Ossa to Thetis to Achilles to Pelion West ?

[Sealbasher]

Hi all,
Have heard that there used to be a track from Mount Ossa to West Pelion taking in Mount Thetis, and Mount Achilles.
Has anyone done this?
The plan is to come in by Arm River Track and do the lot over a few days.
Or any advice?

[DaveNoble]

The was never a track along this route, or even cairns. But it is still a negotiable route. It would be possible, but hard to do it in a day - as a big loop from Pelion Hut (I have done Pelion - Pelion West - Achilles - Thetis - Pelion Hut in a day (and that was a long day with an early start). The route over the tops is not easy - and you do need to scout around and work out the best way. There are lots of big boulders to clamber over and some steep places, and a wee bit of scrub here and there. Also - nice campsites in a few places with water close by. The track you may have been thinking of is the one from near the Old Pelion Hut turn off (from the Overland Track) - that goes up to the ridge a bit to the east of Paddys Nut. That track is still there - but the start is hard to find, and it may be overgrown in spots? From that rack - it is not too hard to traverse onto Ossa.

Dave

[Sealbasher]

Thanks Dave. Would like to take a bit more time than a day to do the whole lot.... was thinking of more like 3 days to 'enjoy' it. Think we need to bring any rope or climbing gear? For tricky spots... or can you just walk around the difficult spots? With the campsites, they would be more between the peaks rather than camping on the tops?
Thanks again.

[DaveNoble]

No need for any rope. Camping is good in saddles - like at Leonards Tarn or between Ossa and Paddys Nut (in several places)

Dave

[Sealbasher]

Thanks heaps! Will keep looking. Couple of other bits.... Have used a pretty basic app for the iphone when doing the overland recently, and that was ok, but thinking of getting a GPS, or maps, etc. Just looking at Topo maps on 'LISTmap' which has online maps of Tassie. What do you think? Any suggestion for this planned trip?

[norts]

I did Paddys , Thetis , Achilles, and Pelion West earlier this year as a circuit.
The track up to Thetis is still there but pretty rough. It comes out between Paddys and Ossa. Chapmans guide book on Cradle / Walls describes where the start of the track is.
As David said good camping below Paddys , also at Leonards Tarn.

My camps were:
Pelion Hut
Paddys Nut
Leonards Tarn
Frog Flats

You could camp between Achilles and Pelion West as there are a few tarns in between, but you would want good weather as it would be very exposed.

The two tricky bits were; coming off Thetis, you need to go right to the western end and find the gully described in Chapmans notes.
Also when you get near the summit of PW and want to get over to where the true summit is, cant tell you the right way to do it , just fiddly. The boulders on PW are very big and it takes a bit of fiddlying around. Once you get to the true summit there is a cairned route along the ridge line until you head down.
Dont under estimate how long it takes to go along PW, it is a long hard boulder hop up to the summit along the top and down the other side especially with overnight packs.
This is not a walk for the inexperienced.
Roger

Thetis route

[Nuts]

Sealbasher.. ?

The track up to Thetis is still there but pretty rough. It comes out between Paddys and Ossa. Chapmans guide book on Cradle / Walls describes where the start of the track is.

Looking for this marker:

Sth, just off this track section:

[Sealbasher]

Thanks for the info and photos. Have got Chapman's guide and know of the start of the track. Only thing is we won't be getting there via the OT.... plan is to come straight from Ossa.
In fact the full plan is to fly in to Launceston, (stay overnight?) hire a car, drive to start of Arm River track, then up Ossa and then the rest of the summits as earlier described.


Any suggestions for best place to park (and leave hire car) when starting the Arm River Track?

[Nuts]

I had the feeling that was the route (no track), most people would have done the OLT or been in the area, climbed Ossa, then the circuit from the track & with a bit of local experience.. anyhow, there's a map section of the Arm R road and carpark on here somewhere, there's now a berm barrier across the road right at the turn off into the AR car park (can't miss it), cars are usually ok in there.. 6/7 hrs Launc-Pelion Hut.

[Sealbasher]

Thanks Nuts.
..... Sealbasher?..... I'm originally from Canada. And Aussies, as they are had to come up with a nickname.... All Aussies knew about Canada then was that they bash seals.... hence the nickname Sealbasher.
Rob

[Nuts]

I think of Maple Syrup, Snow, Elk, Crispy Crunch...

[Sealbasher]

Thats probably because youre too young........

[Nuts]

Ha, no mate, 2/3rds done I did recall the term, once you said, or I recall seeing a greenpeace action doco and think iv'e heard that term, don't have a lot of time for that divisive side of green.

[Sealbasher]

yea, it was all the Bridget Bardot thing.... I guess. Remember I was coming from Canada and trying to figure out Aussies wanting to give me a nickname.

[north-north-west]

Should do the side trip out to Perrins Bluff while you're there, too.

[Sealbasher]

Hmmm... turn left from Mt Achilles.... but then do I just double back to get to Pellion West? Is it worth it?

[north-north-west]

Yes. And yes. Perrins is lovely.
Early departure from Leonards, leave the pack on the saddle, out to Perrins, then you can camp on the ridge just below Pelion West and do the summit as an up and back the next morning before sidling the cliffs to pick up the track. Or go over the top if that's your thing, but it's hard work with a full pack.

[Sealbasher]

Cool!

[lefroy]

Quick bump on this one, I want to head from arm River to ossa, down to camp near paddys nut day one, any tips on getting down off of ossa?
Rest of the trip will be perrins thetis achilles, hopefully with day packs and be back to camp at the nut night two then out. Too ambitious?
Cheers
Any gpx down off ossa would be great, pm me if that's not within the rules

[north-north-west]

Ossa to Paddys: from the summit boulder, return to the summit track and drop a little to the north (the OT side) and sidle the summit ridge on that side. It is possible to sidle that ridge to the south but it is much slower and harder. The hillside is steep, so be careful with your footing. Once around the rocks, it's an easy series of terraces down to the saddle and the usual campsite.

Thetis is slowish as it's all boulder work and, as someone once said to me, the boulders on Thetis are so big you could hide a truck between them. I couldn't do that, Perrins and Achilles as a daytrip from Paddys, but I'm old and decrepit. If you're good on boulders you might manage. Most people take their packs and camp at Leonards, then sidle Pelion West and return to the OT.
There is an old track (really just a pad) running between Frog Flats and the Paddys camp. Best to use that to exit if you stick with your original plan.

Make sure you get the route to Perrins right as it can be awkward if you're on the wrong side of the ridge, or get tangled in the scrub.

[lefroy]

Thanks for the info, ended up changing plans due to forecast so went up from Frog Flats, scrub wasn't much chop. Got out to perrins, achilles and pelion East in a blizzard haha. Leonards tarn was amazing!!!
No dramas on perrins, it's fairly obvious where not to go.. Cheers