Page History

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<guide>
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  <text class="heading1"
        new id="false1">Other Western Crags</text>  
  <text class="text"
        new id="false2">This section contains information about other crags in the West and South West of Tasmania for which we do not have full guides for.</text>
<text
  
     <text id="62" class="heading2" new="false">Coronation Peak</text>
<text
       >Cockscomb Ridge (Mt La Perouse)</text>  
  <text id="46" class="text"
>A jagged remote dolerite ridge in the  new="false">Coronation Peak has a decent sized quartize cliff on its north face. The cliff splitting line was climbed in the 90s at about grade 16. You can climb it easily in a day from the shore of Lake Pedder, approached by kayak.</text><text
        class="heading2" new="false">Eldon Bluff</text><text
        class="text"
        new="false">Eldon Bluff has long attracted the eye of climbers. Clearly visible from many peaks in the west, it was reputed for years to have the highest dolerite cliffs in Tasmania. The trouble is it is in the middle of bloody nowhere, miles from the nearest road head and with no access tracks through the thick, nearly impenetrable scrub. The CCT tried to reach the mountain in 1967 but it wasn't till 1970 that a group led by Tim Walkden-Brown managed to get to the main crag above Lake Ewart. They climbed "The Splinter" (10) before retreating back via the Collingwood River. The only other recorded climbing trip seems to have been an epic by Lucas Trihey and Bob McMahon in February 2000 when they managed to climb “Terra Incognita” (250m, 17) in seven pitches (one bivi), on the NE face . They took a boat across Lake Burbury near Queenstown on the Lyell Highway, travelled up the King River to the junction of the South Eldon and Eldon Rivers and then bush-bashed for four days in typical west coast weather via Eldon Peak (1439m) to the crag. They did find excellent rock but also proved it wasn’t as high as they had hoped! For further details and a map (but not a description of the climb unfortunately), check out Rock 35 or Australian Geographic 57.</text><text
        class="heading2" new="false">Franklin River</text><text
        class="text"
        new="false">The lower section of the Franklin River passes through some very nice limestone, that provides great deep water soloing if you are passing by in a raft. High up in the Elliot Range, on the right as you go down the river is a large limestone cliff called Cromleigh Cliff. As far as I know it hasn't been climbed, due to the massive epic involved in getting there.</text><text
        class="heading2" new="false">Lion Rock</text><text class="text"
        new="false">The track from Cockle Creek comes out in South Cape Bay by a large intrusion of dolerite, Lion Rock. The CCT mounted an expedition led by Tom Terry to climb it in 1969 and reached the Rock by wading across the narrow channel at low tide. The "route" went straight up the seaward  face (50m) on rotten rock and descent was by a very risky abseil.</text>
<text
        class="heading2" new="false">Lake St Clair Area</text>
<text
        class="text"
        new="false">There are quite a lot of cliffs around the Lake St Clair end of the overland track besides Mt Geryon. The huge cliff on Cathedral Mt has at least one route - a grade 16 route straight up the middle by John Chapman, which is apparently the only easy way to get on the face which is guarded by large roofs.
The SE Ridge of Mt Ida was climbed in 1974 by Chris Viney et al.</text>
<text
        class="heading2" new="false">Mt Anne</text>
<text class="text"
        new="false">So far there are only three routes recorded on Mt Anne, on the south west side. Even though exposed to the weather, this is an obvious starting point because the cliffs are relatively low, (35m). On the 1:25000 map from GR 528450, walk east along the cliffs for about 250m until a light orange wall is reached At the far R end, there is a L facing corner, the start of Cosmic Orange. </text><climb
        extra="" grade="18" length="35m" name="Cosmic Orange"
        new="false" number=""
        stars="**">Start in the L facing corner. Climb the twin cracks to a little roof and finish up an offwidth and squeeze chimney. Then the easiest line to the top. G. Phillips and J. Morgan, Dec. 1994.</climb><text
        class="text"
        new="false">Walk a further 50m along the base of the cliff, passing lots of little roofs until you reach the stepped wall of Reptile. Choc Coated starts two thirds of the way up the cliff and is best appraoched by climbing Reptile first.</text><climb
        extra="" grade="18MO" length="30m" name="Reptile" new="false"
        number=""
        stars="">Climb and layback until a small roof is reached. Turn this on the L and continue up the steep crack to top (one point of aid used before the large belay ledge was reached). G. Phillips and J. Morgan, Dec. 1994.</climb><climb
        extra="" grade="18" length="15m" name="Choc Coated" new="false"
        number=""
        stars="*">Stars 5m R of Reptile, in a corner with two cracks. Climb the cleaner LH one, which gets progressively harder towards the top. G. Phillips and J. Morgan, Dec. 1994.</climb>
<text
        class="heading2" new="false">Mt Field</text>
<text class="text"
        new="false">There have been several routes done on the big cliffs of Mt Field West. You can get reasonably close to them on the Florentine Valley logging roads.</text>
<text
        class="heading2" new="false">Mt Murchison</text>
<text
        class="text"
        new="false">Mt Murchison is a big conglomerate peak on the West Coast near Tullah. Some routes have been done there by the Jacksons, but no details are available.</text>
<text
        class="heading2" new="false">Mt Oakleigh</text>
<text
        class="text" new="false">The big ridge of Mt Oakleigh is reputably a classic alpine jaunt. You can make it easier or harder by avoiding some of the gendarmes. Allow a full day from New Pelion hut.</text>

Southern Ranges. A true wilderness climb, the area is often beset by gale force winds and occasional snow in summer. Ascended in Jan. 1983 by Chris Rathbone, Glen Kowalik and Phil Robinson. A day’s walk in starting at the old Ida Bay Quarry, not far from Mystery Creek cave, takes one through steep bush, muddy in places higher up, to the open Moonlight Flats followed by a traverse of Hills 1, 2, 3 and 4 to a camp at Arndell Falls. On the 1st ascent it was wet with light snowfall on the walk in but miraculously it cleared overnight to warm sunshine in the morning, enough to dry the rock briefly for the ascent. A traverse is made from the camp through bush onto slabs and the base of the lower buttress which gave two good pitches (crux , ~gr.16) before accessing the pinnacles. Exit is easy anywhere along the ridge if the weather breaks. From the summit of Mt La Perouse which is composed of sandstone, follow the walking track back down.</text>  
  <image id="89" src="Coxcombe Ridge(G and P).jpg" height="472" width="700"/>  
  <text id="49" class="text">GK and PR traversing around to the start (1983). The Hippo in the background.</text>  
  <image id="51" src="Cockscomb Ridge01.jpg" height="472" width="700"/>  
  <text id="52" class="text">Cockscomb Ridge, Mt La Perouse summit in cloud. Climb started bottom L at foot of ridge,following the pinnacles after the ridge.</text>  
  <image id="53" src="Cockscomb Ridge05.jpg" height="474" width="700"/>  
  <text id="54" class="text">Glen Kowalik leading the crux pitch</text>  
  <image id="57" src="Cockscomb Ridge03.jpg" height="738" width="500"/>  
  <text id="58" class="text">Lower section of Cockscomb Ridge&lt;br/&gt;Photos: Phil Robinson</text>  
  <text class="heading2" id="3">Coronation Peak</text>  
  <text class="text" id="4">Coronation Peak in the Frankland Range has a major quartzite cliff on its north face. The cliff splitting line was climbed in 1984 by Glen Kowalik and Phil Robinson at about grade 14 with a 2nd ascent in the 90s by Dave Gardner and Tom Meldrum. Access is by boat across the Pedder Impoundment. On the 1st ascent a small aluminum dinghy was used and a bivvy made in a cave near the foot of the cliffs. This had small drip of water, sufficient for collection given time, although could dry out in midsummer. Scrub wasn’t bad at all in 1984 but this may have changed judging by a report from the 90s trip. Three pitches lead to a scramble finish and the top of the mountain. The wall, which looked hard at the start, turned out to be surprisingly easy. An enjoyable route in a wild setting. &lt;br/&gt;Phil Robinson, Glen Kowalik (alt.) Jan.1984.&lt;br/&gt;</text>  
  <image id="29" src="Coronation Peak North Face on left in profile 2.JPG" height="617" width="700" legendTitle="Coronation Peak, N face in profile" legend="true" legendx="35" legendy="70"/>  
  <image id="31" src="Coronation Peak36(Phil on way down).jpg" height="724" width="500" legendTitle="1984 approach" legend="true" legendx="332" legendy="23"/>  
  <image id="32" src="Coronation Peak19(Phil leading).jpg" height="471" width="700"/>  
  <image id="33" src="Coronation Peak13(Phil leading).jpg" height="473" width="700"/>  
  <image id="34" src="Coronation Peak18sc.jpg" height="430" width="700"/>  
  <image id="35" src="Phil on Coronation Peak N Face 3rd Pitch.JPG" height="487" width="700"/>  
  <image id="36" src="Coronation Peak22(Phil on top of wall).jpg" height="741" width="500"/>  
  <text id="37" class="text">Photos: Phil Robinson</text>  
  <text class="heading2" id="5">Franklin River</text>  
  <text class="text" id="6">The lower section of the Franklin River passes through some very nice limestone, that provides great deep water soloing if you are passing by in a raft. High up in the Elliot Range, on the right as you go down the river is a large limestone cliff called Cromleigh Cliff. As far as I know it hasn't been climbed, due to the massive epic involved in getting there.</text>  
  <text id="17" class="heading2">Hartz Mountains</text>  
  <text id="79" class="text">A small dolerite cliff rises high above Ladies Tarn at Hartz Mountain NP, a very pleasant spot to spend a sunny summer’s day. The walk in to Ladies Tarn is approx. 40 mins. along the boardwalks from the car park although for access to the cliff continue on another 15 mins. to Hartz Saddle and traverse back along the ridge to the top of the outcrop for another 15 mins. Rap down to the base of the crag to avoid the scrub. Two lines, 30-40m high, were done in 2007 and 2008, the steep slabs to the left which go at about gr.16 and another steeper line (gr.~18) straight up the middle of the cliff topped by a large scary chockstone. A direct start (18M0) to the slabs was also done in Feb.2015.</text>  
  <image id="19" src="IMG_1400r.jpg" height="600" width="800" legend="true" legendTitle="Ladies Tarn" legendx="10" legendy="8"> 
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      <path id="27005" points="312.0,476.0, 311.0,389.0, 309.0,281.0, 306.0,226.0,belay" d="M312.0,476.0C311.6,441.2 311.5,423.8 311.0,389.0C310.5,354.2 309.7,303.0 309.0,281.0C308.3,259.0 307.2,248.0 306.0,226.0" linkedTo="20"/>  
      <path id="64299" points="436.0,381.0, 425.0,268.0, 415.0,166.0, 416.0,110.0, 414.0,83.0,belay" d="M436.0,381.0C431.6,335.8 429.0,308.8 425.0,268.0C421.0,227.2 416.3,188.4 415.0,166.0C413.7,143.6 416.1,120.8 416.0,110.0C415.9,99.2 414.8,93.8 414.0,83.0" linkedTo="21"/> 
    </drawing>  
    <legend> 
      <climb>20</climb>  
      <climb>21</climb> 
    </legend> 
  </image>  
  <climb id="20" stars="" extra="" number="1." name="Devil-May-Care" length="30m" grade="18" fa="Phil Robinson, 2007, Direct Start:  Phil Robinson and Chris Rathbone, Feb. 2015">Up the middle of the lower, slabby, cliff. An unprotected gr.16 start comes in from the L. The difficult direct start can be protected with small wires.</climb>  
  <climb id="21" stars="" extra="" number="2." name="Lucky Devil" length="40m" grade="18" fa="Phil Robinson, 2008.">Straight up the middle of the steeper RH buttress, topped by a large scary chockstone.</climb>  
  <text id="81" class="heading2">Hartz Mountain (project)</text>  
  <text id="82" class="text">A line of small cliffs runs north along the Devils Backbone easily reached by traversing along the top of the range from Hartz Saddle. Apart from the Ladies Tarn cliffs, most are not worth climbing except a prominent steep slab, 25m high, which has been investigated by abseil.&lt;br/&gt;Access from Hartz Saddle is open except for a short scrub bash down from the hilltop above the slab, approx. 1.5hours from the car park.&lt;br/&gt;The two obvious lines, the middle and R, are too vegetated to bother with, but to the L is a clean smooth slab, albeit not easy. Unfortunately, there is virtually no protection and as it is a National Park in the World Heritage Area, top roping is the only option. Nevertheless, scenery is wonderful and it is a good outing on a clear sunny day.&lt;br/&gt;P.Robinson, C. Rathbone April 2025 project&lt;br/&gt;</text>  
  <image id="85" src="IMG_2830(Hartz panorama.jpg" height="391" width="800"/>  
  <image id="86" src="IMG_2826 slab topo.jpg" height="343" width="500"/>  
  <text class="heading2" id="7">Lion Rock</text>  
  <text class="text" id="8">The track from Cockle Creek comes out in South Cape Bay by a large intrusion of dolerite, Lion Rock. The CCT mounted an expedition led by Tom Terry to climb it in 1969 and reached the Rock by wading across the narrow channel at low tide. The "route" went straight up the seaward face (50m) on rotten rock and descent was by a very risky abseil.</text>  
  <text class="heading2" id="9">Mt Field</text>  
  <text class="text" id="10">There have been several routes done on the big cliffs of Mt Field West. You can get reasonably close to them on the Florentine Valley logging roads.</text>  
  <climb extra="" grade="17" length="130m" name="Longer Climb" number="" stars="" id="11" fa="Marcel and Hamish Jackson (alt), Adele Vincent, 1996.">Starts in the middle of the tallest part of the cliff and takes the very wide chimney like feature to the top. 1. 43m. Climb easily up left tending ramp to the line then climb pleasant corner crack to a ledge at the top of the flake. 2. 45m. Crux. Continue up corner crack to sloping ledge then climb face above via the amazing sharp flakes and double layaways. Belay in chimney with sloping base high on right. 3. 40m. Easy. Climb chimney then scramble up easy ground to the bushy ledge (further cliffs behind). Decent can miraculously be made down the gully to the right.</climb>  
  <climb extra="" grade="18" length="47m" name="Short Climb" number="" stars="" id="12" fa="Hamish Jackson, Adele Vincent, 1996.">Clean corner to bottom left of large amphitheatre. Climb corner crack past very loose spike then step around arete to right and continue up ledgey face to the top. A descent gully is present to the left.</climb>  
  <climb extra="" grade="20" length="" name="Cosmic Comics" number="" stars="" id="13" fa="Hamish Jackson 1998.">No description - there is a picture in Rock #34.</climb>  
  <climb extra="" grade="21" length="" name="Scud" number="" stars="" id="14" fa="Marcel Jackson 1998.">A big R facing corner. No description - there is a picture in Rock #34.</climb> 
</guide>