Federation Peak Successes and Failures

[wardy]

Just a topic to share your adventure of making or not making it to the top of federation Peak.

I attempted Federation Peak on the 3rd of Jan 2009 from Scott's Peak Dam. It was my first time Bushwalking in Tasmania and with my best mate and our fathers decided to do the trek. One of the members had done the walk before but had failed due to another person in their group falling ill. We set out and the first two days were pretty long and dull, good scenery but the track was quite baron due to the fires but nether the less still a nice walk and amazing blue sky weather. The third day was the hike up the imposing lukmans lead, which was very enjoyable, once we got to stuarts saddle we had lunch and the weather turn for the worse, we decided to push to goon moor and see what the next day would bring us. The next snow. Snowing and raining and fog for 3 days declined our push to the top. So it was a nice 3 day walk back haha.

I hope other people had success.

[the_camera_poser]

Hmmmm- sounds like a common theme to Tassie outdoor adventure- when are you going for your next try?

[Son of a Beach]

I've been to the top of Feder twice, but never seen any views - clouded out both times. On the first time (from Farm House Creek to Scotts Peak via the plains), the weather had cleared by the time we reached Devil's Thumb, and in hind sight, we should have turned around and gone back up. Never mind, the views from the thumb were fantastic anyhow. On the second time it rained for 11 out of the 12 days of walking (Western and Eastern Arthurs on the second trip), but we still went up anyhow.

On both occasions, it was windy at the foot of the mountain, but as still as a millpond on top of the mountain - there must be some strange vortex effect of the wind blowing up the side and up past the top, leaving the top calm. On both occasions, it was very warm, we could feel the sun beating down through the cloud, and figured that we must be very close to the top of the cloud.

I thoroughly enjoyed being up there, be will have to try again to get the view. One advantage of climbing up there through the clouds is that you can't see how far the drop offs are. I didn't find it anywhere near as scary as I'd been expecting, however after seeing photos of it without clouds (in another topic on these forums) I think I may yet be scared witless if I get to try it on a clear day.

[stu]

Gee, you're going to hate me then Wardy as I had ideal conditions on my first trip in there late last year.
A group of 8 of us went in just before Xmas 2008 via Farmhouse Creek / Moss Ridge.
First 2 days were ideal walking conditions; high cloud keeping things cool & no rain.
Our summit day (day 3) morning we woke up on Bechervaise Plateau to bluebird conditions, absolutely idyllic, not a drop of wind either.

Magical morning along the Eastern Arthur Range - from Bechervaise Plateau.

All 8 of us (+ another we met along the way) summited & spent over an hour taking in the amazing views & reveling in our luck with the weather.

Perfect summit conditions - looking west along the Eastern & Western Arthur Ranges.

After a safe descent by all we went out to Hanging Lake for lunch & a swim, then climbed Geeves Bluff in continuing amazing conditions.

A lazy summer afternoon at Hanging Lake.

The last 2 days out were again ideal walking conditions; high cloud, no rain, mild temperatures.
Sorry to rub it in to those who have not had the best of luck with Huey, but it's worth persevering to get it like we had it

Cheers.
Stu.

[Taurë-rana]

You were lucky Stu, fantastic weather! I went in via Farmhouse Creek one Easter in the mid 80's - can't remember exactly which year. We chose to do the summit late in the afternoon after we reached the plateau, and went up in good weather to watch the sun set. Lucky we did as the next day the weather had closed in, and by the time we had come back off Moss Ridge all the peaks were covered in snow. It was a great trip, relaxed - days weren't long, and good company. It was about the first trip I really wasn't ready to come out of the bush.
I'd love to go back and see if it's scarier now I'm a bit older!

[wardy]

Good to hear about everyone's successes, I said after my last trip it might take me a few years to go back as I am from SA but it has been in the back of my mind and I have to get up to the top, so maybe this jan or feb. What do you rekon the easiest way or quickest?? How does the yo yo track go???

[Son of a Beach]

I've not done the Yo-Yo track, but believe it or not, it goes up and down (a lot, from what I've heard).

Farmhouse Creek and Moss Ridge are a reasonably quick way in, but you don't get much in the way of views. The eastern Arthurs route provides the best views by far. Going in the Eastern Arthurs and out Farmhouse Creek is the best way to do it in my opinion (if you can arrange transport). You get all the great views on the way in, and a shorter walk out (through lovely forest, although a significant scramble, still).

[scrub master]

Farmhouse Ck is by far the quickest way in if your sole objective is to bag the summit. A strong party can be on the top in 1.5 days from the car park, but as SoaB said, you miss all the really speccy scenery of the eastern arthurs.
I've done the yo-yo track a couple of times and while it isn't a mud-bash likethe Arthur Plains, it is a rather sole destroying slog. Every metre in height you gain, you promtly lose going down to the next creek crossing and there is always the risk you won't be able to cross the Cracroft because of flooding. Having said that, is is a good alternative if you want to make a loop out of the trip and the car shuffle is much easier to organise. The last time I was there ~3 years ago the track was still very negotiable, but there were a lot of trees down over the track which made for a very slow and frustrating walk in.