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Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 12:31 pm
Hi Folks. Last week I spent a delightful 3 days in the Du Cane area but came away with a perplexing question, hence the name of my post.
On Wednesday I caught the ferry to Narcissus, dumped the pack at Pine Valley and climbed the Acropolis to the 'walkers summit.' (The real summit is a spire of rock which require some serious rock climbing skills and/or equipment.) The weather was superb and quite hot. Once back down at Pine Valley Hut, I picked up the pack and continued up to camp Wednesday night at Lake Elysia in the Labyrinth.
On Thursday, the weather turned sour. Geryon and the Acropolis briefly peered out of the mist as I followed the cairns north past the Pool of Memories and on to the Du Cane Range.
In 20 to 50 metres' visibility, I followed the cairns as they sidled around past the high point on the range and on to a pair of flat bluffs north of Mt Geryon marked on the 1:25,000 map as 1504 and 1507 respectively. From 1507 I got a brief glimpse of Geryon North and decided to have a crack. Howling wind and driving rain made the ascent of the final tower interesting but I eventually reached a summit cairn. During my brief summit stay, I got a disturbing glimpse of the other peaks of Geryon. There appeared to be a southern half of the northern peak and it was very difficult to tell if it was higher. Had I made it to the highest point on Geryon North?
Given the extreme conditions, I carefully lowered myself down the various scrables. I was not in a fit state to try and ascend the peak which appeared in the mist. After traversing the flat bluffs again, I had regained some composure and found the energy to detour, still in very poor visibility, to the high point on the Du Cane Range. After finding a summit cairn up there, I picked up the track again and returned to Lake Elysia where I slept for much of the afternoon.
On Friday, I quickly scooted from Lake Elysia to Narcissus Bay where I caught the 9:30 ferry with 2 minutes to spare. As I packed my tent up, the Acropolis came out of the cloud for a few seconds and showed a lovely dusting of snow. I caught a similar glimpse of the snow-covered Walled Mountain as I skirted the Parthenon. The wonderful extremes of Tassie weather!
On Wednesday I caught the ferry to Narcissus, dumped the pack at Pine Valley and climbed the Acropolis to the 'walkers summit.' (The real summit is a spire of rock which require some serious rock climbing skills and/or equipment.) The weather was superb and quite hot. Once back down at Pine Valley Hut, I picked up the pack and continued up to camp Wednesday night at Lake Elysia in the Labyrinth.
On Thursday, the weather turned sour. Geryon and the Acropolis briefly peered out of the mist as I followed the cairns north past the Pool of Memories and on to the Du Cane Range.
In 20 to 50 metres' visibility, I followed the cairns as they sidled around past the high point on the range and on to a pair of flat bluffs north of Mt Geryon marked on the 1:25,000 map as 1504 and 1507 respectively. From 1507 I got a brief glimpse of Geryon North and decided to have a crack. Howling wind and driving rain made the ascent of the final tower interesting but I eventually reached a summit cairn. During my brief summit stay, I got a disturbing glimpse of the other peaks of Geryon. There appeared to be a southern half of the northern peak and it was very difficult to tell if it was higher. Had I made it to the highest point on Geryon North?
Given the extreme conditions, I carefully lowered myself down the various scrables. I was not in a fit state to try and ascend the peak which appeared in the mist. After traversing the flat bluffs again, I had regained some composure and found the energy to detour, still in very poor visibility, to the high point on the Du Cane Range. After finding a summit cairn up there, I picked up the track again and returned to Lake Elysia where I slept for much of the afternoon.
On Friday, I quickly scooted from Lake Elysia to Narcissus Bay where I caught the 9:30 ferry with 2 minutes to spare. As I packed my tent up, the Acropolis came out of the cloud for a few seconds and showed a lovely dusting of snow. I caught a similar glimpse of the snow-covered Walled Mountain as I skirted the Parthenon. The wonderful extremes of Tassie weather!
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 12:36 pm
Much to the disgust of a couple of friends of mine, the cairn is on the true summit. 
[I have not been there myself, but I have been reliably told this is so.]
[I have not been there myself, but I have been reliably told this is so.]
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 12:38 pm
Since writing that post, I've found the answer to my own question. In the High Points discussion, I saw a photo of the Geryon North cairn and it matches the one I have photographed. From that photo, I can see the elevation reading on the gadget is 1533m making it higher than the Du Cane Range. If that is correct, aspiring Abelists now need to climb Geryon North rather than the Du Cane Range to claim the true highest point in this area. Refer The Abels Volume One where Geryon does not rate a mention because the Du Cane Range high point is supposedly higher.
The other interesting thing I found is the pictures in the Gallery of people jumping the gap at the start of the Geryon North ascent. I'm pleased to report this is not necessary and indeed would not have been possible in the conditions last week. There is no way that landing would stick in the very strong wind and torrential rain I wallowed in. There is a very easy cairned diversion which bypasses the jump just a few metres further down the hill.
I'm happy now. I did climb Geryon North and I can duly claim my 8 peak bagging points. Woo hoo!
P.S. Thanks Ollster. Your reply came while I was researching this post.
The other interesting thing I found is the pictures in the Gallery of people jumping the gap at the start of the Geryon North ascent. I'm pleased to report this is not necessary and indeed would not have been possible in the conditions last week. There is no way that landing would stick in the very strong wind and torrential rain I wallowed in. There is a very easy cairned diversion which bypasses the jump just a few metres further down the hill.
I'm happy now. I did climb Geryon North and I can duly claim my 8 peak bagging points. Woo hoo!
P.S. Thanks Ollster. Your reply came while I was researching this post.
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 12:54 pm
Erm... 5 peak bagging points.
I have been told there was an error on the older list, which was corrected on the newer (HWC) list, showing Nth =8 and Sth =5 when it should have been the other way around.
I have been told there was an error on the older list, which was corrected on the newer (HWC) list, showing Nth =8 and Sth =5 when it should have been the other way around.
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 1:34 pm
Doh! I was clearly working from the older list. Oh well. A slightly more subdued woo hoo then! Still, 5 points is better than a kick in the pants.
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 4:24 pm
Even though the northern part of the peak is higher - it is well worth climbing the southern part (as long as you have reasonable weather!!) - the views are much better of the Foresight and the South Peak. This does involve a bit more scrambling - as it is easiest if you drop down a bit, then traverse and climb back up (following ducks)
Dave
Dave
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 4:54 pm
DaveNoble wrote:...then traverse and climb back up (following ducks)Dave
Hi Dave,
Is "following ducks" a rock-climbing term? Are there marks on the rock? Does this relate to cairns? Sorry if I'm being obtuse. I have seen photos from a walk in the 80s with people on the 3 parts of Geryon and I didn't think this could have been taken from the spot I reached. I can't wait to get back there in fine weather.
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Mon 21 Dec, 2009 5:01 pm
"ducks" = "cairns" = "stone men" etc.....
And - the climb up the pinnace summit of the Acropolis is a "scramble" rather than a rock climb. Its not as hard as it looks. One exposed move to get to the back of the pinnacle (where you steep from one block to another) - then you can chimney up the gap between the columns.
Dave
And - the climb up the pinnace summit of the Acropolis is a "scramble" rather than a rock climb. Its not as hard as it looks. One exposed move to get to the back of the pinnacle (where you steep from one block to another) - then you can chimney up the gap between the columns.
Dave
Re: Did I Climb Geryon North?
Sat 28 Aug, 2010 7:28 am
Just doing a bit of browsing. In addition to the previous link I posted, I found this post - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1105&p=16242#p16242
That has photos of the summit of G.North.
That has photos of the summit of G.North.
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