Walls of Jerusalem (First Timer)

[prankphonecall]

Hi all,

planning a 4 day hike in WOJ and just wondering if anyone had some info or tips on hiking in the area.

The plan is as follows:
Day 1 - Hike to Wild Dog Creek, setup camp and explore
Day 2 - Explore WOJ and camp at Dixon's Kingdom (or back at Wild Dog if weather bad)
Day 3 - Down through Jaffavale to Lakes Ball and Adelaide (camp @ Adelaide)
Day 4 - Up Junction Lake track to carpark

I think getting in to the Walls will be fine, but i'd appreciate any info or tips on navagation, track conditions, drinking water and good camping spots etc. for Days 3 and 4 (down to Lake Ball throught to Lake Adelaide and back up to the WOJ carpark).

Appreciate your responses.

Prank.

[walkinTas]

Day Four, I hope you are heading north from Lake Adelaide back to the Trappers hut and down to your car (not heading to Junction Lake), otherwise it would be a long walk.

[prankphonecall]

thats the plan.

[johnw]

Your plan sounds fine to me. I've just done a similar trip, although a bit longer. Unless it's just for a change of scenery, I don't know that I'd bother moving camp on day 2. You're only looking at 3 nights, and the distance between Wild Dog Ck and Dixons Kingdom is not great. That would give you more time to look around, rather than be putting tents up and down etc.

There is a tap water system to the tent platforms at Wild Dog Ck. Elsewhere lakes, side creeks away from campsites etc.

Tracks are generally very good with a lot of duckboarding through the central Walls. The only navigation issue is going down Jaffa Vale to Lake Ball. There is a footpad but it's vague in places. However, in clear weather you can see Lake Ball from Dixons Kingdom, so it's not difficult. And most of the route is quite open. There are a couple of options when you get to the pencil pines further down the vale. We found the best way was to keep going left of the trees, via two "track" junctions.

There's an open campsite right on Lake Adelaide where the Lake Ball track meets it. We only had a rest stop there but it looked OK to me. I didn't walk out the way you propose (L Adelaide campsite to Trappers) but don't believe it should be difficult.

When are you going?

[prankphonecall]

I didn't think it would be much of an issue, even if the track is hard to find i'm always keen for a bit of navigation and off-trail action. Water was my main concern (not the availability, but the quality), but it's sounds like it shouldn't be too bad.

We'll be down there over the Australia Day Weekend.

[Iluvtheoutdawz]

Prank

I have sent a PM with a link to some track notes that you may find useful. There are a couple of alternate
camp spots at the head of Lake Adelaide, choice will depend on the weather. If the weather is fine there is a great
spot just adjacent to the lake itself, as you emerge from the Lake Ball track, turn left and it's
only about 120m down to the lake shore, there are a couple of obvious spots overlooking the water. If the
weather is suss, turn right and head back into the pencil pines, about 25-30 metres along the track there's
a very sheltered camp spot, it's not large but it's nicely sheltered from the wind and rain and you can still catch
glimpses of the lake, in the evening the paddymelon's come out to graze in the grassed expanse adjacent to
the camp site.

LTOD

[prankphonecall]

Thanks for the tips... I'm more confident on the 2nd half of the hike and will be able to revise my gear list to cut down some weight.

Hopefully the weather is kind as i'm looking forward it.

Prank.

[Josef]

I once spent seven days just doing day walks from a camp at the pool of Bethesda. It was a great way to spend time in the area. You will find that from the Solomons jewels through to Dixons Kingdom is utterly stunning and you could easily spend your 4 days just poking around. But..... you might want to get some pack walking in to strengthen up the knees. Either way the country is great. If you do walk out via Lake Ball take time to read the bit of history presented in the hut along that track. The story of Boy Miles I think his name was. We managed to find the remains of the hut his father built up the creek from Trappers Hut. Also evidence of old yards at the same place.
Have fun,
Joe.

[prankphonecall]

Hike went well, as did the rest of the holiday... 10 days of sunshine and a heat wave, but nothing a few guys and gals from Brissie can't handle!

Here's a few pics:

Me on King Solomon's Throne, Looking back over King David's Peak


Me on Mt Jerusalem


Lake Ball


Lake Adelaide


Snow on the top of Cradle Mountain (30Jan09)