Pelion West

[tibboh]

Doing the OT with interstate friends soon.
Is Pelion West a doable daytrip from Pelion Hut?
If anyone could shed some light on the best way to the summit that would be great.

[norts]

Yes
The turn off is about 20-50m past( south) of Pelion Creek( Pelion Creek has the platform beside the bridge).
The track is easy to follow. Be careful on top, there is some big boulders and big gaps up there

Roger

[stu]

Pretty long day trip from Pelion Hut? (what, 2-2.5 hours each way to the junction + the fairly long ascent / descent?).
If heading south along the OLT from say Windermere Hut the side trip up P West then on to Pelion Hut would be reasonably long day...at a guess.
I have only done P West from the back side on the way out from Achilles / Perrins & the ascent is supposedly much quicker from this side...very, very large boulders.
Either way I'd suggest an early start to that day...absolutely awesome mountain...enjoy

[1iron]

Suggest you think about camping at Frog Flats rather than staying at Pelion Hut, there is a reasonable camping area if you know where to look. From Frog Flats it's about one hour each way to the turn-off which is not maked as such. My reckoning is its about 150 metres south of Pelion Creek.

Hopefully we should be there March long weekend.

[pazzar]

I did Pelion West as a day trip from the hut a couple of years ago. From memory it took 9.5 hours return, with a lengthy break on top. Very important to be careful up top, very big holes in between boulders!

[tibboh]

Big boulders seem to be on most peoples minds when they think of Pelion W.
Thanks for the advice.
Congrats on the big 400 Pazzar.

[Tread Lightly]

Boulders weren't a problem in good viz - imagine it would be more challenging in white-out. PW is an awesome mountain with stunning views and big drops.

[tibboh]

Decided on climbing PW on the walk from Windemere to New Pelion to avoid doubling up. Advice given above was spot on. The track junction is about 150m south of Pelion Ck. If you blink at the wrong time you would miss it. It's not obvious. The track is however easy to follow once you find the junction. The track is quite overgrown with scrub so I am glad I had gaiters and ninjas! My knees still got a good scratching though. Long pants next time.
The summit is truely awesome with huge boulders everywhere you look and what great views. The summit thumb of rock capped off a very memorable climb. We saw nobody else on the mountain and took 4.5 hrs return from the main track making a 9hr day all up including breaks.

on top at last

[stepbystep]

Nice one. A classic mountain! One I'll repeat for sure.

[Nick S]

Nice one. Keen to get up that mountain myself

[corvus]

Nice to "vicariously" enjoy your walk PW is the one of peaks I have avoided owing to my aversion of BIG scree
corvus

[tibboh]

Big scree but the summit route is well cairned along a safe enough path. This path is easy to follow in good weather with no what I'd call 'dangerous' bits if you are sure footed. The path does go over some very deep chasms which heightens the experience.

[Tortoise]

The summit rock looks...interesting

[Nuts]

It's not a lot lower and a a lot quicker and easier to the southern end.. wait, don't say- your a peakbagger as well hmmm (it's ok to admit it..)

[stepbystep]

.. wait, don't say- your a peakbagger as well hmmm (it's ok to admit it..)

Yes it is nuts, go on, you know you want to

[Nuts]

haha.. only if I can I make my own list, I'll claim P west points x 7 or 8 : )

[stepbystep]

haha.. only if I can I make my own list, I'll claim P west points x 7 or 8 : )

Nice, lucky you! I've already made a realistic list for myself

[Tortoise]

It's not a lot lower and a a lot quicker and easier to the southern end.. wait, don't say- your a peakbagger as well hmmm (it's ok to admit it..)

well...um... I have a modest goal of one day becoming an Honorable one.

[Taurë-rana]

Well done tibboh, looked longingly at Pelion West earlier this week as we walked towards it, asked everyone I met if they were going up, but couldn't find anyone to join me and after being told of the big rocks (or more to the point big holes) decided that it would be better to at least have one companion just in case I fell in. So this is a must do trip for me in the not too distant future!

[taswegian]

Yes a very agreeable place to be (on nice day)
Had that in mind when gazing at it from afar on Tuesday.

from a different perspective

[1iron]

Decided on climbing PW on the walk from Windemere to New Pelion to avoid doubling up. Advice given above was spot on. The track junction is about 150m south of Pelion Ck. If you blink at the wrong time you would miss it. It's not obvious. The track is however easy to follow once you find the junction. The track is quite overgrown with scrub so I am glad I had gaiters and ninjas! My knees still got a good scratching though. Long pants next time.
The summit is truely awesome with huge boulders everywhere you look and what great views. The summit thumb of rock capped off a very memorable climb. We saw nobody else on the mountain and took 4.5 hrs return from the main track making a 9hr day all up including breaks.

Congrats, you must have done it Saturday as we were there Sunday. Must admit I did not sit on the top rock. Likewise very hot so wore shorts and have the scratches to prove it.

[tibboh]

Yes it was a hot week on the OLT.
1iron did you get drenched in the downpoor on Sunday?
Pelion West was my favourite part of the week as I felt like I could be the only person on the track for a few hours (selfish). A nice feeling of isolation which soon evaporated when I walked into the metropolis of the New Pelion Hut.

[1iron]

No we had returned to our tents at Frog Flats before the heavens opened. Whilst it was very clear when we were on Pelion West, we could see it was raining to the south and then thundering. It then seemed to come up all around.

[stepbystep]

This thread serves a pic from below. This is taken below the south facing cliffs.

[Nuts]

edit: I'm sure Tortoise gets the meaning but for others I should have said earlier 'easy enough to just go to where the footpad (departing south of Pelion Creek) reaches the tops.. to get a view' (which is probably more climbing 'the eastern end'), not as easy actually climbing the southern end.. (as sbs photo shows)

[tibboh]

awesome cliffs!

[Minty]

Avoid ascending from the Western end. These charming little boulders aren't particularly fun. (Note the figure for size reference)

[pazzar]

Are you in your tux already at that point?

[Minty]

As stylish as it would be, I didn't want it to get scuffed before the photo.

[tibboh]

tux????