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King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Thu 10 Dec, 2020 2:17 pm

I squeezed this overnight walk in late last week (4/5 Dec) before bad weather hit the high country. After spending a pleasant night at King Hut, I parked my car at the bottom of Muesli Spur and walked 300 m back down Speculation Rd to the start of the King Spur track. It starts just over the bridge on the left side. Keep an eye out for the Timberstop bottle, always a handy check that you are in the right spot.

The track is unmaintained and indistinct in places. There are taped sections but the tape seems to disappear just when needed. The route follows a broad ridge most of the way, and the track gets more defined above 1,450 m when the spur gets steeper and narrower. There are two or three scrambles through rock bands in the upper section. The scrambles are similar difficulty to the upper section of Stanleys Name Spur, and easier and less exposed than Helicopter Spur, which I had done the previous weekend.

Cliffs on upper King Spur.jpg
Cliffs on upper King Spur passed on the left

I used the SV Maps Buller-Howitt Alpine Area 1:50,000 and the GetLost Map 8223-4 Howitt 1:25,000 on Avenza Maps. The Avenza map was handy for a quick GPS location but not entirely accurate. For example, the Avenza map shows the track about 2-300 m north of the ridge between points 1,427 m and 1,451 m. However, there is no track (or tape markers) and walking the ridge is much easier than thrashing around in the scrub searching for a non-existent track.

Walking time for King Spur to Mt Koonika ~3.5+ hours at 'iso-blubber' pace. 'Bushwalks in the Victorian Alps' by Glenn van der Kniff says 2.5 to 3 hours for this section. The view from Mt Koonika is worth the effort.

I took another 1.5 hours along the ridge from Mt Koonika to Mt Speculation (van der Kniff says 1 hour) through open snow gum with knee-high bushes. Again, the track was indistinct but spectacular views east and west.

The AAWT heads down another 15 minutes to the Mt Speculation campsite. This would be one of the best campsites in the area. Surprisingly, I had the spacious site to myself. Three other walking parties chose to camp at the sheltered site down on the Speculation Road, closer to the water at Camp Creek. For the 45 minute round trip to collect water, I got million-dollar views of the sunset and sunrise. A fair trade, I thought!

Mount Speculation campsite with a million dollar view.jpg
Mount Speculation campsite with a million dollar view

The next day started with an 8 km road bash along the Speculation Road towards the top of Muesli Spur. After stashing my pack at the top of the spur, I made a quick dash towards Mt Cobbler. I was racing the bad weather and pleased to have lunch in the clearing at the junction of the Mt Cobbler and Cobbler Lake tracks (GR 641994) before turning around.

The Muesli Spur Track is well maintained and well-trodden - school groups perhaps?? There is no scrambling, though there are one or two steep sections. After 1.5 hours of fairly consistent downhill, I got back to the car just as the rain was getting unpleasantly heavy.

Track on upper Muesli Spur.jpg
Track on upper Muesli Spur

As an aside, the first half of King Spur has the Mansfield State Forest on one side and the Alpine National Park on the other side. There was clear evidence of cattle grazing (cow pats!) in the state forest, confirmed by noisy bellowing as the rain set in on day two of the walk. However, the cows are clearly well trained in map reading because the cow pats disappeared once the spur emerged into the national park on both sides!

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Thu 10 Dec, 2020 2:31 pm

Thanks for posting, looks like one to add to my list. Great pics too, some cracking views.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Thu 10 Dec, 2020 3:14 pm

Nice report and pics Glen_1 thanks for posting.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 11 Dec, 2020 8:15 am

Thanks for the great report Glen

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 11 Dec, 2020 1:16 pm

Thanks for the trip report. I have only King spur and Queen's spur left to trek/ climb in that area. Next year in Nov. I think King spur could be worth a go.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 07 May, 2022 3:36 pm

Hey mate, just saw your trip report, looks great! Had a quick question, am planning hiking from Mt Spec along the Ridge to Mt Koonika and then down the King spur. Would it be difficult to pick up the trail and head down the spur? Looks like a few steep pinches in their.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 07 May, 2022 6:17 pm

When I did it - some years ago - there wasn't a track up Kings Spur, just bits and pieces of pads. Going up, the route was obvious and easy to follow. Going down would be trickier. The worst bit was one of the steeper sections; it wasn't the gradient that made it hard but the loose surface.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 23 Dec, 2022 8:50 am

Timbertop school group leaders told me when
I was out that way in November some years back , that they take their pupils up King Spur, NEVER DOWN it.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 23 Dec, 2022 1:28 pm

Great report. Have done that twice, but only made it up through the Koonika crags onto Mt Spec once as the first time I got geographically challenged (lost) in a wild storm near the top of the spur. Long story, but had to bunker down for the night in my tent :lol:

Was on Mt Spec and Crosscut Saw this week via Muesli which is in good shape. Lots of cows about though :lol:

Thanks again for report and update on King Spur, must do that again soon.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 30 Dec, 2022 9:07 pm

Which way is quicker up to Spec' - Muesli or King Spur?

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 31 Dec, 2022 11:15 am

I reckon Muesli is quicker despite longer distance. The steep section is over quickly and easy to navigate then the march at the top along the Speculation Rd is fast, easy and has water. Saying that I have always found finding my way up over Mt Koonika on King Spur a little testing with some false and timely routes. I guess if you get the route right first time it could be quicker as it brings you out onto the Mt Spec summit. Glen seems to have done much better than me :D

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 31 Dec, 2022 4:39 pm

Cheers HE. I think Glen may not be the best benchmark for a plodder like myself.
I am contemplating of going up that way next week, but am unsure whether I'm up to tackling King Spur. I do want camp on Mt Spec though.

12km a bit less than 1000m accent going via Muesli all on tracks should be OK. I tackled the North ridge of Mt McDonald to Nobs track last week and was probably my limit starting just before midday.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sun 01 Jan, 2023 6:04 am

I went up Muesli last just before Christmas. Parked Land Rover at the junction by the bridge near Kings Hut (lots of cows) and the path is easy to find just up the Rd. Timbertop Nalgene water bottle on ground and then a sign in the bush. Spur path easy to follow, steep in parts, but not for long. A few loose rocks, but much easier than I remember Mt McDonald. I was up to the Rd pretty quick and I’m a plodder always carrying much more than I should :D . Water trickling at Mustering Flat region in a couple of places and plentiful at Camp Creek.

The top of King Spur was more like Mt McDonald from memory, but the track getting there was not really a track when I went last up and it was hard to locate anything in many parts. I’m an old fashioned map and compass chap though :lol: Glen does not seem to have had any problems though and I know Timbertop have been using that spur this year.

Weather warmer next week than when I was up there a couple of weeks ago so staying hydrated will be the issue with the humidity especially if you plan going further than Mt Spec. I was thinking about the Crosscut again this week, but only have the start of the week and whilst the storms don’t bother me I do dislike the humidity, (getting up there anyway). I shall see :D

How was Mt McDonald? Track from Jamison Hut pretty overgrown when I last did that.

Enjoy and stay safe, might see you on Mt Spec (a favourite camp spot of mine) just wish water was closer :lol:

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Wed 11 Jan, 2023 6:37 pm

DEECA ( DEWLP/ DSE ?? ) have cleared about 50 % of the North ridge route of Mt. McDonald starting from the Upper Jamieson hut .

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Thu 12 Jan, 2023 3:35 pm

Hello! A quick update on this route from a hike i did between Xmas and NYE last year. I started on what was supposed to be the heatwave but spent most of it with a rain jacket on and visibility of around 100m.

I started at the Mount Howitt car park and walked across the crosscut. The road up is in decent condition except the last 20 minutes it gets pretty bad. I had a Suburu outback, and I think that’s about the least you’d want to get across.

I have to say, with 1000m ascent AND descent in the one day, the Crosscut was much harder than I was expecting or mentally prepared for, especially in the storms that were around. Took me just over 6 hours and camped at the turnoff after Spec down to the creek/road. The Horrible Gap/Buggery combo really are as bad as you’d imagine.

The next day I woke up to glorious sunshine and had a slow morning getting my gear dry, before heading to the King Hut campground. Walked the 8kms/2 hours down Mt Spec Road to the Muesli Spur junction, and then took that down to the bottom, which took around 90 mins. The King Hut campground was largely empty for 27 December and bathed in sunshine. About 4 hours all told, including breaks.

Got up early and took on the King Spur back up to Mount Koonika. It was hard and long. Much harder and longer than the original post in this thread makes it out to be. Took me 5 hours from the campground to Koonika, and I found the scrambles at the top more difficult than SNS and Helicopter, but that could just be because they’re so late in the climb and it was quite windy by the time I got there. I also saw about 8 snakes, mostly copperheads I think along the ridge, which was pretty terrifying.

From Koonika I then followed the track along the ridge towards Spec, until it gets close to Mt Spec rd, then walked up the road to the creek to get water. It took about an hour from Koonika to the creek, so about 6.5 hours all up from the bottom. I was exhausted and the weather had come in again. I had planned to get back to Buggery for the night in order to reduce the next day’s walking. So I filled up my 5L but quickly realised I could barely walk with that extra weight so I camped again just below the Spec summit, enveloped in a cold and windy cloud the entire night.

The final day I got up very early and retraced my steps along a very wet and windy crosscut saw. A couple of very quick stops along the way for some sugar got me back to the car park in 6 and a quarter hours, well and truly exhausted.

Glen’s original post here was very helpful but the climb up King Spur was far more difficult for me than Glen, and I’d hate to see GVDK running up that hill in 2-3 hours. Though the instructions about following the ridge were very helpful and accurate. I used Avenza along the way to keep in track.

All told a pretty great little trip, though some more visibility each way along the crosscut would have been nice!

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Mon 16 Jan, 2023 9:18 am

Well done, nice report. The Crosscut I always find challenging and rewarding. The terrain and need to carry enough water along there and the accents and descents can certainly deplete your energy levels, especially in warm conditions.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Tue 28 Nov, 2023 7:53 pm

I am planning a long day day pack / day loop hike next week with a good weather window.
King Hut/ King Spur/ Mt. Koonika/ Mustering Flat/ Muesli Spur/ King Hut.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Tue 28 Nov, 2023 8:01 pm

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:I am planning a long day day pack / day loop hike next week with a good weather window.
King Hut/ King Spur/ Mt. Koonika/ Mustering Flat/ Muesli Spur/ King Hut.

Day trip hey?
I'd need a 4WD/AWD to get to King Hut I think, would be a good long day.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Wed 29 Nov, 2023 6:05 am

Baeng72 wrote:
paidal_chalne_vala wrote:I am planning a long day day pack / day loop hike next week with a good weather window.
King Hut/ King Spur/ Mt. Koonika/ Mustering Flat/ Muesli Spur/ King Hut.

Day trip hey?


Pretty sure I saw 3 days. (I think I am starting to get your humour)

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Wed 29 Nov, 2023 7:44 am

Xplora wrote:
Baeng72 wrote:
paidal_chalne_vala wrote:I am planning a long day day pack / day loop hike next week with a good weather window.
King Hut/ King Spur/ Mt. Koonika/ Mustering Flat/ Muesli Spur/ King Hut.

Day trip hey?


Pretty sure I saw 3 days. (I think I am starting to get your humour)

Well, wouldn't be the first time I've been tripped up by someones humour on this site. :wink:

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Wed 29 Nov, 2023 8:47 am

I can get my AWD down to King Hut. However you can get a 2 WD down to the trail head at King Spur and/ or Muesli spur.
I am taking a chainsaw just in case.
On one trip to King Hut,
a huge tree came down and blocked the exit . Somehow vehicles managed to drive around the obstacle.
The distance is according to the SV map , of the loop I have described is 18 kms.
With a day pack IMHO it is doable as a one day loop with an early start in clear dry conditions, car
camping at King Hut.
The hardest section will be King Spur. The GGS Timbertop
students use that route and would be walking it around now as their end of year activities usually entail some big walks in the area.
I have marked the route on my GPS.
Once on top of Mt. Koonika the rest is straight forward and the time on the 8 km section of the Spec. road would be fast.
I have walked up Muesli spur before so I know what is involved there.

However I could consider doing such a loop with an overnight pack and camping at Mt. Spec.. I shall think about the options.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 01 Dec, 2023 10:43 am

Sounds good PCV.
I think the weather is going to be wet this weekend, so I don't reckon a day trip for me is advisable.
I can download a GPS from Trailhiking.com.
I think the steep bluffs/rocks on King Spur can be mostly bi-passed, going to the left of something I've read.
I would not want to go up exposed bluffs, I don't mind something like SNS and have done that in drizzle/fog and it was fine, but much more than that would be a worry.
Do you reckon GGS will have put some tape up?

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 01 Dec, 2023 3:34 pm

We did King Spur over cup weekend. Pretty straightforward to follow the spur line or indistinct pads. I don't recall seeing any tape, but not really needed anyway.
The top bluffs are easy climbing with only the last section requiring a detour to the left to avoid a climb directly up the rockface we deemed too risky with packs. I think even in the wet it would be fine on the rocks here. Worst part would be getting drenched down below pushing through all the re-growth and wet scrub.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Wed 13 Dec, 2023 8:24 pm

At the risk of totally jinxing myself, I might be able to have a crack at this loop in the next few weeks. Caveats and all that.
There's a trip report of a loop up King spur, over to Mt. Spec, then onto Mt. Buggery and down Queen Spur, over the Pimple and back to Spec. Road that was done by a group in 2014 somewhere on this site. But I think just making it up King Spur in 1 piece and heading back via Muesli Spur would be an accomplishment.
Of course, I'll come down with Bovine Flu or something exotic now I dare mention the possibility....

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 16 Dec, 2023 11:07 pm

I can confirm that King Spur is hard. Muesli Spur is much better.
There is pink/red tape at some very handy points on King Spur.
I took a wrong turn heading up the steep bit and ended up making it harder for myself.
I had to do a few moves that were quite exposed and with stuff-all margin for error.
Glad I decided a day trip was the way to go, much easier a day pack.
I got a bit higher and saw that I'd taken the wrong way and probably there was an easier way with well worn track.
For me, much harder than Stanley Name Spur up to Cross cut. Just the exposure on the way I happened to go up in one section.
I tweaked my knee on the way up, but didn't notice with the adrenaline rush.
Anyway, when the body slowed down after the summit of Koonika, I started the traverse to Mt. Spec, but the knee started to hurt and then muscles around it seized up a bit.
Was walking at snail's pace and every step the knee would give me sharp pain.

I dropped down to Spec. Road about 1.5km from Mt. Spec. Summit, and headed for Muesli Spur.
King Spur: The horror! :wink:

IMG_7354.jpg
The beast. What they don't tell you is you go left after you've climbed above that bluff up high.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sun 17 Dec, 2023 8:22 am

Wow. You have done really well. I piked out doing that this month and took Muesli spur instead. I will keep an eye out for your video on "you tube " of this trek.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Mon 18 Dec, 2023 9:19 am

A video of how not to do the King Spur climb (I go geographically misplaced the odd time). I'd take a topo map (paper or on device) that has the track marked, for some reason latest GetLost doesn't and/or a GPX file from a source you trust for the tricky bits and some gloves to grasp the rocks/spiky stuff. None of which I did (had GetLost topo, but as mentioned new one doesn't have track), but the steep bit is basically up the spur face, and left at the top then after you go into the saddle before the summit, go left and up to the summit.
https://youtu.be/10LNb7aLVtU

This is my GPS track overlain on the older version of the GetLost Topo map that I have on my PC, but the newer updated map on my phone didn't have this track. Do'h' (I don't prepare well enough to have caught that).
Koonika.png
Koonika near summit with some notes.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Fri 22 Dec, 2023 12:10 pm

An interesting post about your climbing/ grovelling /trekking route. Thanks.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 23 Dec, 2023 11:44 am

paidal_chalne_vala wrote:An interesting post about your climbing/ grovelling /trekking route. Thanks.

There was much grovelling.
I reckon someone with a bit of fitness, sense, or just the GPX/route would not have grovelled so.
Still, if I can do it, I reckon it's doable by most.

Re: King Spur-Mt Koonika-Mt Speculation-Muesli Spur (2 days)

Sat 23 Dec, 2023 12:47 pm

Yes, I would tend to agree , so Grovel I must in 2024, up King Spur.

I would do it as a day trip ( from King Hut base camp) ,with a day pack in good weather , as you have done.
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