Iv'e been finding myself bushwalking more and more lately, probably getting a bit obsessed to be honest
, and I'd like to post a report of a trip I completed on the 6th of Feb this year.My mate Stu sent me a message at around 4pm Monday saying the forecast was excellent for the next couple of days. Himself and another mate Matt were planning on leaving hobart at 4am the next day for Federation Peak via the Farmhouse Creek track. After a failed attempt at Fed back in 2015 i didn't really need any convincing to join them.
With such a good forecast, I kept my pack weight to 8.5kg. We started walking at 7am, and got through the first section of forest in good time. It was very hot in the open sections of the Cracroft Valley and we all managed to jump over a very rapidly moving White Lipped Snake a little before Crest Ridge. I noticed that the track was pretty dry compared to the last time I was here when I turned back at the flooded South Cracroft River. We made good time arriving at Cutting Camp after 6 Hours.
I was feeling pretty good and looking forward to the challenge of Moss Ridge...It turned into quite a slog in the hot and humid forest and we made it to Upper Bechervaise Plateau in about 4 hours. After a quick rest and a bite to eat we headed up to the start of the Southern Traverse. We seen a party on the summit and heard them cheering
I'd be lying if I said i didn't find the direct ascent a tad hairy in spots, but it wasn't too difficult, with cramping quads and groin slowing me down on the climby bits. We arrived at the summit 12 hours after starting. It felt pretty good to finally make it, and also after viewing Fed from the Western Arthur's a couple of months before.
After phone calls home and a forecast update we relaxed, ate some food, and took in the ever changing evening light. We were treated to a spectacular shadow of Fed itself extending into Cracroft Valley. The weather was really really good. It was completely still and was silent apart from voices we could hear from Hanging Lake! must have been the party we seen on the summit earlier.
I rolled out my Bivy Bag and settled in to watch the sun set over the horizon. Next morning we woke to watch the sunrise over the Southern Ranges. We were treated again to Fed's shadow, this time over the Crossing River Valley. Then we got underway with the long day ahead. It was even hotter and the walk turned into a rush between creeks to refill and cool down. We arrived back at the car in 13 hours. It was an amazing walk, the best one yet, and I can't wait to get back out there to complete the rest of the Eastern Arthurs
- Clear Skies
- Descending on the Southern Traverse - Credit Matt
- Thwaites Plateau
- Federation Peak Evening Shadow
- Summit Camp
- Morning Shadow - Credit Stu
- 43.jpg (214.97 KiB) Viewed 12924 times
- Lake Geeves Reflections - Credit Matt
- Southwest Morning Panorama - Credit Stu
Bit hard to top that walk!! 
