NSW Nordic Ski Club
Jagungal Jaunt September 1997 or Big Brother is Following You
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After a failed attempt last year at skiing to the top of Jagungal, the most elusive peak in our part of the world, a second traditional annual attempt was mandated. Stuff to ski on would be no problem. The weekend prior to the appointed time saw a good fall that would guarantee sufficient snow for our intended route of Munyang - Disappointment Spur - Mawson's Hut (base) Jagungal - Mawson's Hut - Kerries - Munyang. The weather report was less encouraging. It promised increasing cloud on Sunday and rain on Monday after a fine Saturday.
A keen band of nine gathered at Munyang at the appointed time and took to the snow with a will. The track up the spur was covered in snow almost to the bottom, but the icy conditions of the early morning made it easier to walk rather than ski. After morning tea at Disappointment Spur Hut we headed directly up the ridge behind the hut. The leader was under the mistaken impression that this would be the quickest and shortest route to Mawson's Hut. The shortest it may have been, but the quickest it was not. The climb was not too difficult, with the trees widely enough separated for them not to be a problem, but the moderate slope combined with three-day packs (eight for Brian Quinn who was making a week of it) made the direct assault a little tiring for some. Nevertheless we soon gained the top of the ridge and were greeted by spectacular views over Finns River to Bar Ridge, Mount Porcupine and the Brassy Mountains to add to those of the Rolling Grounds behind us.
We now had a seven kilometre ski along the top of Disappointment Spur and the Main Range, with some sidling thrown in for good measure, to make Tin Hut which was the intended lunch spot. Progress was slow however with some slightly tricky snow conditions including some sastrugi and just about everything else to test us. When we arrived at Tin Hut at around 3:30 it seemed that it would be better to give the tiring party a rest and make an early start the next morning.
The local rats thought that was a pretty good idea too, dining with gusto on plastic parts of the leader's glasses as well as on hut shoes and a solar shower belonging to another party staying at the hut.
An early start and good snow the next morning had us at Mawson's Hut before 9 O'clock. A quick divesting of gear soon has us away under threatening skies towards Jagungal, still visible in all its splendour. After half an hour or so the weather became worse and we were joined by a group, including club member Garry Gow, that was to shadow us for the remainder of the weekend. A further half hour had us on Strawberry Hill, but the weather was now definitely not user friendly. There seemed little point in climbing Jagungal with only 50m of visibility and in steady rain. We therefore reluctantly turned back (trailed, of course, by our followers) towards the hut. At the Valentine's River crossing Kenn, Neville and Paul thought they might wander over to Valentine's Hut. As they did so the rain became steadier and the snow stickier - definitely of last week's Uncle Toby's character. Nevertheless they got to Valentine's Hut at the same time as our shadowing party to be greeted by a pot-bellied stove positively exuding warmth, thanks to the incumbents.
After an extended lunch we started back, with our shadow party threatening to follow our tracks back a little later. Rounding the end of the Kerries the weather became even more unfriendly with visibility down to 10-20 metres or so. After a while the navigator forgot about the golden rule of navigation (you have never gone as far as you think you have, especially in adverse conditions) and became convinced that he had passed the hut. Neville was not convinced, though.
We turned around and moved higher up the slope, the better to encounter the hut. Soon we heard voices - the hut! No. It was our loyal followers pursuing us to the ends of the earth, so it seemed. Well, two of them waiting for the other two who had followed our lower level tracks. While we continued retracing our tracks the followers pursued the rest of their party.
Then the navigator decided to get his map and compass out to help with the navigation. Strange how that helps in navigating in 10m visibility whiteout. On doing that he realised that Neville had indeed been right and we had turned back short of the hut.
So - another turn and back in the original direction, this time keeping an eagle eye on the compass. Of course we soon encountered again our followers who had turned around when our tracks took an about turn. They had enormous faith. They followed us again and it was not long before we reached our former turn-around point. It was only about 100m further on that we skied into the trees that surround Mawson's Hut and we were soon able to locate it.
We were happy to retreat into the comfort of the hut and its furry inhabitants, despite their chewing holes in Norm's pack during the night. Garry had an even less comfortable night in a snow cave undergoing serious structural deterioration resulting from the rain.
The next day visibility was a little better and we headed off over the Kerries with our eager followers not learning from the previous day's navigational imprecision and threatening to again pursue our tracks. In the most featureless part of the Kerries Norm thought hard about laying in some false tracks but eventually thought the better of it. We ploughed on through some pretty gooey snow with visibility slowly improving until, as we emerged at the far end of the Kerries, the sun started to shine - of course when we no longer needed it.
After a lunch in the sun overlooking a small bowl it was then just a matter of ploughing on down Disappointment Spur trying to outpace our pursuers. Alas! They caught up with us at the hut, though we were glad we had not diverted them to eternal wandering in circles upon the Kerries.
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