The 2022 year was coming to an end, and the weather had finally started to improve.
I admit I’d been a bit worried about the whole La Nina thing in the lead up to late December.
Rainy day followed by another rainy day. A lot of time spent indoors, only rushing out quickly in between showers to mow the grass which couldn’t stop growing because of all the irrigation.
But eventually, the rain stopped. Firstly, I got to Adamsons Peak, then a couple of days later Mount Picton.
I’d been down this way before, a year and a bit back when I visited Hartz Peak but the drive to Picton takes a lot longer.
Basically, drive well past the turn off to Hartz, then follow the rough roads to a small rough parking area.
A map can show the way much better than I can explain it.
Once I got there, I jumped out of the car and started up an old road for 800 meters or so.
I think people used to be able to drive up here, and perhaps you still could - but you’d need a 4WD and a lot of clearance. Much easier to avoid the risk and walk.
After a bit of faffing around in the undergrowth and getting over a river or two, the climb begins and goes up and up and up.
It’s a nice walk - but a fair bit more technical than Adamsons. There are more roots and things to avoid. The track is much rougher.
Up higher, it turns into a bit of small boulder hopping in sections and there are a few areas of scrub. Though the track is mostly easy to follow
It was here I ran into a bloke coming down. He’d started much earlier than me, and was visiting from interstate. He’d just completed the Southern Ranges and was picking off a few more mountain peaks before heading home.
After saying goodbye, I had another 45 minutes or so to the top.
I made it to Steanes Tarn and begun the final climb. There seems to be several different ways up from here. I just followed the cairns - trusting they’d eventually get me there.
It took me on a wider way around and set me up to summit from the east.
The views from the top were marvellous. The Southern Ranges sent their love.
Federation Peak said hello.
Just before I left, I noticed a log book in an old ammo can wedged under a rock.
I opened it up and read a few of the stories people had left, and I soaked in the views.
A great end to a great year of walking.
Trip map1
Walk dates: 29th December 2022
Total ascent: 1374 meters. 15 km return.
Times:
- 3 hours, 30 mins up.
- 2 hours, 45 mins back.
Elevation map
Comments
Stuart S:
October 4, 2023
You did that one fast Will. It took Clivo, Lesley and I a lot longer to come down. The plan is to go this weekend to finish this peak, camp at Glassworm, so doing it a little slower than you did!
will:
October 4, 2023
Sounds great fun! Have a good trip. Can’t wait to hear about it.