POW and Diamond Peak

[Morph]

Hi all
I was very interested in the exchange back in April on POW and the Spires. As it happens, there is a group of 4 of us planning a trip departing soon that basically goes Lake Rhona - Lake Curly - Spires - Denison River - POW range - Jane River track - Lyell Highway (At least that is the idea!)
Has anyone been on the Jane River track recently and if so what is its condition like? Any opinions on approach to southern end of JR track? Obvious route seems to be off Algonkian but I have met someone who made a beeline straght off the POW range from right near Diamond Peak (although this was 25 years ago)

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hey mate! Yeh were going in there in Feb, It was probably us planning it you noticed. Plan is to drop off Algonkian, I hear also from a couple of guys I know who have been there that this is the lesser of the 2 evils option.

Jane river track from what I hear is still a very good track and while having a few trees down over it, it's still very easy to follow!

How long you planning for your trip? We are going into the Pleiades by boat and taking 10-14days for the trip!

[Pedro]

This takes me back.

I did this trip in the early 70's. A big party went down the Jane River track and then scrub bashed for a day or so across to the PoWs near Diamond Peak. Most people then headed back the same way and 5 of us continued across to Rhona and then out the Sawback Range to the Gordon River Road. Took 10 days. I remember it as quite an epic walk. Here are couple of antique pics:

Mist around diamond Peak

[ILUVSWTAS]

Mate thats very inspiring! If you have anymore pics keep posting them! Im really looking forward to our trip!

[stu]

Yeah, thanks for sharing Pedro, making me even more eager now - please keep em coming!
Diamond Peak looks a little less diamond like in the close-up photo.
Was this trip written up in Tas Tramp? I think I have read this article.
(ie. did you use the cut track that was extended from the Jane River track towards DP at the time or up and over Algonkian?).

Stu.

[jmac]

"Forum rules
Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks. "

In light of the above rule, my following notes are deliberately vague, but will hopefully provide some assurance:

If you have managed to link the Spires with the POWs, you should be fine with the route out. The least difficult line out from Diamond Peak will be via Observation and Algonkian. The descent from Algonkian is OK. Just take the obvious line.

I've used the Jane River track several times. Most recently; last summer, to paddle the Erebus, Jane, Algonkian, Maxell, Denison and Gordon Rivers. The track has been gradually disappearing over the last 20 years or so. It is littered with windfalls in places but has sections that provide better progress than the adjacent scrub! Especially with last-day packs rather than first-day packs.

Hope this helps.

JMac

[Morph]

Thanks very much everyone for the replies and advice - the info from someone who has been on the Jane River track recently is very nice to have JMac!
Right now am feeling inspired and excited. Will let you know how we get on - planning to leave in a couiple of weeks Any further tips that stay within the forum guidelines will be most welcome. What a great forum it is!
Cheers
Morph

[Pedro]

A bit more recollection from 1972.

The Jane River Track was pretty good then, but from the end I think it took us a couple of dauys to scrub bash across to the PoW.

The morning we got there, it was misty down in the forest, but we climbed out of it as we got higher. The view was breath taking:

Frenchmans Cap from PoW

We had few maps, but spent a lot of time studying aerial photos for navigation:

We also seemed to spend a lot of time going up hill

Hills

[jmac]

Awesome pictures Pedro! Thank you for sharing these.

I've dug out a few of the PODubs to share too. From 30 years after your trip!

Cheers,

J.

[stu]

Wow, amazing photos John, very inspirational, thanks!
A group of 6 of us are taking the same route mentioned above in early Feb;
starting at the Pleides (boat across Lake Gordon) & finishing along the Jane River track via The Spires & Northern POW's (including Diamond Peak);
we are all keen peak baggers (as well as wilderness lovers) so it will be a great trip - can't wait!
Any tips from a veteran of these areas?
Is the hut at the end of the Jane River track still habitable?
It will be nice to hit this after 12+ days.

Cheers.
Stuart.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Wow amazing shots!

[jmac]

I absolutely loved the traverse of the Pleiades and the route between there and the Spires is a delight for fit experienced remote area walkers. There are some obvious watering holes on the way. Nav is fairly straight-forward through as far as Innes High Rocky. I have one piece of unfinished peak business in the area; Southern Cone. Pokana Peak and Curly are worth the side trip. I have not done the section of your proposed route between the Spires and POWs, although I've faffed around at the Denison several times. There are two nice unnamed peaks south of Diamond, and the country between them and Diamond is "interesting", apparently even Olegas struggled in this section. You could choose to come onto the ridge further north. We had a torrid time in the northern PODubs. Two Olympuses got damaged in a storm at the camp under Diamond. There isn't much shelter. One of our most uncomfortable camps ever was near Observation Peak. It bucketed with rain the day we walked from Diamond to Observation. Camp options were limited in the soggy conditions. When we finally got ensconced, our walking outfits were so saturated that we just dumped them in the vestibule. On that particular trip I had gone extremely light so that I could carry about 8kg of camera gear. (My mate Matt is even crazier, often carrying 10-12 kg of camera). I remember that the only thing available to construct a pillow was my hard rectangular camera case. Cruel on the neck and head! It turned to heavy snow during the night. I have a very amusing memory of Dax "cooking" his saturated trousers and shirt in the stove, inside the tent, prior to dressing for the days battle!

The old hut was just fine last time we visited it in 2002. Last summer we turned off just a few hundred metres north of it. The bridge over the Erebus has gone. The Franklin can be very difficult to cross if the level is high. You can push east and cross the Surprise.

The rest is just fun. Enjoy yourselves!

J.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Thats golden info thanks very much! Out of curiosity, how long did the pleiades take to traverse? Very excited about this trip, the time grows ever closer
It's a bit worrying about Olegas struggling in one section, he is somewhat of a hero to me! It'll be nice experiencing an area I know he loved so much!

What reason stopped you getting to Southern Cone?

[jmac]

Geeze, I usually only check this forum about twice a year, now you've got me posting 6 times within a week! I'll have to skip the next 3 years worth of interesting stuff now.

We paddled across to the south-eastern side of the Pleiades one morning, traversed it and moved along the ridge to almost where it joins the Pokana Ridge, in the afternoon. By doing an in-out this way, we were able to pick up Conical, Shining, on the way in, Curly, North Star, Pokana on the way home.

We struck an extraordinarily hot day on the Spires themselves. Searing heat. Ran out of water at White Pyramid and plunged down to the east to pick up water and return to the Font from the valley. Southern Cone will wait.

I think what separated Olegas from others was his courage, curiosity and vision, not so much his physical strength. He was human after all. There've been plenty of strong blokes in the bush but few with his foresight and tenacity for conservation. It is indeed nice to follow his routes. I remember picking up and following some of Olegas' axe blazes on Gorilla Ridge back in about 1982. That was nice.

Cheers,

J.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Geeze, I usually only check this forum about twice a year, now you've got me posting 6 times within a week! I'll have to skip the next 3 years worth of interesting stuff now.


J.

We've obvioulsy touched an area you feel quite strongly about! And it's not hard to see why! I am more excitied about this trip than any ive done in the past!

Thanks again J! We plan on getting Pokana on the way up, also Conical and Curly. The Stars will have to wait for another trip!

[Beeper]

I've had two trips to the POW's, both starting from Butlers Gorge and one retreat along the Jane River Track.The country around Diamond Peak and Mt Humbolt is some of the best in the SW.

[ILUVSWTAS]

How was the trip from KWIII to the range itself Beeper??
Did you go up the KW's to the Rupert Tarns? We went up this way recently and found it although not that difficult a bit longer/scrubbier than we were anticipating

[Beeper]

Didn't go over the King Willies. From Butlers Gorge took the 4WD track to the Gordon River, which then petered out a mile or so after the river. Picked up the Bombardier track across to the 2 airstrips and then followed it down into the Firth River valley. This track then continues all the way to a point (an old mine shaft) about 1km away from the Denison River, approx where you need to ascend (on the other side of river) up the ridge to Observation Peak. This is a worthwhile route although expert navigation is required to follow the old bomb... track. This was in the early 90's. The first trip it took us 3 days to get to the Denison. The second trip 2 days and on the return 1.5 days from the river to Butlers.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Thats really interesting! I have an old Tramp article on a party taking a similar route to the Denison range from Butlers, It sounded pretty tough in places. I hear the tracks around the airstrips are overgrowing very fast, Presumably all the tracks you speak of would be doing the same.

[Beeper]

Who wrote the tramp article, I might of been in the party.

The airstrips have been rehabbed by Parks, all the joining tracks would be overgrown and very difficult to follow now. The traditional route down the Jane River Track is probably the preferred route now.

Any trip to the POW'S is difficult, but I suppose the remoteness and challenge is an attraction.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I'll check later this morning after work.

[scrub master]

Hi Beeper
the article in question was titled "Prince of Wales range - Diamond Pk or bust", it was written by Peter Frankland and the other people in the group were Chris, Mary, Arthur and Philip. I reckon this is the piece that SWTAS is talking about 'cause it was me who gave him a copy of it

Those old tramps and skylines really are a goldmine of information on some of the more obsure destinations. I was lucky enough to find an almost complete collection in the tip shop a couple of years ago.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hahaha thanks S'master!! When in doubt go straight to the source....

[Beeper]

Ok, wasn't my group, yes old journals and articles are a wealth of information.

[wayno1007]

Looks like I won't be lonely, 3 of us are setting out just prior to Christmas to traverse POW's from North to South

[ILUVSWTAS]

We'll be in there well after that.. I hope for your sakes you arent still in there........ We're going in Feb

Be sure to report back here with a trip report though!!

[DaveNoble]

Looks like I won't be lonely, 3 of us are setting out just prior to Christmas to traverse POW's from North to South

Make sure you look out for the book left in the campsite near Southern Bluff, left by Olegas. Legend has it that it contains some hidden money.

Dave

[stu]

No Dave No, now all the geo-cachers & bounty hunters are going to be swarming the Southern Bluff region... (ie. i'm joking).

[Nuts]

Huh... And I always thought his stash contained chocolate, paw paw creme and a fresh change of underpants....... ( )

[DaveNoble]

Huh... And I always thought his stash contained chocolate, paw paw creme and a fresh change of underpants....... ( )

When I went through the POW Range - on one of the trips we found Olegas's campsite near Southern Bluff. His campsites typically featured a levelled off area with a small empty spirit bottle inverted on a stick (I think after drinking the spirits - he would leave the bottle there as some sort of marker - this was before MIB came in!).At thh time - none of our party knew about the book - and didn't spot it. I later found that an earlier party (Cosgrove/Blackwood) found the book and Peter Blackwood actually read the book while at the campsite. They later heard that there was a 10 pound note stuck in the book (I think it was 10 pounds). But they hadn't spotted it. I think another party may have spotted the book and looked for the money - without finding it. But - later it was revealed (by Reg Williams?) that Olegas had hidden the money between two pages of the book and glued them together. Some perhaps the book and the money are still out there?

Anyway - an interesting story.

Dave