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Tassie plan B - Ben Lomond/ Fingal 20-25 Jan?

john s

9-Apr-2008
11:18:15 AM

Has anyone done the traverse of the skyline ridge on Mt Oakleigh (near the overland track)? It loks great and I see from the tassie website that it is mentioned as a classic "full day out", but at what grade/quality of climbing?

john s

9-Apr-2008
12:14:49 PM

No, its not the walk - did that in the snow last week and it was lots of fun. I'm talking about the big ridge with the towers overlooking the forth valley that you get such a great view of from the verandah of Pelion Hut. Its the left skyline in this pic:

thesarvo.com describes it as:

"The big ridge of Mt Oakleigh is a classic alpine jaunt. You can make it easier or harder by avoiding some of the gendarmes. Allow a full day from New Pelion hut."

citationx

9-Apr-2008
12:23:53 PM

yup. then in that case, i have no idea :-)
sorry for my uselessness.

nerm

9-Apr-2008
5:08:28 PM

fyi - that description was from a vauge memory I have of a write up in a CCT circular from the 70s. Take it with a grain of salt. Would be a fantastic climb though, and would be interested in a better description if somebody does it.

DaveN

9-Apr-2008
5:28:16 PM

I can remember seeing in the logbook in Old Pelion Hut at one time (circa 1970's) - an entry from a party
that claimed to have climbed the pinnacle ridge - the names of the party included "Don Willans" and
"Dougal Haston" and other well known mountaineers of that era - so one is left to suspect that the entry
is like many placed in hut logbooks by bored people of wet days.....

However - having looked at the ridge many times from below and above - i think it would be an awesome
climbing adventure - and it sure would be good to reach the top of some of the big pinnacles.

Dave

JamesMc

9-Apr-2008
7:53:37 PM

On 9/04/2008 citationx wrote:

>As a guide of the overland track in 05-06 and a keen climber, ...from new pelion hut you head west on a small single
>track, across the creek whence you turn left

citationx,
If you go west from New Pelion Hut then turn left, you'll get to Mt Thetis, not Mt Oakleigh. If you went north from the hut you might have a chance. Were you a very good guide on the Overland Track?

;)

JamesMc

widewetandslippery

9-Apr-2008
7:57:54 PM

John S, I think you have eyeballed a great route. Have a go! Wish the best.

citationx

9-Apr-2008
10:18:24 PM

>
>citationx,
> if you go west from New Pelion Hut then turn left, you'll
>get to Mt Thetis, not Mt Oakleigh. If you went north from the ut you might
>have a chance. Were you a very good guide on the Overland Track?

er, east. the right side of the hut when you're looking at it on a map. west and east, left and right, i mean, who really ever gets those directions correct anyway? :-P maybe i should say "you head up on the map a bit then turn drivers side"
-s-

oweng

10-Apr-2008
4:36:35 PM

I have vauge memories of an article in Rock mag 4 or 5 years ago about the first ascent. Its amazing how much big wilderness rock there is in central tassie.

john s

22-Apr-2008
1:02:43 PM

On 9/04/2008 DaveN wrote:
>I can remember seeing in the logbook in Old Pelion Hut at one time (circa
>1970's) - an entry from a party
>that claimed to have climbed the pinnacle ridge - the names of the party
>included "Don Willans" and
>"Dougal Haston"

I remember seeing that too!

>However - having looked at the ridge many times from below and above -
>i think it would be an awesome
>climbing adventure - and it sure would be good to reach the top of some
>of the big pinnacles.
>
>Dave

Do you have any pics? I might need to inspire some others to deal with the walk-in! Hope it is open forest or scree to the base of the cliff...do you know?

John

john s

15-Dec-2008
2:24:54 PM

Anybody interested in doing this route sometime in the second half of January?

Looks like a great adventure - I've got a bit of beta - but my prospective partners have bailed for various reasons.

Give me a call on 0405 729 839 or john.stone at internode.on.net

Cheers

John

nerm

15-Dec-2008
3:38:46 PM

fyi, came across an old trip report for this the other day, turned it into a route
description:
http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Cradle+Mountain+-+Lake+St+Clair

john s

15-Dec-2008
4:09:41 PM

Thanks nerm! I'm all set now, if I can find someone for the other end of the rope...

JamesMc

15-Dec-2008
7:16:42 PM

John,
I'd just love to do this some time, but I'm starting a new job next month so won't be able to get leave. If you end up leaving it to next year then I'd be in it.

JamesMc

wallwombat

15-Dec-2008
11:30:55 PM

I just read a Lyle Closs article in Rock 62 about climbing the Mt Oakleigh Traverse. Well, to be more accurate it was about not climbing the traverse but it was still a good read and it has an excellent photo of the the route.

It sounds and looks fantastic. I'd love to do it but the second half of January is no good for me.

Oh well... another climb to add to my ever increasing list.

Pat

16-Dec-2008
1:30:42 PM

nice new avatar wombat

john s

4-Jan-2009
3:14:20 PM

Looks like Mt Oakleigh is off till next year. So...

Anyone interested in Ben Lomond/Fingal/Freycinet/ Rysavy Ridge (or anywhere really) from 20-25 Jan?

best contact is 0405 729 839

John

There are 17 messages in this topic.