Lake Margaret day walk

[greyim]

http://www.railtrails.org.au/states/tra ... l&trail=78

We visited this week the new pipeline is a great short day walk...
A liitle west of Queenstown,
The access rd presently has boom gates open mon-thurs daytimes only otherwise take bikes for 3.7km
From the power station its very steep walk up a closed vehicle track to top of the feed pipe.
Then a pleasant level boardwalk follows the renewed wooden pipeline about 30mins to the dam and lake.
The steep part is not reccomended for unfleet of foot

[Chrisbulldog]

Thanks Grey , will add that to itinerary to west coast walks . ( just returned from another Montez trip with another group) .
Just a couple of questions . Is it ok when the boom gates are open to take a vehicle through and park it , and , how long does that trip take return ?
Thanks ,Chris

[greyim]

Yes, heaps of parking at the power station (foot of feed pipe) but you have to be back before knock off time! Took us about 3 hrs rtn but we would have spent alot more time looking around if we had started am. not pm

[Son of a Beach]

I knew they were rebuilding the pipeline with the authentic timbers of the original, but it wasn't until I saw your picture that I realised that means it would also have the sprinkler-like leaks all along it still.

[Chrisbulldog]

Thanks Grey. I'm in the process of planning a circuit walk to Mt. Geike ,returning via the shore of Lake M . Obviously i'll have to do that carefully given your info.

[mjdalessa]

Is the access still the same? Has anyone tried approaching Mount Sedgewick directly from the north using the ridge just before reaching Lake Margaret?

[Chrisbulldog]

Believe thats is possible . Were you thinking of circuit type walk ?
I've been investigating doing something like that , but by going to Mt. Gieke which you can get to partly by
the access road behind the power station. After getting there possibly could drop down to the lake
shoreline and walk around to the water feed in area. Then follow the waterpipe back down.
By the look of Google maps it is possible ...but would have to see it in reality first.

[mjdalessa]

Sedgewick is known to be scrubby, looking at Google Earth I was thinking a direct trip via the pipeline would be possible. The ridge looks quite rocky. The Abels suggests quite a long route to Sedgewick if you have that.

Were you thinking of going up Sedgewick from the north then out via the 'normal' ridge route in the abels then Geikie? That would be quite a large day.

[Chrisbulldog]

Actually no , was thinking of going up via the lake Margaret road ,hopefully to get back to the Hydro office before they
put the boom gate down. The steepness would be just behind their office that way. Probably couldnt do that in time
with your proposal,perhaps yours would make a good overnight walk in summer. Anyways keep the ideas flowing.

[eggs]

I have been up to the old pipeline and used it to climb onto the adjacent ridgeline on its south [~700m mark] and then along and up to the top of the ridge that runs around to Sedgwick [about the 930m mark]
That's as far as I have been - but no difficulties to there and it looked straightforward to continue along that ridge to Sedgwick.
[Though the map shows scrub past that point? But my photos from Tyndal show that ridgeline as pretty open.]
In my planning, I could envision a loop return via the Nectar Lakes through to Lake Tyndal and back via Mt Geikie - The Chin and Hamilton Moraine.
[I have been from Lake Margaret township to Geikie via the Chin before.]

Would they allow a car to be parked in there for a few days?

[north-north-west]

Ahhh, thanks for asking that, eggs, I want to know that as well. I'd rather do a loop when I go back to try to get a view from Sedgwick, and that platasu to the south looks wonderful fun.

[ofuros]

Great little walk, as previously stated...the road up is like walking on marbles & a heart pumper to boot,
then it eases to a scenic tramway boardwalk all the way to the dam wall.

At the time, I wished I could have used that old rickety maintainance trolley ....could see myself rolling around the exposed hillside,
wild westerly winds and rain pelting my face, now, that would have been eye watering fun.

Good info fella's.
Another great area to explore.