Mysterious Hole in Frenchmans Cap

[whynotwalk]

A Hole in Frenchmans Cap

Hi all - I took this photo during a 1983 trip to Frenchmans Cap. The grainy old shot shows a "hole" through Frenchmans Cap, somewhere near the summit. I remember thinking at the time: "Is that a lake? No ... it's actually an arch/hole going right through the mountain!"

I was back on Frenchmans again a few weeks ago - 31 years after my first trip - but I didn't find this spot again. Sure the weather was less than perfect, and I didn't look very hard. But my memory of the 1983 walk was that the track to the summit went right by this "hole". I guess the current route doesn't follow the old route. Has anyone else here seen this feature? If it weren't for the photo, I'd be tempted to think my memory was faulty. What light can anyone shed on this?

cheers

Peter

[pazzar]

Is this a little bit further around from where the track zags back up towards the gully perhaps? I've been up 4 times in the last few years and I definitely don't recall a feature like this. I want to find it now!

[pazzar]

Or if in doubt - email the picture to Terry Reid. If anyone knows, it is him.

[whynotwalk]

I was going to say "try remembering back 31 years" Jared ... but in your case I don't think that's possible

But ... if I recall correctly, in 1983 we clambered more or less straight up from North Col towards the summit. So in my pic, Tahune would be behind and beneath the walker, who has gone down to this "bridge" for a look. I'm closer to the (then) route. But does anyone know how substantially the route altered once it sidled east before North Col, rather than going straight up the col??

cheers

Peter

[Lizzy]

We had such crap weather I'm glad we didn't fall down it....

[whynotwalk]

Or if in doubt - email the picture to Terry Reid. If anyone knows, it is him.

Good thought Jared - have contacted Terry, as suggested. I'll report any results here.

And glad you didn't fall through this hole Lizzy! Given how elusive it is, I don't think there's a big risk of that. But as for the face itself, and its 400m drop

cheers

Peter

[eggs]

Could be completely wrong.
But - my photos of Frenchmans from the Irenabyss track back at the saddle indicate some remote possibilities - but the problem is your background.
Your photo picks up not only the "hole" but a chasm beyond with another wall at the back.
So I would like to suggest this ringed location from a zoom photo at Barron Pass.

Face of the Frenchman from Barron Pass - with ring around the possible site of the hole

It is actually a bit below a spot where we left the main track near the top to get a better view over Barron Pass and Lake Tahune at the same time.
I think the peninsula to its right is your background wall. [I think people might base jump from that to land over Lake Tahune.]
If so - we did not see it, but might have if we had looked more closely into the chasm. It would not be far from the main track at all.

If that is the spot - then this photo would have been taken from above it.

Above chasm looking back to Tahune over the gendarm

[whynotwalk]

That first pic offers a plausible possibility Brian. If your red ring is a clock, and I'm standing at about 11 o'clock looking through the gap/arch (assuming there is one) towards about 5:30, I might get the kind of background apparent in my pic.

An intriguing possibility. But it would be good if someone else has actually seen my spot in fine weather.

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

Hi again - I've consulted with Terry Reid and others, and we think we have an answer! Oddly enough none of the experts I consulted had actually seen the "hole", but we have agreed that it is near the east face of the Cap, just above, and to the south of, what climbers call "Terray's Tower".

Essentially - and no surprise here - our super-sleuth Brian (aka "eggs") has pretty much picked it with his red-circled image. The "hole" is at the top of a gulch which has an intact "bridge".

cheers

Peter