Dial Ranges.. Best circuit?

[Ambience]

I've been up Mt Montgomery. Now to tackle Mt Dial/Gnomon/Duncan.. Can these three be done on a single circuit at all? I've read lots of conflicting information so thought I would get some ideas off here.. Though might be bad timing on gathering info as I'm planning it for tomorrow!!

So Mt Dial has no easily identifiable summit/trig-point? And Mt Duncan is the highest of the four?

I'm guessing (as Mt Montgomery had perfect phone service) they're pretty safe as solo walks?

Thanks in advance

[pazzar]

Tricky to do as a circuit without a car shuffle.

I recommend leaving your car at the Mt Gnomon carpark and heading to Mt Duncan via the Tall Trees track, then come back via Cookes Rd (Ironcliffe on Google Maps), or back the same way, then go for a quick run up Mt Gnomon. That would fill up most of your day.

[Tortoise]

Hey Ambience,
Great you're out walking.
pm coming when i get a chance.

I've been up Mt Montgomery. Now to tackle Mt Dial/Gnomon/Duncan.. Can these three be done on a single circuit at all? I've read lots of conflicting information so thought I would get some ideas off here.. Though might be bad timing on gathering info as I'm planning it for tomorrow!!
So Mt Dial has no easily identifiable summit/trig-point? And Mt Duncan is the highest of the four?

Yep, Duncan is the highest, and the best IMO - stands alone, great views. Dial - just a short side track from the main track through. High point has glimpses of views through the trees from near a big rock, but that's all.

Have you got the Dial Range map? Not sure if it's still available, but you could try Tassie Tackle in Burnie.

I'm guessing (as Mt Montgomery had perfect phone service) they're pretty safe as solo walks?

Generally, yes, though a solo walker died there not many years ago. Medical problem, got disoriented, didn't have mobile reception when he really needed it. I always take my PLB even there - easy enough now i have one.

There are more tracks than are marked on the map, can be a bit confusing in places, but pretty well signed.

Can't promise anything yet, but if i scramble this arvo, i just might be able to meet you to start with, maybe leave yr car at Ferndene and give you a lift to the Gnomon car park.

I'd probably walk up the road (Hales Rd on the signs and map, not Cookes or Ironcliffe, but it's all the same road), up Duncan, turn off to tall trees track on the way down, follow it up and across Dial Rd (little dogleg iirc), continuing up the Gnomon. Very cool cliff at the top. Then an out and back to Mt Dial, and back to the Gnomon car park. Or if happy with longer day, and if i can do it, retrace the few hundred metres to pick up the ferndene track back to your car.

How many kms in a day are you happy to do, with a decent climb or two?

[pazzar]

I'd probably walk up the road (Hales Rd on the signs and map, not Cookes or Ironcliffe, but it's all the same road), up Duncan, turn off to tall trees track on the way down, follow it up and across Dial Rd (little dogleg iirc), continuing up the Gnomon.

I knew Cookes didn't sound right!

Definitely don't drive any further than the start of the Duncan Track unless you have a 4WD. The road is not in great condition, I almost found myself stuck in there a couple of years ago. Was fun driving, but I'm not sure my car enjoyed it!

[Ambience]

No map as yet. Tried at the Penguin visitor info centre, but they didn't have much. I'll leave pretty early I'd imagine, so hopefully since they're generally shortish walks I shouldn't get too lost!! Though in saying that, we managed a bit of 'spatial misplacement' at Mt Montgomery, heading up the right way, but managed to turn the wrong way at the burnt out post on the way down, and headed back to the car by a forestry road (which was much quicker mind you!).

I might have to look into investing in one of these PLB gadgets, as I'd imagine a lot of my walks will be solo. Am sort of toying with the idea of looking into the north-west walking club in the coming months. I do like the idea of getting lost in the bush though, having to find my way back. Maybe I'm a bit of an oddball like that!!

I'm happy to walk all day, though have never managed any darkness walking. So as long as there is daylight, I'm happy to walk on! I'm not the fastest of people, especially over rocks, but I'm very much an endurance person and can keep on going and going, rarely getting tired or sore

Looks like I might just head out there tomorrow and investigate a few tracks rather than aiming to do the three at once! I have a 98 Magna, very low to the ground, so not great at 4WD tracks haha!! Thank you

[pazzar]

It's great having somewhere to wander so close to home! My dad used to take me and others out there when I was younger, then I ended up taking him out there once, although he didn't get to the top of Mt Duncan.

No need to feel like you have to bag them all at once - the rocks aren't going anywhere!

[Ambience]

So true.. I tend to get a bit ahead of myself sometimes! I might just tackle Duncan and Gnomon tomorrow, and go for a wander up Dial another day
I have a cold at the moment, so might be nice to just get out there and explore a bit, instead of undertaking something pre-determined!

[Tortoise]

Sounds good.

The road is now closed a little past the Gnomon carpark, so don't try to drive to Duncan (Badly eroded now.) Have fun!

[sthughes]

Just out of interest Tortise, when you say "Closed" do you mean like closed with a sign or impassable?

I'm walking from Gunns Plains to Penguin overnight this weekend via all the mountains (except Riana).

[JackcaJ]

I think this may be the map Tortoise is referring too here; https://www.tasmap.tas.gov.au/do/product/25000TOPO/4244
You can buy it directly from source (the government). Also if you click on "Preview Area in LISTmap" you'll get a digital version pop up of Ulvestone, with Dial range just to the east/left.

I also plan on doing an overnight in the area, but want to avoid Penguin-Cradle Trail tracks as I'm doing that at the end of April.

[Tortoise]

Hi st. Would you believe I checked that out a few weeks ago and have no memory of what I found?
Pretty sure it's blocked off a bit beyond the Gnomon car park, though.

Have fun on the weekend! That was the only thing missing from our PCT trip - but I figured I've been up the mtns plenty of times already - and it was a longish day from GP to the beach, so I coped with the decision.

[Eott]

Hey st. I went Mt. Duncan in mid Jan. with some friends who drove their car to the start of Duncan track, it was pretty rough I would have put the hubs in on our 4wd but not while their was car still managing in front of me. We talked with some trail bike riders @ the start of the track who expressed the view that the 4wd might get thru to Riana but not the car, the bloke had driven his fordcourier thru in early Jan. Things may have changed since.

[sthughes]

I think this may be the map Tortoise is referring too here; https://www.tasmap.tas.gov.au/do/product/25000TOPO/4244
You can buy it directly from source (the government). Also if you click on "Preview Area in LISTmap" you'll get a digital version pop up of Ulvestone, with Dial range just to the east/left.

I also plan on doing an overnight in the area, but want to avoid Penguin-Cradle Trail tracks as I'm doing that at the end of April.

That map only covers a small area of the Dial Range. Unfortunately the Range sit's at the intersection of the Riana, Stowport, Ulverstone & Kindred 1:25,000 maps. With the exception of the Stowport map these are all horribly out of date 80's era maps, some show bits of tracks, some show the PCT in the wrong place etc. The 1:100,000 Forth map is the best, but not an ideal scale. I've heard rumours Forestry put out a map of the Range but I haven't seen it and I'm not sure if it's a navigation style map or just a tourist map.

Will have to do a reccy of the road

[Ambience]

The road is definitely open all the way through to Mt Duncan! Definitely needs a 4WD though!! My poor Magna (lowered with sports suspension) didn't even make it to the Gnomon carpark!! I chose to park on the side and walk the 10-15 minutes up to the Gnomon carpark!!! Coming out of Mt Duncan, an older man in a white 4WD was parked at the Duncan carpark

[sthughes]

I went for quick drive in there tonight, yep road to Duncan is same as it was in October when I was last there. 2WD is fine but you need some ground clearance, 200mm should do it. My Outlander sis it easy with little care.

I didn't have time to go through to Penguin, but the road through last time was really 4x4 soft roader territory.

I went from Gnomon car park back to Penguin via Dial Road. Once again it's doable in a 2wd soft roader downhill, but you might need 4x4 to do it uphill. Outlander only touched bottom once, and only because I was in a hurry.