrigerator Gap back to the car.

Main points for me were:
- the track on the Skene 1:50, 000 is not discernible at the Low Saddle Road - it is totally overgrown by fire regrowth. After about 50 metres I came upon the alignment (still buried under regrowth). In fact the track can be picked up for most of the way to the deeper second saddle 524746, but it is very overgrown. Past the second saddle, the route is very obvious and not too hindered by regrowth. On balance, this spur up Mt McDonald is still an absolute buzz, and the scrub is acceptable to those used to walking off-track. Everyone I have corresponded with shares the same passion for this mountain that bit me some 35 years ago when I first climbed it.

- After that, I was surprised how unmarked the Australian Alpine Walking Track was, and how indistinct - or totally unfollowable - the track was in places. There were far fewer signs than I remember when I first walked over the Viking in the 70s. I say this without judgement - I am very aware of the arguments about signing in wilderness and minimising the impacts of our tracks. The challenge when navigating it is knowing how much to rely on signage. After a while, I realised that I should be navigating it the whole way and only use signage for confirmation. The track is unfollowable sidling High Cone, and very indistinct sidling Square Top.

Anyway, the area remains brilliant, if slightly tarnished by the fires. I decided not to go down Jamieson spur from the summit of the Bluff, because I did not know if I would end up in thick fire regrowth. The wildflowers and the parklike summits of Mt Clear and Mt McDonald are magic.

At some stage, when it is cooler, I would love to do a circuite up Helicopter Spur over Magdala and the Crosscut Saw to Speculation and back down Queen Spur to the car.

cheers

[ryantmalone]

I feel the need to address question #4 in the opening post about walking from Hells Window to Speculation and returning in the same day.

The question that I have here is, why would you want to? For most people, that kind of distance one way is a full day, if done in one day, it would just limit your ability to take in the area, which is some of the best in the Wonnangatta sector.

If you wanted to add an extra night, try a camp out either on Spec, or on the summit of Buggery (carry in water).

[north-north-west]

At some stage, when it is cooler, I would love to do a circuit up Helicopter Spur over Magdala and the Crosscut Saw to Speculation and back down Queen Spur to the car.

Oh, yes. Helicopter's a great little climb, and you have the added option of a quick sidetrip up the King Billies.

[wildlight]

I feel the need to address question #4 in the opening post about walking from Hells Window to Speculation and returning in the same day.

Anyone venturing into this area who has sufficient time, should contemplate a night near Hell's Window. You have the nearby Grandstand of Mt Magdala, Hell's Window at dawn in summer is stunning, by all means don't rush this one. As pointed out by ryantmalone a night on Speculation would be well spent.

I last went to Hell's Window the day the road was opened to the public after the big fires, and went down hellfire gully for an hour looking for water. There was none. The gully was so badly burnt, the ferns and other plants which shaded the gully and helped keep the water from evaporating were all gone- like they'd never existed.

Has anyone got any recent info on the state of water availability at Hellfire Gully? I'm hoping to get a few days in the area after the long weekend.

Cheers
WildLight.

[JohnM]

I was up there just before New Years and Hellfire creek was running beautifully; plenty of water.

[wildlight]

Awesome. What great news. It's a superb campsite.
Cheers
Wildlight

[peregrinator]

1)Your ranger is being unduly pessimistic about the road. I've never seen it so bad that a carefully driven 2wd couldn't get to 8 Mile Gap, and from there to Low Saddle Rd or even the bottom of the Twins Track (all the ford having been recently bridged). I am, of course, assuming you have some experience at driving on gravel roads.
However, I'd be careful about trying for Refrigerator Gap - it's a narrow road and can be rough and partially blocked by treefalls. Not saying that it couldn't be done, but you would have to be very careful. Ditto about going up Low Saddle Rd beyond the bridge - not a bad road but the spoon drains are VERY deep. The hut is 4WD territory.
Plenty of parking at Refrigerator Gap, and The Bluff carpark is only a short run up the road.
Personally, I'd park just over the bridge on Low Saddle Rd and take the route up the north face of MacDonald. It's a brilliant climb and your car is convenient for a pickup at the end of the loop. Little bit of easy scrambling to get up the terraces, but one of Victoria's best kept secrets.

Thanks for sharing, NNW. You tempted me to investigate this area in an earlier message as well. Can you clarify one point? You mention the Twins Track when I think you mean The Knobs.

This report by Andrew Bishop http://trailsandtracks.blogspot.com/2011/06/mt-clear-traverse.html seems to suggest that in April 2011, 2WD access was possible to the start/finish of Glenn van der Kniff's walk number 21 ("Bushwalks in the Victorian alps"). I.e. the junction of Clear Creek Road and the track south towards the AAWT and The Knobs at 573740.

[north-north-west]

Thanks for sharing, NNW. You tempted me to investigate this area in an earlier message as well. Can you clarify one point? You mention the Twins Track when I think you mean The Knobs.

Yes, I did. Well, nearly - these ones are 'Nobs'.
Sorry about that, Chief. Getting my bumpy bits mixed up. Twins Track is, of course, further north and east.

[wildlight]

This report by Andrew Bishop http://trailsandtracks.blogspot.com/2011/06/mt-clear-traverse.html seems to suggest that in April 2011, 2WD access was possible to the start/finish of Glenn van der Kniff's walk number 21 ("Bushwalks in the Victorian alps"). I.e. the junction of Clear Creek Road and the track south towards the AAWT and The Knobs at 573740.

Peregrinator,

You won't get a 2wd to the Junction of Clear Ck Rd and Nobs track, (573740) with Clear Ck road the way it is now. You'll get about 200meters or so past the split with Brocks Rd. There is a horrendously huge hole into which a 4x4 went, so deep its bonnet was level with the road. They used my satellite phone to call for a rescue. A 4x4 can pass to the south of this hole, on Clear Ck road, but even that could be quite tricky in wet weather. Not so bad for 4x4 in the dry. It's definitely not 2wd in that one spot. This information is current as of mid-January 2012.

There are numerous off-road and side-of-road car parking opportunities around that area.

Safe steps

WildLight

[peregrinator]

Nobs not Knobs (or going further back, Knobbes) seems to be the consensus. Thanks all for the corrections.

Thanks WildLight for the info about the anti-nob; i.e. *&%$#! great hole in track. It's good to know in advance that I'll need to add a few extra kms to the walk.

Jonathon, am I correct in believing that you were able to get a 2WD to Refrigerator Gap?

[Summitview]

Hi there - I did not drive to Refrigerator Gap, but when I walked through the Gap that road looked very suitable for 2 wheel drives.