Track Notes For Western Arthur Traverse

[GregChinery]

I intend buying Chapman's new edition of "South West Tasmania" when it comes out in Autumn 17. In the meantime, I was hoping someone might email me some notes on the WAT as I am planning a trip in Feb 17. Thanks.

[stepbystep]

What version of the range traverse do you want notes on? Oberon return? A-K? Full traverse?

It's pretty easy. Figure out where you want to camp each night and expect to do 10000 leg presses between each one and allow a full day to do them all! Some care is needed to stay on track in a cpl places like entering the Beggaries and coming off Capricorn. Prepare your exit strategies. Do your fitness training before the walk. Carry the correct equipment.

[Son of a Beach]

It's a great book as far as track notes books go. See if you can find an old copy and and take some notes from it to use until your new one arrives.

[GregChinery]

What version of the range traverse do you want notes on? Oberon return? A-K? Full traverse?

It's pretty easy. Figure out where you want to camp each night and expect to do 10000 leg presses between each one and allow a full day to do them all! Some care is needed to stay on track in a cpl places like entering the Beggaries and coming off Capricorn. Prepare your exit strategies. Do your fitness training before the walk. Carry the correct equipment.

Hi Stepbystep - we are doing the full traverse and have been training hard for some time now. Thanks for the advice.

[north-north-west]

Sidetrips aside, it's mostly a matter of following the track. There aren't many places where it's easy to miss.

A bit of the route over Pegasus can be a bit vague, but there are cairns on the rocky bits if you look around carefully enough for them. And you can always get back on the right line with a bit of creative scrambling.
Part of the sidle of Columba tends to be overgrown; again, check carefully to make sure you stay on line.
There are a couple of leads shortly before the Tilted Chasm which peter out in awkward spots, so make sure not to follow the wrong ones. Basically, kept to the left.
There's one interesting scramble between Taurus and Haven. Either down the cleft in the rock or down the face of it.
The descent to Sirona is steep and eroded (ditto the Twisted Chasm and the first gully descent out of High Moor as well as the descent of Capricorn). Just be extra careful in the wet.
There are cairns on the rocky route towards Scorpio. Can be tricky in foggy conditions.
Beyond Promontory the track disappears (essentially turns into a series of pads and open leads) until you're climbing the Phoenix. Just follow the most open lines and head for the highest point of the Phoenix and you'll pick up the track when it starts again.
Centaurus Ridge has a couple of awkward scrambles toward the Eastern end. A number of options. Mostly when in doubt go up and over.
Crags of Andromeda has a number of pads and cairned options. In good conditions you can follow the ridgeline (slow but fun).
Camping at Rosanne is limited but it's such a beautiful place you want to spend a night there if possible.
Track gets very vague near Strike Creek. You want to veer a bit easterly (to the right) to avoid the trees. If you go astray the moorland there is generally very open and you should be able to pick the track up again further on - keep an eye out on the next ridge and you should see where the track climbs up out of the adjacent creek.
Assuming you're returning to Scotts peak via McKays, last time I was there (almost a year ago) it was very badly overgrown and had significant storm damage particularly in the melaleuca/tea tree around the creeks, worse further to the east.

Those are the only areas I recall being at all iffy. The track's been improved significantly since Chapman's first write-up. Good set of maps and you'll be fine.

[Azza]

I did A-K quite some years ago - probably almost 10 years now and recently went back.

The interesting thing was that I made all the same mistakes as the first time.
Mainly around the begary bumps.

I had a real sense of deja va as I started to remember these spots, I knew at least what I'd done wrong the 2nd time and how to fix it.

There are a couple of leads shortly before the Twisted Chasm which peter out in awkward spots, so make sure not to follow the wrong ones. Basically, kept to the left.

Both times I've ended up on the false leads off the right side of the ridge, and you need to go steeply up to meet the track again.
The false leads tend to be well worn, so don't automatically assume that its the right way just because it looks like its a track.
The argument that its gotta be the way isn't alway true in the Arthurs.
There is also a spot near the dragon where you need to go down a rather awkward drop, but its also quite easy to ignore it and continue following a lead which turns back and I presume goes to the top of the Dragon. In clear weather you can see the track on the ridge, but I can imagine in poor vis it would be easy to get disorientated.

[Tortoise]

The advice 'if you can't see where to go, look up' is quite good. Or down.

The other thing to note is that if you see what looks a bit like a big cairn in the middle of the track, it may well be a 'rock block' - i.e. DON'T go this way - not a cairn. So have a good look around for another option.

[north-north-west]

There are a couple of leads shortly before the Twisted Chasm which peter out in awkward spots, so make sure not to follow the wrong ones. Basically, kept to the left.

Both times I've ended up on the false leads off the right side of the ridge, and you need to go steeply up to meet the track again.
The false leads tend to be well worn, so don't automatically assume that its the right way just because it looks like its a track.

The embarrassing thing there is I went the right way the first time and stuffed it up on the revisit. Too busy looking through the viewfinder.
Should have backtracked when I realised it was the wrong way but, of course, ended up instead doing a really stupid traverse/climb on a damp, slippery, scrubby, almost vertical slope. Idiot!

(Oooooopps. Just realised that says 'Twisted' instead of 'Tilted'. Getting my warps confused.)

[GregChinery]

Sidetrips aside, it's mostly a matter of following the track. There aren't many places where it's easy to miss.

A bit of the route over Pegasus can be a bit vague, but there are cairns on the rocky bits if you look around carefully enough for them. And you can always get back on the right line with a bit of creative scrambling.
Part of the sidle of Columba tends to be overgrown; again, check carefully to make sure you stay on line.
There are a couple of leads shortly before the Tilted Chasm which peter out in awkward spots, so make sure not to follow the wrong ones. Basically, kept to the left.
There's one interesting scramble between Taurus and Haven. Either down the cleft in the rock or down the face of it.
The descent to Sirona is steep and eroded (ditto the Twisted Chasm and the first gully descent out of High Moor as well as the descent of Capricorn). Just be extra careful in the wet.
There are cairns on the rocky route towards Scorpio. Can be tricky in foggy conditions.
Beyond Promontory the track disappears (essentially turns into a series of pads and open leads) until you're climbing the Phoenix. Just follow the most open lines and head for the highest point of the Phoenix and you'll pick up the track when it starts again.
Centaurus Ridge has a couple of awkward scrambles toward the Eastern end. A number of options. Mostly when in doubt go up and over.
Crags of Andromeda has a number of pads and cairned options. In good conditions you can follow the ridgeline (slow but fun).
Camping at Rosanne is limited but it's such a beautiful place you want to spend a night there if possible.
Track gets very vague near Strike Creek. You want to veer a bit easterly (to the right) to avoid the trees. If you go astray the moorland there is generally very open and you should be able to pick the track up again further on - keep an eye out on the next ridge and you should see where the track climbs up out of the adjacent creek.
Assuming you're returning to Scotts peak via McKays, last time I was there (almost a year ago) it was very badly overgrown and had significant storm damage particularly in the melaleuca/tea tree around the creeks, worse further to the east.

Those are the only areas I recall being at all iffy. The track's been improved significantly since Chapman's first write-up. Good set of maps and you'll be fine.

NNW - thanks so much for all that, I have printed your notes and they will be put to very good use. I really appreciate your taking the time. You have an amazing memory. Can't wait to hit the trail. Cheers.

[GregChinery]

I did A-K quite some years ago - probably almost 10 years now and recently went back.

The interesting thing was that I made all the same mistakes as the first time.
Mainly around the begary bumps.

I had a real sense of deja va as I started to remember these spots, I knew at least what I'd done wrong the 2nd time and how to fix it.

There are a couple of leads shortly before the Twisted Chasm which peter out in awkward spots, so make sure not to follow the wrong ones. Basically, kept to the left.

Both times I've ended up on the false leads off the right side of the ridge, and you need to go steeply up to meet the track again.
The false leads tend to be well worn, so don't automatically assume that its the right way just because it looks like its a track.
The argument that its gotta be the way isn't alway true in the Arthurs.
There is also a spot near the dragon where you need to go down a rather awkward drop, but its also quite easy to ignore it and continue following a lead which turns back and I presume goes to the top of the Dragon. In clear weather you can see the track on the ridge, but I can imagine in poor vis it would be easy to get disorientated.

Thanks for the feedback Azza. have made notes on your advice. Cheers.