Thursday, June 15, 2017

Western & Eastern Arthur Traverse - Part 1

A 12-day traverse of the Western and Eastern Arthur Ranges in Southwest Tasmania by Kylie and Clinton Garratt.  Part 1 gets us onto the range and bags our first peaks for the trip.


Day 0 - Farmhouse Creek

We dropped our car at Farmhouse Creek hoping it would be there and willing to fire up on command in 12 days time.  In the boot we stashed a jump start kit gifted to me by former work-mates after they got sick of jump starting my car - thanks fellas.

Day 1 - Scotts Peak to Alpha Moraine

Monday 24th June 2017

A reasonably slick departure from home had us departing Huon Campsite near Scotts Peak Dam at 10:30.  The previous entry in the log book was a couple doing Lake Oberon via Alpha and Kappa Moraines starting today and expecting to finish today!  Mega serious, hard-core trail runners we assumed.

Despite Kylie's amazing efforts with the food dehydrator our 12 days of food weighed heavily.  It was not exactly a speed run.  At Junction Creek we were stoked to see our bridge from last July was still in place.


Last winter's bridge at Junction Creek

Without flooded creeks to contend with (compared with our winter walk) we made reasonable time to the base of Alpha Moraine but it was mid afternoon.  We decided darkness would most likely beat us to the top of the range so we set up camp.

Alpha Moraine
With the relatively balmy overnight low of 10° it was a warm night by southwest Tasmania standards.

Day 2 - Alpha Moraine to Square Lake

Without even reaching the skyline I thought our trip could be over. Compared with the challenges waiting up on the range, the open moraine should have been an uneventful climb. We were only halfway up when potential disaster struck.

As with many trails in southwest Tasmania parts of the track up Alpha Moraine are badly trenched. I did what should have been a simple hop from one side to the other when I felt like someone whacked my calf muscle with a hockey stick - only this time* I was not playing hockey. (*I tore a calf a few years ago playing hockey and this felt the same.)

After much rubbing, stretching and gentle testing, I hobbled on and found I could climb at a respectable pace as long as I didn't spring off with my left foot. Ouch!

Soon after arriving on the range crest we bagged our first peak, Mount Hesperus. At 1,098 metres it falls 2 metres short of Abel status. Nonetheless it felt good to have a summit under our belt.

Mount Hesperus
After Hesperus, easy trails led past Lake Fortuna, over Capella Crags and down to Lake Cygnus. This section contrasted starkly to my snowy thrash in the same place last year.

Lake Fortuna and Capella Crags

Lake Cygnus and Mount Hayes (twin peaks on far left)
From Lake Cygnus, Mt Hayes was our next objective and the ascent was plain sailing. Our first Abel of the trip. Hooray! Descent, however, proved a little tricky. With cloud swirling around we came to a section which looked unfamiliar despite being very clearly marked with large cairns. After a little wandering we headed back up and found the route we had ascended.

Mount Hayes
When we got back to the track we looked at Chapman's notes. Sure enough he says, "... scramble to the top using the cave and ledge system... or via the easier gully around the corner to the left." Lesson for the rest of the trip: Carefully read the track notes for a section before setting out!

With calf-muscle-delays on Alpha Moraine and a minor debacle on Mt Hayes time was marching on as we sidled Procyon Peak.  Hence we pulled up stumps* at Square Lake.  (*Note I am using the cricketing metaphore for ending a day's play.  No vegetation was extracted in setting up camp.)

Mount Orion drops steeply into Square Lake

Wednesday, June 07, 2017

Western Arthur Winter Amble - Part 2

Day 3 - Mt Hesperus and Lake Cygnus




After a night listening to the blizzard howl above our heads I set out for a day walk to Lake Cygnus and back.  Once back on the flat top of the range, some of the walking was easy in places where the wind driven snow had formed an icy surface which could hold my weight.

For most of the time visibility was down to 50 metres or so making navigation tricky with the track well hidden beneath snow and ice.  The mist cleared and I could see Mt Hesperus beckoning.  I hurried on but the clouds had only parted briefly.  My summit moment was engulfed in thick fog and swirling snow flakes.
Mount Hesperus
Beyond Mt Hesperus I was stoked to find steps leading downward and a cairn which had been my first signs of track since leaving Alpha Moraine.  My joy was short-lived as I struggled through the narrow gap between ice-covered cliffs and tough, stunted alpine forest.

Eventually I got through the forest-choked gully and another break in the clouds revealed Lake Fortuna below and even a distant Bathurst Harbour.  Ahead of me lay a smooth featureless snow slope leading up to a gap in the Capella Crags. Again the gap in the clouds was brief so I continued over the gap with almost no visibility.

Snow lay thickly on the descent towards Lake Cygnus with fresh, powdery drifts frequently reaching up to my arm pits.  Eventually the lake came into view only minutes before I arrived on the snow-covered beach.  There was no sign of the tent platforms or toilet under the deep cover.

Lake Cygnus

After lunch by the beach and a few photos taking advantage of momentary breaks in the clouds I retraced my steps.  Well...  That was the plan.  I was able to follow my obvious trench as far as the Capella Crags.  From there fresh snow had completely covered my footprints.  Once again, painstaking navigation was needed to find my way back through the swirling clouds without wandering too far down the gradual slopes to the south or too close to the craggy cliffs and drops to the north.
Cygnus Beach

At one point, after a futile attempt to avoid the forest, I found myself attempting to 'climb' a snow slope where the fresh powder had settled over two metres deep.  Pushing through while standing was useless.  Even on hands and knees I sank through.  The only technique which allowed me to gain distance was to sprawl face-down star-fish-style and slide my way over.  Thankfully those deep drifts did not last long and I was soon on the hard, icy, easy walking snow which led to the top of Alpha Moraine.

Day 4 - Heading Home

During the night the wind shifted to the northwest and falling snow gave way to heavy rain showers.  Our sheltered spot was not sheltered from that direction and our tent felt the full fury of the storm.  We packed up in the slushy remains of our snow-covered ledge then headed down the track which resembled a long, drawn out waterfall.

As we suspected, all the streams on the plains were running strongly.  Our helpful plank on 'Neptune Creek' was a long way under and we dreaded what may await us at Junction Creek.

At Junction we tentatively waded over the flooded lower camping area and perused the fast-flowing torrent in the main stream channel.  At this point we decided to build a bridge and get over it.

Many long, stout tea trees were lying on the ground.  We selected 3 and heaved them out over the main channel where they floated securely against some standing trees.  Using a long wading pole I headed over first without my pack. We were then able to secure a rope as a taut hand-rail to assist crossing with the packs.  The plan worked!


Very happy to be on the homeward side of Junction Creek we decided to forego our 4th night and continue on all the way home.  Our Western Arthur Range 5-day* taster trip had given us a taste all right.  We couldn't wait to get back there albeit hoping for a little less snow next time.

* A Lake Oberon loop via Alpha and Kappa Moraines can be done in 5 to 7 days.  To achieve that on this trip we had to reach Lake Cygnus on day 1.  I arrived there after a near epic struggle at lunchtime on Day 3!  We knew our chances were low with such a nasty forecast.  Little did we know!  Our Autumn 2017 assault on the range would turn out to be much more fruitful.


More photos available on FaceBook here:

Saturday, June 03, 2017

Western Arthur Winter Amble - Part 1

Day 1 - Huon Campground (Scotts Peak) to Junction Creek

An atrociously exciting weather forecast for a few days last winter prompted a trip into a Western Arthurs winter wonderland.  Having been a couple of decades since my last walk in the area it was good to see the new track setting out from the Huon Camp near Scotts Peak Dam.  (For the youngsters: The track previously set out from the quarry on Red Knoll.  ...and for the oldies: Yes, I acknowlege there was an even earlier era of epic bushwalks in this area when there was no Scotts Peak Dam or Road - that's a subject for another day.)


Forest near Huon Camp, Scotts Peak
Anyway...
The 'new' tack passes through some beautiful rainforest before swinging south onto the old track.  Due to a particularly tardy start from home nightfall engulfed us well before arriving at Junction Creek.  It became a running joke where I would declare in the darkness that, "The next creek would be the last one before Junction."  As it turns out we crossed about 6 'last creeks' before arriving at our camp for the night.

While flowing swiftly the creek was not high so an uneventful crossing preceded the short walk up past the toilet to the upper campsite.

Day 2 - Alpha Moraine

Passing hail showers prompted another slow start to the day.  At one point it settled like snow around our tent.

Settled hail at Junction Creek campsite

By mid-morning we were making our way over swollen streams towards Alpha Moraine.  At the stream flowing from Lake Neptune a strategically placed plank assisted our crossing.  Next a break in the weather gave us a glimpse of surrounding ranges and a lunch opportunity before tackling the afternoon's climb.  Our noble and, perhaps, naive goal was to reach Lake Cygnus.

Lunch approaching Alpha Moraine with a brief glimpse along the Western Arthur Range

Most of the ascent was incident free.  However we should have heeded the roaring sound above us as we approached the top in thigh deep snow and minimal visibility.  While we were thinking the flat tops would be easy walking Hughie* had other ideas.  Icy snow driven by a howling southerly attempted to blow us off the mountain.  Adding to our challenge there was no sign of the track under snow once the terrain leveled out.  Neither of us felt like pulling out map and compass!

After sheltering few minutes behind a rock discretion became the better part of valour and we headed down to a tent-sized ledge just over the leeward side of the range.
Ascending Alpha Moraine
* On Australia's north island Hughie is the god of rain.  In Tasmania Hughie doesn't stop at just rain.  He frequently blesses Tassie bush walkers with hail, sleet, snow (slushy snow, not the nice, dry powdery stuff) and howling gales that would blow the milk out of Kylie's instant coffee.

More photos available on FaceBook here: