Scrambling in the Jag Hill Crags
Jag Hill is the prominent ridge/hill on the southeast corner of the Red Plateau Escarpment. Ragged cliffs with spires and an arch stand above the Dewdrop Range. Access is from the Tranquille – Criss Creek Road. On this day I followed a single track used to get to Garden of the Trolls, then veered off to the rocky slopes below the spires. Open forest and grassland slopes lead to talus slopes below the cliffs.
With no trails or established routes it was an exploration under the cliffs, up gullies, including some scrambling up difficult sections, and some rocky traverses.
The Jag Hill Arch is a bit hidden, but it can be spotted from below. It took some work to find the spot above the arch.
The scramble back down was by a steep gully, with a traverse to a spot right below the arch. To descend the rocky slopes, some additional traversing was needed to get back to the trail below.
This kind of route is only for those few hikers who enjoy scrambling. The views are outstanding, but the going is demanding and a bit dodgy at times.
Some video moments are shared here: