Arm River, Ossa, Thetis route

[Tino B]

I'm planning a mid March hike with a mate starting at the Arm River car park and would like to include Pillinger, Oakleigh, Ossa, Thetis, Achilles, Perrin and whatever else we can fit in. I'd like to avoid Pelion West with full packs on day 1 but would be happy to fit it in from a southern approach from Achilles - rather than the circuitous route I've listed below. Of course weather will play a significant part on which peaks we actually hit

I've read through posts on walks in this part of the Abels and hope to benefit from some of the collective wisdom with comments on the route or alternatives. I'd also like to know which volume of the Abels I should be buying. Any GPX files or track notes would be much appreciated.

Day 0 Ballarat > Melbourne > Devonport > > Arm River Car Park <- no help required here
Day 1 Arm River Car Park > Mt Pillinger > Mt Oakleigh > > Pelion Hut
Day 2 Pelion Hut > Mt Ossa > Paddy's Nut > > Saddle between Paddy's Nut & Mt Ossa
Day 3 Saddle between Paddy's Nut & Mt Ossa > Mt Thetis > Leonards Tarn > Mt Achilles > Leonards Tarn
Day 4 Leonards Tarn > Perrin Bluff > Leonards Tarn > Skirt Thetis, Paddy's? > Pelion Hut <- Is it easier to skirt these and take the track down from Paddys?
Day 5 Pelion Hut > Pelion East > Reg Wadley > > Lees Paddock <- optional day depending on how stuffed we are. Is this against the OLT usage guidelines?
Day 6 Lees Paddock > Lees Paddock Track > Arm River Track > Arm River Car Park > Devonport
Day 7 Devonport > Melbourne > > > Ballarat

Cheers
Tino B

[north-north-west]

Abels Vol I 2nd edition covers all the OT peaks.

The connecting ridge between Achilles and Pelion West is easy walking, with some good campsites (albeit a little more exposed than Leonards). Rather than returning repeatedly to Leonards, why not continue on through? It's easy enough to sidle Pelion West from there and pick up the side track then follow the OT back to New Pelion. The PW summit can be accessed from either end and masochists have carried full packs across it.
Trying to go around Thetis is probably harder than going over it. There are some very big awkward boulders on that thing.

From the Ossa summit, return down the track a little and sidle the summit ridge on the northern side. The other is doable but much harder work; ditto the summit ridge.
Pelion East can be done on the same day as Ossa - it's a short sidetrip.

Going back past New Pelion and then Kia Ora to pick up the route through to Reg Waddleys is technically against booking season guidelines. Going in or out via the Reedy Lake Track to Lees Paddocks is OK.

[Tino B]

Hey NNW,
Thanks for the advice, I was contemplating something similar regarding PW but wasn’t sure. If the weather is fine we will drop packs and do PW out and back then skirt around back to the OLT.
Depending on legs, we may have a rest day at Pelion hut rather than Lees Paddock or head to Launceston so I can get a fix at Burger Junkie.
Thanks for the Abels book advice too.
Cheers Tino

[Bill P]

Hi Tino,

Last month I walked the Ossa group from Arm River inc over Pelion West, Thetis, Achilles, up the west side of Ossa back to the OT, and out via Walls . 12 Abels in 13 days. Im in Ballarat if you wanted to catch up and look at a map sometime.

Bill

[norts]

If you are going to skirt around PW. The south side is very doable with minimal scrub(a couple of 100m)as long as you stick close to the bottom of the cliffs

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[Tino B]

Hey Bill,

That would be great. I’m up at the Grampians this weekend. I’ll message you when I get back so we can tee something up.

Cheers Tino

[Tino B]

Thanks Norts