Eldons Jan 2016

[naturelover]

Hi all,
I have just posted pics (with a brief explanation of each) of our trip to the Eldons, climbing of High Dome, Eldon Bluff, Eldon Crag, Dome Hill, Castle Mt and Rocky Hill. If you haven't been to this area, the photos might help give you a feel for this fabulous place, and if you have, they might bring back happy memories. Hope you enjoy,
Cheers,
Louise.
http://natureloverswalks.blogspot.com.au

[waif]

Awesome work! How thick was the scrub?

So I am guessing you went straight in for the Rocky Hill approach slightly North of the Collingwood river crossing on Lyell highway (Near irenabyss exit)?

I came across some hitch hikers at derwent bridge on the weekend that had been airlifted out after only a couple of days rafting the Franklin due to the smoke and fires. Hectic time to be adventuring - the whole west coast is a haze at present.

[north-north-west]

Awesome work! How thick was the scrub?

Scrubbiness depends on the lines you take. There are easier routes and not so easy.

The standard route goes over Pigeonhouse Hill.

[CasualNerd]

Read through a lot of pages on your blog, lots of good information, thanks for the info !

Just discovered 'the abels' how sure is it that only 6 people have completed it ? Looks like a project to complete over the next few decades...

[naturelover]

Hi waif and CasualNerd, thanks so much for your comments.
Yes, in via Rocky Hill (PigeonHouse hill first, starting opposite a quarry on the map. The scrub gets way worse than the Eldons (eg, try the Coronets if you want to try super bad).

Re the completers of the Abels, yes the number is sure. Tassie is small enough to know these things. I have checked with mainland contenders eg Dave Noble, and they are not on the list of 20 to go. I am by default the keeper of stats on the Abels, so try to keep abreast of any records being broken etc. NNW, who wrote a comment in this post, is the leading woman. Yes, it is a long quest. I am very lucky to be as far advanced on it as I am, as I only began off-track walking in 2012. Others suggested 2015 that I could get the lot, so I'm giving it a go - HUGE fun. Most take many, many years. Opportunities vary. Tony Woolford is the first family man to complete (4th overall) - very tricky to fit it around obligations to a spouse and kids. Stu Bowling will probably hold the record for being the youngest to complete when he does. There are about 6 people with 5 or fewer left. (I'm im Melb right now so don't have my hand on the stats at present).

[stu]

I can't guarantee that by the time I finish I will be the youngest; & i'm not that young now!
I have 8 to go (maybe 7 after Mt Tor this weekend) but still have quite a mix of hard ones in my "IN" tray; it may still take a few years from here, which doesn't bother me, I don't feel any urgency right now.
A young bloke named Abel Zane is attempting to bag the full list of Abels in 18 months, he started a few months ago...possibly ambitious but having a crack has to be admired.
All a bit of fun as an excuse, not a reason, to explore the many diverse areas of Tassie

Last edited by stu on Tue 19 Jan, 2016 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

[DanShell]

Thanks very much for sharing. Again, your blog is inspiring, I love reading it and some of those photos are brilliant.

[CasualNerd]

I've only just jumped back into walking but all the big peaks are on the list that I plan to visit anyway. I'm going to start keeping track so that one day I can have a crack ! I had heard the Abels mentioned but I thought it was a mountain range somewhere... I also discovered the HWC peak baggers list spreadsheet which should help. It might take me longer to get my hands on the first edition of the book than climb all the peaks though

Turns out Tasmania is a pretty big place when you're on foot !

[Azza]

I can't guarantee that by the time I finish I will be the youngest; & i'm not that young now!
I have 8 to go (maybe 7 after Mt Tor this weekend) but still have quite a mix of hard ones in my "IN" tray; it may still take a few years from here, which doesn't bother me, I don't feel any urgency right now.

Here is hoping the fires don't get in the way with Tor.

18 Months?! That is going to be a tough schedule consider the effort required to get to some of the more remote peaks.

[north-north-west]

Hi waif and CasualNerd, thanks so much for your comments.
Yes, in via Rocky Hill (PigeonHouse hill first, starting opposite a quarry on the map. The scrub gets way worse than the Eldons (eg, try the Coronets if you want to try super bad).

Re the completers of the Abels, yes the number is sure. Tassie is small enough to know these things. I have checked with mainland contenders eg Dave Noble, and they are not on the list of 20 to go. I am by default the keeper of stats on the Abels, so try to keep abreast of any records being broken etc. NNW, who wrote a comment in this post, is the leading woman. Yes, it is a long quest. I am very lucky to be as far advanced on it as I am, as I only began off-track walking in 2012. Others suggested 2015 that I could get the lot, so I'm giving it a go - HUGE fun. Most take many, many years. Opportunities vary. Tony Woolford is the first family man to complete (4th overall) - very tricky to fit it around obligations to a spouse and kids. Stu Bowling will probably hold the record for being the youngest to complete when he does. There are about 6 people with 5 or fewer left. (I'm im Melb right now so don't have my hand on the stats at present).

I'm hoping to be the oldest, grumpiest and most decrepit.

Like Stu, I'm in no rush. And the current fires have made me a bit antsy about most of my latest schedule . . .

[stu]

Like Stu, I'm in no rush.

Pleasure delayers

MJ's pushing pretty hard so he'll likely finish this year.
I still need to get back into the Eldons (Eldon Crag, which we, in hindsight, unfortunately neglected) & Spires ranges & with a fairly demanding job allowing only 1 big trip per year i'll be a few years off...at least.
How many are you down to NNW out of interest?

The Abels list is fun, but as mentioned before, it neglects any peaks from both the Franklands & Prince of Wales Ranges, Geryon North, Geryon South, Greystone Bluff, Hopetoun, Rugby etc etc so is not really a good spread of Tassie mountains.
The Connoisseurs list is a much better representation....IMHO...

[north-north-west]

How many are you down to NNW out of interest?

12. Need to get the finger out and do the Denisons, which will get me into single figures.

I'm really regretting not taking the extra time to knock off Tramontane when I finished off the rest of the Eldons back in October, despite the weather. It's a long way to go back in for one not particularly good peak. And with the fire near Goulds it wouldn't even be worth taking the camera.

MJ should have been down to two. Pity about how the Spires trip turned out. Which ones do you still have left?

[stu]

Spires trip was good based on an altered itinerary, we were maybe overly-ambitious & a few injuries slowed us down...our original intention of a Holley Basin drop off would have seen a more fruitful trip.
Certainly an area worth going back to anyway, but yes, would have been good to get that area cleaned up for MJ. Battlement Hills was certainly worth visiting as was lounging around at Lake Curly for 3 nights...special.

Doing Tor on Saturday with Azza (hopefully fires have dissipated) leaving me BB Range (easy), Nescient (easy), Pokana, Spires, Eldon Crag, Tamontane & Nereus...ergh, mix of harder trips left there, was hoping to finish on BB Range or similar
Hence it's still going to take a couple of years to finish i'm guessing. May or may not try for Nereus again at Easter, willing candidate dependent...

[shelly]

Hi waif and CasualNerd, thanks so much for your comments.
Yes, in via Rocky Hill (PigeonHouse hill first, starting opposite a quarry on the map. The scrub gets way worse than the Eldons (eg, try the Coronets if you want to try super bad).

Re the completers of the Abels, yes the number is sure. Tassie is small enough to know these things. I have checked with mainland contenders eg Dave Noble, and they are not on the list of 20 to go. I am by default the keeper of stats on the Abels, so try to keep abreast of any records being broken etc. NNW, who wrote a comment in this post, is the leading woman. Yes, it is a long quest. I am very lucky to be as far advanced on it as I am, as I only began off-track walking in 2012. Others suggested 2015 that I could get the lot, so I'm giving it a go - HUGE fun. Most take many, many years. Opportunities vary. Tony Woolford is the first family man to complete (4th overall) - very tricky to fit it around obligations to a spouse and kids. Stu Bowling will probably hold the record for being the youngest to complete when he does. There are about 6 people with 5 or fewer left. (I'm im Melb right now so don't have my hand on the stats at present).

Hi Louise, I'm pretty new to commenting on this forum, but if you are the keeper of the stats I thought I'd make myself known! I don't reckon I'll be breaking any records, but I'm plodding away steadily with the Abels (95 as of yesterday )
Just came back from a trip with AbelZane and Nick which included Pokana Peak, Conical, Spires, Curly, Bonds, Reeds, ending with a traverse across the top of the Denison Range to Stepped Hills and Mt Wright. Great fun! Bumped into RockMonkey and co out there as well. Great to see so many ladies doing the rough stuff!
Shelly.

[shelly]

Spires trip was good based on an altered itinerary, we were maybe overly-ambitious & a few injuries slowed us down...our original intention of a Holley Basin drop off would have seen a more fruitful trip.
Certainly an area worth going back to anyway, but yes, would have been good to get that area cleaned up for MJ. Battlement Hills was certainly worth visiting as was lounging around at Lake Curly for 3 nights...special.

Doing Tor on Saturday with Azza (hopefully fires have dissipated) leaving me BB Range (easy), Nescient (easy), Pokana, Spires, Eldon Crag, Tamontane & Nereus...ergh, mix of harder trips left there, was hoping to finish on BB Range or similar
Hence it's still going to take a couple of years to finish i'm guessing. May or may not try for Nereus again at Easter, willing candidate dependent...

Hi Stu, I'm a colleague of Andy Szollosi, and very keen for a scrub buddy for Nereus. Had a crack the other day solo- woke up on Walled Mt for a 5.30am start but a heavy fog sat there until 11am so no go. Did Guardians and Gould instead! So Nereus is on my mind as one to tick off the list asap I have easter free so let me know if your keen.
Shelly.

[north-north-west]

Hi Stu, I'm a colleague of Andy Szollosi, and very keen for a scrub buddy for Nereus. Had a crack the other day solo- woke up on Walled Mt for a 5.30am start but a heavy fog sat there until 11am so no go. Did Guardians and Gould instead! So Nereus is on my mind as one to tick off the list asap I have easter free so let me know if your keen.
Shelly.

Have fun.

There are campsites further along than Walled, but no reliable water beyond Macs.

[stu]

I'll keep you in the loop Shelly. Pm me your email address. Good work on the Spires trip, I wish we'd gone in via the Pleiades in hindsight. The long slog in to Lake Curly on some very hot days & a few niggling knee injuries in our group = a reduced itinerary...Next summer again hopefully (with some knee physio b/w now & then). I've also done that traverse to Stepped / Wright, a really great trip. Mt Wright has to be one of the best easily accessed off track high camps around.

[naturelover]

Hi Shelly,
Sorry for the late reply - just been off climbing Massif, Geryon Nth and Du Cane HP. Congrats - 95 is a great number and puts you nice and high on the female's list (I can give you the exact number later; the computer with it on is turned off now).My guess is 6th.
I need Nereus and have been searching for someone mad enough to do it with me. Please keep me in mind.
I am also looking for a partner for Hyperion. Not one person in the group I was with was willing to give it a go, which was pretty frustrating, although the weather had clagged in, so I guess it was a good move.
cheers, Louise
Ps, can you pm me your email address?