Three capes track / cape pillar circuit

[dinna89]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of heading to tassie for a week or so in late January, and am considering doing the cape pillar circuit described here, as i'm not keen to shell out $500 to walk at snails pace.

Just a few questions
How is campsite availability at Wughalee Falls?
Do you miss much by not doing the denmans cove - tornado ridge section?

[bumpingbill]

I can't help with your last question, but I can talk a bit about Wughalee Falls.

I think there are about eight platforms there, and there'd also be a bit of room on the ground (if not wet/muddy).

It's not the best campsite I've ever stayed at, but it's far from the worst. It's a bit damp, but there are plenty of camping platforms and they're quite large.

Actually, I just remembered I have a photo!

[Thornbill]

Echo bumpingbill's comments. The tent platforms are pretty big there and I doubt you'd have too much trouble finding a spot. The campsite is not the greatest, but it is what it is. Would be good on a hot day, nice and cool down in the forest.

[stepbystep]

You do miss a lot. Arthur's Peak. Crescent Mountain cloud forest and the Eloeare(spelling) valley are really nice.

A tip. There is an old track into Denmans Cove. So you can do the whole track. I would collect water at the huts and camp discreetly off track if you can sort a car shuffle. There are many places to do that if you have an eye for a good campspot.

[L_Cham_67]

The campsite's a long way off the track, and it's a steep descent down to it. When I was there in November, there was no water in the tanks, so bringing water wouldn't be a bad idea. The creek did have a small amount of water in it, but whether you trust it or not is entirely up to you (I went downstream to a small rapid area and used it there - I had no problems).

[north-north-west]

You do miss a lot. Arthur's Peak. Crescent Mountain cloud forest and the Eloeare(spelling) valley are really nice.

A tip. There is an old track into Denmans Cove. So you can do the whole track. I would collect water at the huts and camp discreetly off track if you can sort a car shuffle. There are many places to do that if you have an eye for a good campspot.

You can also take the inland Cape Pillar track and the old Arthurs Peak track and join up with the 3 Capes near Arthurs. There is - or was - a lovely campsite just below where the tracks join, and you can wander out towards Surveyors/Denmans & back on the new track.

[Thornbill]

When I was there in November, there was no water in the tanks...

No water in the tanks! After the winter we've had. They can't be rigged up properly.

[dinna89]

How's transport out at Port Arthur? Could i get a cab to do a car shuffle? The denhams cove approach looks good.

What are the rules in tas about bush camping?

NNW, I'm guessing the old Arthurs Peak track is a bit hard to follow? Do you have any maps?

[north-north-west]

It's a fairly clear pad. Bit overgrown in spots, but easy enough to follow if you're paying attention. I've been along it half a dozen times and never been lost.
Never bothered with a map for it either. The track isn't shown on the official Tasman NP map, which is all I've ever used when walking down there. It isn't on any of the LISTmaps either, including the Topos.

[MrWalker]

It's a fairly clear pad. Bit overgrown in spots, but easy enough to follow if you're paying attention. I've been along it half a dozen times and never been lost.
Never bothered with a map for it either. The track isn't shown on the official Tasman NP map, which is all I've ever used when walking down there. It isn't on any of the LISTmaps either, including the Topos.

Just because NNW never gets lost doesn't mean you won't.
However, other people have been through there and I saw a report on a walk in early 2016, but can't find it now.
This one is from 2013 and shows a route.
http://hikinginsetasmania.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/denmans-cove.html
There may be a route that starts at the same road but comes in at the top of Stinking Bay rather than on the west side.

[north-north-west]

Just because NNW never gets lost doesn't mean you won't.

I have, on occasions, been temporarily geographically embarrassed. Just not in the Tasman NP.

Yep, two routes into Stinking Bay. One utilises a gravel road that, from memory, hits the bay at the camping area, and the other a walking track. It's been two or three years since I did the track from Stinking to Denmans, and even then it was pretty rough, albeit taped through the more awkward sections. But that was before the Denmans - Surveyors section of the 3 Capes had been built.

[dinna89]

I've found the Arthurs Peak trip report that shows the back way in http://hikinginsetasmania.blogspot.com. ... 0Peninsula

I'll park at Fortescue Bay, if i can convince someone to give me a lift I'll go in via Denhams cove, otherwise I'll take the back route to Arthurs Peak

Thanks for the help!

[dinna89]

Does anyone know if the stream at Wughalee Falls Camp is reliable?

[north-north-west]

Should be.

Let me know when you're going to be here. I may be able to help with the lift from Fortescue to the Stinking Bay/Denhams carpark.

[dinna89]

I thought i replied to this thread months ago, the post must have been lost to the ether.

I went in on a saturday, walked in from Fortescue and took the back route to Arthurs Peak. We talked to a ranger at Retakunna, she didn't seem to know about the back trail, but it looks popular enough given how well it's worn. We didn't have a lot of fun on the back trail section though, we saw a small snake early on and were very tentative in our footsteps thereafter, probably took us 2 hours to do this section. definitely worth it though, the views from Arthurs Peak are pretty spectacular, and added some distance to the short day. Saw snakes on the second and third days too, but you can spot them a mile off on the main track. The track becomes a real highway once you reach Cape Hauy, I can see why, spectacular scenery, although it felt like everest, I came across 3 people who had to turn around due to the 'tough' conditions.

Wughalee Falls campground was pretty busy, all platforms were taken the saturday night, a few more were available on the sunday night. Plenty of water in the creek, the tank had water but was on the low side. Plenty of mozzies at the campsite, and although i didn't see any leeches i'm sure they're around.

Overall it seems a shame that they have 'upgraded' this track, I can see the logic that it opens up bushwalking to more people, but the best bits were off the main track, the bits connecting to Wughalee falls are amazing, as was the side trip at Cape Pillar (i can't remember the name of it) that was 'closed' for maintenance. Although I may be biased, i've always been a fan of technical hiking, rocks and roots and scrambles, rather than following a well made path.

NNW, thanks for the offer of the lift, I was meaning to contact you but i was too disorganised.