Pretty Valley ~ Mt Jim Circuit Walk, Alpine National Park - March 2021

Conditions were a little bleak up on the Bogong High Plains today.

On all my walks across the Bogong High Plains I've never got around to climbing the rather diminutive Mt Jim, either the weather has been less than favourable or I've been fixated on getting to a spot further down the track. With Sam and I enjoying the good life in Falls Creek for a couple of days I figured that the time was right to check out this little mountain. It wasn't all sweetness and light today though, waking up in Falls Creek this morning I could see that the cloud was almost down to the village level which didn't bode well for my walk. After a relaxing breakfast it was around 9:00 am when I eventually headed off up to Pretty Valley, the visibility in the mountains was still bugger all however there was also a fairly significant rain event which was predicted to come through in the mid afternoon and there is only one thing worse than a walk up here with no visibility... yeah you guessed it, a walk with no visibility in the rain!

I parked up near the horse yards / camping area today.

Not having been to Pretty Valley before I parked the ute up at the camping area this morning although in hindsight I could of parked down at the dam wall and saved a couple of hundred metres of walking. Setting off into the gloom (yes, the cloud was still down) I dropped a 100 metres or so down towards Pretty Valley Pondage before swinging south along the Cope Saddle Track. Sections of this walk are along closed 4wd management tracks and the Cope Saddle Track was one of those, although with only around 100 metres of visibility this morning it didn't really matter that I was walking a 4wd track. There is a snow pole line heading along here leading out to Cope Saddle Hut and it was possible to follow the pole line a couple of spots and short cut a bit of meandering along the 4wd track.

Setting off across the High Plains I enjoyed the Snowgums materialising out of the mist.

Easy going along Cope Saddle Track this morning.

I shortcut a few of the meandering on the 4wd track by following the snow pole line.

A Bogong High Plains Snowgum.

Dropping back down to re-join the Cope Saddle Track.

The Bogong High Plains can be a bleak spot.

Like I said... bleak.

With the bright red roofed Cop Hut emerging out of the mist I left the 4wd track and picked up the Australian Alps Walking Track as it climbed the gentle flanks of Mt Bundara. The AAWT along here is following the Hotham to Bogong numbered snow pole line so getting lost would be fairly hard even in poor visibility, although a winter blizzard could push the limits. Mt Bundara has a copse of mature Snowgums on it's summit and I always enjoy checking out these majestic trees, even in todays misty conditions they grabbed my attention. Climbing a little further the AAWT crested a gentle and very broad saddle and suddenly I had Mt Jim in front of me, and in even better news the little summit was largely clear of cloud.

The small Cope Saddle Hut has just come into view.

I joined up with the AAWT at Cope Saddle and headed west for awhile.

I was climbing the gentle slopes of Mt Bundara now.

These Snowgums on Mt Bundara are always worth a stop.

The little Red Robins kept me company this morning.

Looking down towards the start of the Cope West Aqueduct from the AAWT.

The mist has lifted from Mt Jim.

Climbing a bit further up the AAWT I picked a spot that looked like I'd get an easy walk through the scrub and set off to climb Mr Jim. As far as off piste walking goes the climb of Mt Jim was a pretty easy walk although there are still a few issues to be aware of. The first issue is if you leave the AAWT too early and make a bee line for the summit of Mr Jim you could find yourself crossing some very boggy ground - I climbed a fair way up to pass above the damp stuff at the head off a broad gully and avoid most of the sphagnum moss areas thankfully. Another issue is that the final few metres to the trig is up some loose rock, you may pick up a pad here though. The third issue is that the basalt rock is reputed to play havoc with walkers compasses up on Mr Jim, although even with the variable visibility today there was no real need to break out the compass as the navigation was pretty strait forward. Once on the broad summit of Mt Jim I meandered around the rocky summit little taking in the best views, the Razorback, Mt Lock and even Mt Feathertop all peeking through the cloud on occasion. It's not just the long range views that are a feature from this centrally located mountain though, once again the gnarly twisted Snowgums are a feature up here too - or maybe it's just me who gets so enthused about these old trees!

I managed to avoid most of the swampy ground on my climb of Mr Jim.

Heading across country towards Mt Jim.

Climbing up the flank of Mt Jim.

There are some very nice gnarly old Snowgums up on Mt Jim.

A lone walker striding out along the AAWT - taken from my lofty perch up on Mt Jim.

The summit of Mt Jim is a flat plateau - this is the view through the Snowgums eastwards.

Mt Jim

I got some glimpses across to The Razorback from Mt Jim.

Mt Feathertop even teased me a bit while I was up on Mt Jim.

After half an hour enjoying Mt Jim I grabbed my pack and set off again. I was now dropping back down to once again meet up with the AAWT, this time I was aiming to meet the AAWT at pole number 333, the spot where both the Westons Hut Track and the Tawonga Huts Track branch off the AAWT. I actually joined the AAWT a couple of poles from the intersection today. After chatting to some Parks Vic volunteers for awhile who were our renewing some Hotham to Falls Track signage at pole 333 I set off north west towards Tawonga Huts. This section of track has some stunning views in good weather and I was lucky today that the cloud lifted enough that I was able to get some nice glimpses across towards Mt Feathertop and also north along the range towards The Jaithmathangs and The Fainters. After some great walking my track (and snow pole line) dropped down onto the Fainter Track and I made the shortish side trip down to check out Tawonga Huts.

Contemplating the rest of the day as I got ready to head off from Mt Jim.

Dropping off Mt Jim down onto the High Plains.

The Bogong High Plains, Alpine National Park.

I'd left the AAWT now and was heading across towards Tawonga Huts.

Mt Feathertop

I'm about to join up with the Fainter Fire Track.

Tawonga Huts are a ramshackle collection of old cattleman's huts and the spot is a popular camping spot for walkers. Arriving at the huts today there were some more Parks Vic volunteers out doing a bit of a clean up but no walkers camping here yet, although it was just after lunchtime. After poking around the huts for awhile I left the volunteers to their work and set off on the last leg of my walk back to the ute. Leaving the huts I retraced my route back up Fainter Track and after avoiding my inward route from the AAWT I climbed up to a high point overlooking the Pretty Valley Pondage, passing a substantial memorial to an old cattleman who worked the High Plains for decades. 

Tawonga Huts is a collection of small huts that was sometimes known as The Village by the old cattleman.

Tawonga Huts is a very popular camp for walkers now days.

Stopping to admire the scenery on the climb out of Tawonga Huts.

Looking back across to The Jaithmathangs on the climb away from Tawonga Huts.

The old cattleman's cairn above Tawonga Huts is a handy navigation aid as well as a poignant memorial. 

It looked like the weather was still holding for me this afternoon which was a good thing as when I passed over the high point on Fainter Track I suddenly had a vista that not only included the lakes but also the 4wd track snaking its way into the distance up the hill on the other side of the valley, I wasn't expecting that! Still with Fainter Track making for fairly easy and quick walking it wasn't very long before I was shuffling my way over the Pretty Valley Pondage Wall. After chatting to some horse riders (yes, I do a lot of chatting) I shuffled off up the far side of the valley, passing my outward route along Cope Saddle Track I was soon back at the ute in camping area, somewhat ironically in the sun! 

Cresting the high point on Fainter Fire Track I could see my track climbing the far side of the valley.

Pretty Valley Pondage.

Pretty Valley Pondage.

The Dirt.

According to my GPS I walked around 17.3 kilometres and climbed around 494 metres on what I'd call a medium grade walk. This walk follows a combination of mostly closed 4wd tracks, sections of walking track (including a bit of the AAWT) and an off track section. With the exception of the off track climb and descent of Mt Jim the going is all pretty strait forward on this stroll as far as the navigation goes, even the climb of Mt Jim is pretty straight forward in clear conditions. I used the notes and map out of Glen Van Der Knijff's book Victoria's Bogong High Plains book along with an old Bogong Alpine Area Vicmap and Rooftop's Bright - Dartmouth Adventure Map.

Relevant Posts.

Little Plain to Cope Creek, Bogong High Plains Circuit, Alpine National Park, 2019.

Mt Hotham to Cope Hut, AAWT, Alpine National Park, 2017.

I had one last climb up Fainter Fire Track...

... before I arrived back at the ute.