Frenchmans and Irenabyss?

[Son of a Beach]

Is the Irenabyss section of this walk (ie, the section after Frenchmans Cap itself) easier or harder than the first half (ie, the standard walk)? Steep? Track difficult to follow? Do I have to navigate without a track? (I imagine there would be a bit of a track there now?)

Any other tips greatly appreciated.

NB: Please send replies regarding the off-the-beaten-track parts of this walk by private message to comply with the forum rules (ie, to avoid publishing details of sensitive off-track areas).

[dplanet]

I plan to do Frenchmans Cap walk in late December or early January; but feel a bit bored if back the same way. If doing circuit walk a swimming across Franklin River puts me off. I have thought of an inflated light weight and packable kayak. Any advice on the inflated kayak for bushwalking and/or back packing. Thanks in advance

Dzung

[tasadam]

I plan to do Frenchmans Cap walk in late December or early January; but feel a bit bored if back the same way. If doing circuit walk a swimming across Franklin River puts me off. I have thought of an inflated light weight and packable kayak. Any advice on the inflated kayak for bushwalking and/or back packing. Thanks in advance

Dzung

An inflatable "anything" would be good to use as a raft to explore the gorge of the Irenabyss. But really the swim takes 20 seconds or so... It's not far!

Just don't attempt it if the water is flowing too fast.

Last edited by tasadam on Mon 26 Nov, 2007 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

[dplanet]

It takes a bit longer for me. I packfloated a coup of times on Valencia Creek walks.

I am good at packing. Most gear were placed in resealable storage bags and / or dry bags. I have a pack liner, packcover and used one or two heavy duty gabage bags.

Thanks for the info.

[Andrew P]

Has someone liloied down Franklink River? How were rapids like?

The last resouce is to go back the same track.

Happy walking, d

We took two lilos with us so we could take turns liloing up the Irenabyss.
We didn't need them to cross the river, as a rafting crew came by, and ferried us across in exchange for leaving "their" campsite to them (not their words - but it was obvious that's where they wanted to stay). Suited us fine, as the campsite on the other side has nice tree cover. The one on the FC side is a little grotty from overuse.

[Andrew P]

Hmm. Looks like I'm on the south side of the river here, which doesn't make sense.


The rafting party on the south side, taken from the north. That's probably the mouth of Tahune Ck, which, if I remember correctly, was much colder than the Franklin.

[tasadam]

Where did you start, Andrew and what route did you take? May try rafting and walking as well.

Have a read of his story...

Here's what I wrote about it four years ago.

Good fun!

[Andrew P]

I'd actually like to try rafting the Franklin some time, but it does seem a bit hairy. But my boys are now 17 and 20, and that might appeal.
Not sure whether the wife would like it, though.

[tim]

A mate of mine, his old man and myself attempted the route in question. Unfortunately, attempted is all we managed. We carried in a small inflatable raft (kiddy-pool style, big enough for a person or a pack, but not both). Our intention was to paddle across and the pull the packs across on some rope.

We had the misfortune, however, of arriving at the river after a good three days of downpour, which made crossing the 'small' creek that runs next to the campsite in the Irenabyss a mission in itself. We waited around for 24 hours, but the river didnt drop, so I can't tell you how our crossing went, nor what the walk out is like. I can, however, tell you to be prepared for a long walk out the way you came in if the weather is foul.

Whilst I am here, though, I am curious: all the notes say to cross at the narrowest point in the gorge, but there is a shear cliff on the far side. The only way out we could see, at least at high water, is to cross over to where the steps lead to the northern campsite. This posed a problem in fast water. Is there a way out at the narrow point? We could have managed that, as the water is much slower in the gorge itself.

[chapman]

Tim

I have crossed the Franklin at flood levels - safest (well only way) was to wade out on the rocks (waist deep - normally the rocks are dry) and swiim across to the cliff face then simply float downstream to the campsite track - itwuold have been very dicey trying to cross direct to the campsite track as I suspect I would have been washed downstream. So does that explain why crosssing to the cliff face is safest as even if you are swept downstream a little you have plenty of leeway to get onto the campsite track. Also the current at the cliff face is less so its also safer as you get across the main current flow more quickly. At low stream levels you can make your own judgement if a more direct approach is safe.

regards
John

[tasadam]

I dug out a few photos and put them here with comments, so you can get the full story on crossing at teh Irenabyss.
I couldn't post them here due to their size (adhering to the forum rules).
If you feel that seeing photos of it all will somewhat ruin your experience of seeing it all for yourself, don't look.
But I can honestly speak for myself in knowing that looking at my many photos I have of the Irenabyss does not compare to actually being there for yourself.

[Son of a Beach]

Thanks for this info John! Could come in handy for me in two weeks time.

...and to Adam too... again, those photos give me a very good idea of what to expect (assuming water levels are reasonable). It will also be useful for my walking partner who hasn't seen the pictures yet.

Wow... sooooo looking forward to this. This will be the first big walk I've done in ages.

[Son of a Beach]

Please note that this topic has been heavily trimmed of all the posts (including my own) which gave details of off-track sensitive areas (basically, anything beyond the Irenabyss), to comply with the forum rules, and has now been returned to the "Walk and Locations" forum. (It had been moved elsewhere for ages while I decided what to do with it).

Thanks to all who provided information for my walk by private message and otherwise. We had a great time last December, as posted earlier in the topics linked below.

photos are here
a brief account of the walk is here

[tasadam]

News flash...
Dick Smith condemns condition of Tasmanian track...

Parks and Wildlife responds to state of walking track

[Son of a Beach]

News flash...
Dick Smith condemns condition of Tasmanian track...

Parks and Wildlife responds to state of walking track

Without getting too political here...

I usually have a lot of respect for Dick Smith, but in my opinion, the Frenchmans Cap track condition is MUCH better this time around than the previous time I walked it (about 10 years earlier). This time around, there was only one small section that was worse, and that was clearly due to a recent flood and/or landslide. As far as I could tell that was not caused by the track, as it's origin appeared to be from some distance away, on an area that was not terribly steep.

The Loddon plains part was certainly a lot better this time around, and the summit track itself has seen an enormous improvement, including a complete re-routing for several hundreds of metres. Maybe Mr Smith followed the old track to the summit?

[Penguin]

I "did" Fenchman's earlier in teh week. In another past of the forum somebody called the weather "special" earlier in teh week. It was.

Second time up for me - same view - 20 meters of cloud. The Queenslander had fun making snowmen in summer.

The Loddon was very boggy on the way in but better on the way out - it had drained a bit.

We talked some NSW walkers out of doing the irenabyss as the watery levels would have been up and their method of crossing seemed fraught with danger.

On the way out on the Loddon had dry feet. Wet feet the the way in. I trialled waterproof socks on the way out with wet boots. I LOVE water proof socks. My feet did not over heat and they were very comfortable.

[corvus]

Dick Smith ?? I think he may be getting old and curmudgeonly like the rest of us sexagenarians in his comments about just about every thing,still better to be going out with a bang than a whimper (cause we have been there and most probably done it -oh keech we may have caused it and most likely did with our begatting and that) so with his money he can thumb his nose at most, I just dont agree with him as is MY choice

[johnw]

News flash...
Dick Smith condemns condition of Tasmanian track...

Parks and Wildlife responds to state of walking track

Without getting too political here...

I usually have a lot of respect for Dick Smith, but in my opinion, the Frenchmans Cap track condition is MUCH better this time around than the previous time I walked it (about 10 years earlier). This time around, there was only one small section that was worse, and that was clearly due to a recent flood and/or landslide. As far as I could tell that was not caused by the track, as it's origin appeared to be from some distance away, on an area that was not terribly steep.

The Loddon plains part was certainly a lot better this time around, and the summit track itself has seen an enormous improvement, including a complete re-routing for several hundreds of metres. Maybe Mr Smith followed the old track to the summit?

Just noticed this on PWS web site...

"Dick Smith donation to maintain wilderness walking track"
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/showItem.php?id=1000

Kind regards,
John W

P.S. As an aside, note Dick Smith's choice of footwear compared with the rest of his party in the bottom photo...
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/image.php?type=web&id=656

[tasadam]

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/image.php?type=web&id=655

Lucky the boom is in that photo with the microphone...


But you're right, it's no wonder he wants to upgrade the track after walking it in those shoes...

[Joe]

hahahaha thats great. i missed that 1st time around.

[frank_in_oz]

Go Dick!

edit: yep, just noticed the footwear too. No wonder he was grumpy about the mud! Notice everyone else has on boots and gaiters........

Last edited by frank_in_oz on Fri 11 Apr, 2008 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[tasadam]

Go Dick!

ROFL

[tasadam]

Just noticed this on PWS web site...

"Dick Smith donation to maintain wilderness walking track"
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/showItem.php?id=1000

Kind regards,
John W

P.S. As an aside, note Dick Smith's choice of footwear compared with the rest of his party in the bottom photo...
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/image.php?type=web&id=656

This post was made in April 2008.
I have been trying to get another look at this article.
I see these links are dead. I suspect it is because the articles have been moved to the archives.
Whenever I click on 2008 (or any other year) for the News Archives at PWS site all I get is 2009. But the URL does change with the addition of &y=2008
Does it work for anyone else?

[tasadam]

A mini excavator on the Frenchmans track...

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx? ... intID=1977

[johnw]

Just noticed this on PWS web site...

"Dick Smith donation to maintain wilderness walking track"
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/showItem.php?id=1000

Kind regards,
John W

P.S. As an aside, note Dick Smith's choice of footwear compared with the rest of his party in the bottom photo...
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/image.php?type=web&id=656

This post was made in April 2008.
I have been trying to get another look at this article.
I see these links are dead. I suspect it is because the articles have been moved to the archives.
Whenever I click on 2008 (or any other year) for the News Archives at PWS site all I get is 2009. But the URL does change with the addition of &y=2008
Does it work for anyone else?

Adam, I must have missed this post, probably because I was in Tas. at the time. I've occasionally had some success with the Internet Archive Wayback Machine (http://www.web.archive.org) if you know the full URL for a dead link. Can be a bit slow to search and load but I was able to retrieve these from it just now:

http://web.archive.org/web/200805070703 ... hp?id=1000
http://web.archive.org/web/200807221248 ... web&id=656

[tasadam]

You mean they've backed up the internet? Crikey...
Something new every day!

[tasadam]

And with the date, I can find this -
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx? ... intID=1000

[johnw]

And with the date, I can find this -
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx? ... intID=1000

Even better . Plenty of redundancy for those pages then .