Pelion Circuit

[PeterJ]

Walk on 18-22 October 2010

I last did the Pelion Circuit in glorious weather in 1993. On this occasion we waited until there was a good forecast, which by good fortune meant only one day delay. On the first day the predicted showers looked a bit ominous as we drove through heavy rain from Mole Creek, but the worst had passed by the time we pulled up to start the walk. A new way in, for me anyway, was taken, it was from an offshoot of Maggs Rd and although no quicker it avoided the steepness of the normal route.
 
In the days prior to the walk there had been snow and rain about and this left plenty of water with the creeks well up, including Douglas Creek at Pelion which would have been very difficult to cross if it was not for the bridge. We all favoured staying at Pelion hut instead of continuing on to Frog Flats.
 
Next morning revealed a light snow cover but it didn't take long for it to melt and it has disappeared by the time we reached the Pelion West turnoff. Just before the first small cliff line of the mountain we debated whether to take a direct route for the big cliffs on the southern side of Pelion West or continue up a bit before doing so. The direct route was chosen, but in hindsight the longer way would have been easier. It took us 2 hours skirt under these massive cliffs with considerable amounts of snow on the slopes under them. Camp was on the high ridge on the western side where a group of small pines provided shelter from the cool breeze.
 
Although the following morning was cloudy it did not take all that long for it to break up as the day got progressively better and better. The packs were left on the upper slope of Achilles as we journeyed out to Perrins Bluff; a trip that took us a little over 2 hours with scrub, rock and snow and much the same for the return. Whilst Nigel and James ascended Achilles, I decided to go down to Leonards Tarn. I was aware that it was best to keep to the far right of the grassy descent gully, but progressed down to the first of the Fagus and realised that I should have turned right earlier. Thinking this would only be a narrow band at this point, I chanced pushing through to where I should have been. However it wasn't easy and would have been better and quicker to have backtracked and gone round. It is deceivingly longer to get down to Leonards than it looks, but after finding a nice campsite it was delightfully pleasant wandering about and taking photos at this beautiful location.

Morning brought another fine day and more time strolling about this delightful spot before embarking on the long and unrelenting 2 hour climb up the boulders to the Thetis summit. Getting off was harder than it ought to have been because we missed a cairn and went over a lot a large boulders that were not easy with a pack on. Camp that night was in a pleasant bit of snow gum woodland with the final morning was taken leisurely over the moorland before dropping back to the Overland Track. It was almost 6 pm when we arrived back at the cars as the first drops of the predicted late rain fell

Below are a couple of photos, but you can see more at this link.

[Drifting]

Love the frozen tarn.

[taswegian]

Thanks for posting Peter, your gallery is beautiful.
Last week I finished scanning my slides of that same walk many years back with another Peter.
We camped first night on the southwest of Pelion under the cliffs and I remember thinking if we didn't blow off in the night then I'd role off into oblivion.
Its a circuit that doesn't seem to get much mention here. I'd recommend it to those wanting something different in the centre of Reserve.
It really is a very special part of Tasmania with so much to see and do.

[Phil]

Wow, great pics Peter, thanks fro sharing your report.

[miked]

thanks for the report- sounds like a great trip

[ghosta]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I might add your website has excellent information on many walks.

You said "A new way in, for me anyway, was taken, it was from an offshoot of Maggs Rd and although no quicker it avoided the steepness of the normal route."

Are you talking an alternate route in, instead of the steep part of the Arm Rriver track? Id be interested to know where it is.

[1iron]

Thanks for the notes and photos Peter look as though you had a great trip. Still have to get out to Leonards Tarns happen later this summer. So I assume you went round the back of Pelion West to the western end then along the ridge line towards Achilles. Was up there 2 weeks ago looking at the possibilities.

[PeterJ]

.... new way in ............... offshoot of Maggs Rd ....Are you talking an alternate route in, instead of the steep part of the Arm Rriver track? Id be interested to know where it is.

Yes it is an alternative route that avoids having to go up the steep section of the Arm River track. I will leave this link alive for a bit so you can get an idea. Click on the Bing map.

[PeterJ]

Thanks for the notes and photos Peter look as though you had a great trip. Still have to get out to Leonards Tarns happen later this summer. So I assume you went round the back of Pelion West to the western end then along the ridge line towards Achilles. Was up there 2 weeks ago looking at the possibilities.

Yes that is correct. You can get a bit of an idea from the map at this link. It only gives a rough idea and I will leave it there for a while.

[taswegian]

Thanks for link.
Peter is Maggs Mt access a 'bush bash' or a track?

[1iron]

Yes that is correct. You can get a bit of an idea from the map at this link. It only gives a rough idea and I will leave it there for a while.

Thanks for the link Peter, bookmarked it and downloaded the .gpx files for Pelion and Maggs.

cheers

Ian

[PeterJ]

Thanks for link.
Peter is Maggs Mt access a 'bush bash' or a track?

Don't know about Maggs Mt itself; looks to surrounded by bush and have not heard of a track. The route I referred to is off Maggs Rd and quite some distance away from Maggs Mt and is easy to follow and cleared.

[ghosta]

.... new way in ............... offshoot of Maggs Rd ....Are you talking an alternate route in, instead of the steep part of the Arm Rriver track? Id be interested to know where it is.

Yes it is an alternative route that avoids having to go up the steep section of the Arm River track. I will leave this link alive for a bit so you can get an idea. Click on the Bing map.

Much appreciated Peter. We occasionally do an overnighter at Pelion, do some side trips from there and this is a new route that looks interesting. Tried the Wolfram Mine route a few years ago....thats a story in itself!

[taswegian]

thanks Peter
no idea why I said Maggs Mt!!
Anyway you answered what I didn't ask - thanks.
I'll check it out.
regards
Richard

[tibboh]

If completing the circuit in a clockwise direction, is the point where you leave the OLT for Paddys Nut obvious near Pelion?.....or is it further on down towards Frog Flats? Grid ref?
When sidling around the southern side of PW under the cliffs, would it be easier to continue around the eastern end of PW to the PW track (then down to the OLT) or take a more direct path down to Frog Flats?
Cheers.

[Nuts]

Someone may be along with a grid reference, there's a photo here: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=3293
iirc there was also some pink flagging last time I looked.

P.West would be my choice. I haven't been around the s/e cliffs (route) but it's got to be better that finding yourself in the scrub at the head of the river.

[norts]

As per Chapmans notes:
"leave the OLT 600m west of its junction with the track to Old Pelion Hut".
Last time I went up that track( really only a route) someone had gone through and removed all the flagging tape, even though I have walked it a few times I still had trouble keeping on the track. Once you get up onto the more open area it is quite easy to find.

If you stick close to the cliffs(right under them) it is pretty straight forward to get around to the PW track. Just a small amount of scrub just before you get onto the PW track I would think going down to Frog Flats would be more difficult through the scrub, but people do go from Leonards Tarn down to FF.
Roger

[tibboh]

Thanks for the info gents, as usual it's much appreciated

[north-north-west]

Yeah, get to the cliffs and stay right with until you hit the track, because the scrub on the slopes is awkward and the hillsides a lot steeper than you realise. Plus it's basically dirt just under the cliffs, but lower down before you hit the scrub there's a lot of boulder hopping, which is slower.
I made the mistake of trying to drop down too early and ended up climbing down vertically about 20m on ti tree. Not really fun.