Blog from November, 2020

Organ Pipes access ( 4- day road closure, from 23 November 2020)

From the HCC Pinnacle Road - road status website: -
“Pinnacle Road can be closed any time due to unsafe conditions or traffic congestion. When the road status changes this page is updated.”
“The City of Hobart intends to close Pinnacle Road on kunanyi/Mt Wellington to carry out critical road maintenance work for up to four days, starting on Monday 23 November. The road will re-open by Friday 27 November, or sooner if it is safe to do so.”

Not just for road works.
In winter (probably often in early Spring and Autumn too), the mountain road seems to be closed every second day (or more) overnight and well into the morning due to” ice, snow and dangerous conditions”. Gone are the days when we could drive up any time of the day and night to have a climb. Constant road closures abound. Our modern protector society and no doubt liability issues are ever with us now along with a high visitor scenario.

So, better check the website summer and winter.
https://www.hobartcity.com.au/Community/kunanyi-Mt-Wellington/Pinnacle-Road-current-road-status

and a pdf on why.        “Stay Safe on the Mountain”
https://www.hobartcity.com.au/files/content/public/community/kunanyi-mt-wellington/pinnacle-road-current-road-status/faqs-snow-and-road-closures-on-mount-wellington.pdf

Nesting peregrine falcons near top pitches of Winning Streaks. Best avoided for a while.

Hi folks. I think I left two grey Petzl draws with blue Oxygen bentgates at the Paradiso on 1 November. Probably at the top of Man's Machine or Too Tall Oxen.

Watch out for the tiger snake we came across among the rocks at the foot of Shape Shifter/Pinball access a couple of weeks ago. And elsewhere at SR perhaps?

Just a heads up for people planning to climb at or around Cradle Mountain in the future. 

I just read a post from Parks (link: https://www.facebook.com/tasmaniaparks/posts/10158739177944297). Looks like they've removed a fair quantity of climber's slings as a part of NationalRecycleWeek.

If you're planning to climb there I would take multiple new slings for setting up rappels.  

Rocky Cape peregrine falcons are presently nesting to the right of North Cave in the Ramp area so do not climb here in the nesting season (August through December)

There was no Parks warning sign or other notice when we were there recently.

If your are unlucky you may have the unpleasant experience of being yelled at by a belligerent 'protector of the birds' as well as being threatened with breaking the law. 

Despite the annoying abuse I do agree about protecting the falcons. A warning notice would have been useful as has been placed at Sand River.

A by product of this was the fellow wanted to completely ban climbing on the cliffs so another warning , like the Grampians and Araps., future climbing access is under threat.