This loop around and summiting Mt Jagungal takes advantage of the beauty of Northern Kosciuszko National Park with its grassy area, snow gums and plains. It's a lovely setting for what is essentially an endurance hike. I would like to attempt this hike as a sub24hr hike. It's all fire trails but we will essentially be doing the hike as a 36km round trip all day. This 38km walk takes us from Round Mountain car park to Round Mountain Hut (approx 2km) on Friday night for sleeping overnight in our tents. We then aim to be hike-ready at 7am, walking along Clear Ridge Trail and aiming for lunch at Weather Hut, better yet at Tumut Camp. At Tumut Camp we drop our packs for a summit to Jagungal (approx. 2hrs) and the return up Round Mountain Trail to Round Mountain Hut and back to the cars by 6pm on Saturday night. If we lucky, we get to have dinner at Alpine Hotel or McDonalds.
I do not have much negotiation on this above times.
Prepare to take 1 x dinner & breakfast & lunch & emergency meal in case we need to camp on saturday again. I won't be doing a pre-trip given it is a fairly uncomplicated walk logistically. Aim to depart ANU Sport Centre at 3:45pm on a Friday.
I am doing this hike as preparation for Te Araroa - a thru-hike I will be undertaking from November onwards. Im testing my tent and my endurance. If you are fit and would like to put in 9hrs+ hiking on Saturday and can camp etc ... this hike is for you.
Camp overnight at Round Mountain Hut. Early Saturday morning start walking clockwise around Farm Ridge Trail then Grey Mare Trail, to O'Keefes Hut then leave our packs up to Mt Jagungal and then onto Round Mountain Trail as we head back to the cars.