Hinchinbrook - Bowen and Diamantina qs

[citationx]

Hi all,
I'm off to Hinchinbrook to go up Bowen and Diamantina in July and was hoping to get some information.
Specifically, information on Pineapple peak/ridge to Bowen (vs Warrawilla Creek - the pineapple just seems easier and more open from the topos - why isn't it considered so?), and just about any information about Diamantina.
If there' are any recent accounts or trip reports up both of them for a run down of vine issues on the ascents that would be great, and anything about the recent burnoffs on the island and how it affected the ascents is also appreciated.
Happy to take this to PMs for specifics.
Ta.

[creelprice]

Hi cititionx,

I'm heading to do the Thorsborne next month and thinking about doing Mt Bowen - did you guys the trip yet? If so how hard was it, any tips and did you get a permit and if so from where?

any help much appreciated.

Creel

[citationx]

Hi Creel,
I did try, and was unsuccessful getting up top this trip. It's hard work, between being rained and blown off or sunburnt and vapourised by humidity (we experienced both). It's really scrubby and thick at the moment. You'll need to organise a permit with QLD national parks. It's probably best to talk to them on the phone and get a direct number, but the Townsville/Magnetic Island office is who I dealt with (or at least, I think that's who it was!). They may want some information about your experience?
Also speak with them about any planned burns. In April this year they had planned to burn off around Mt Bowen and Mt Diamantina, but they didn't get around to it due to the overly wet weather. They may still want to if it dries out a bit?
In my brief experience of the place, the scrub does make them long, unpleasant days of walking. You need to be of a certain type of masochist What got me more was having to walk in the 25+ degree days in the tropics. I'm a cool weather walker of winter blue mountains and Tasmanian summer usually, tropical walking was another unpleasantry to add.

[nq111]

What got me more was having to walk in the 25+ degree days in the tropics. I'm a cool weather walker of winter blue mountains and Tasmanian summer usually, tropical walking was another unpleasantry to add.

Most people don't realise how hard sustaining activity in hot and humid weather is. Good news is the human body adapts to it pretty well (we are tropical evolved animals). The key is you need time to adapt. There are plenty of heat training techniques that can be found with a google. The right hot weather gear makes a big difference. Plan and train for it like you would a winter trip in Southwest Tassie. The problem is too many people don't realise they need to prepare, plan and consider new gear for these conditions.

[joyburton]

Just to update this thread, a friend and me attempted Mount Bowen earlier this year, I think it was August 2016. We walked up Warrawilla Creek starting at 1pm from the beach (in hindsight too late, should have come a day earlier for an early start). Didn't know we needed a permit and just followed some googled instructions to keep right up the creek and avoid any forks to the left. Found a bunch of cairns so we were on the right track.

Lovely rockhopping up the creek for the first few hours, gradually got steeper and steeper and at one point all the rocks get super slippery. This is probably the point it stops being fun and starts being 'masochistic!'! We continued, gradually getting slower and slower due to the terrain, until it got dark and we realised that even though we were maybe only 100m from the saddle, it would potentially take hours to get there.

So we camped under a rock and on top of rocks, which was the only kind-of-flat spot we could find on a slope that was about 45 degrees. Type 2 fun!

The next day we decided to turn back because everything was so scrubby and slippery, the going was ridiculously slow. We figured even if we made it to the ridgeline it would still be super slippery everywhere because mist was all over the mountain.

The skipper of the boat told us that 6 groups had attempted Mount Bowen this year before us, and none had made it. So we didn't feel too bad. I still want to conquer this mountain though!!! Might try again some day at a drier time of year.

[Skid]

I haven't checked this forum for a while so have just seen this thread.
A quick (albeit belated) answer to the original question. Yes, it is possible to get to Bowen via Pineapple Ridge, however we found it less straightforward than the route via Warrawilla Creek. When we did it we had trouble finding a safe route down from Pineapple Peak to the ridge between there and the Bowen masif (north of the north saddle). Our group rule is that any one of the group can veto a route they feel is unsafe, so we ended up dropping down the west side of Pineapple Peak (very steep, dropped 250m for a 250m horizontal change in position) and making our way back up and approaching the north saddle from the west (this is the opposite side of Warrawilla Creek and since we didn't know the name of the creek we dubbed it Anti-Warrawilla Creek). This trip was done in the dry season immediately after cyclone Yassi and moving through this valley was very tough going. Much tougher than Warrawilla Creek which we descended via a few days later. If I did it again I'd avoid this approach and probably aim for a route towards the Prophet and then go up and over to approach the North Saddle from the ridge north of it. I hope that all makes sense...
In short, the route up Warrawilla is the most direct and 'easiest' route up Bowen (in my humble opinion). I've been to the summit on three separate trips (twice in one trip) plus have spent a bit of time going up (or attempting to go up) other peaks nearby.
As for Diamantina, I consider this peak a bit easier than Bowen. Access is via Diamantina creek so I wouldn't attempt during or after heavy rain. There is a point where the creek becomes too difficult to follow (just above a fork that heads left), leave the creek here and head left of the creek (at this point heading right is not an option as it is sheer rock face). The scrub is not too bad to get through. You might see some pink flagging tape tied high on some yakkas (from a September 2016 trip). At the top of Mount Daimantina is Daimantina rock (actually two rocks). Don't expect to climb either of these without ropes and fall protection. In between these rocks is a stainless steel canister with a log book.
I've attached a pic from the top of Diamantina rock (Mount Bowen is in the backgound).
I hope this is of some help.

[Skid]

I just saw the photo preview is sideways. Though when I clip on the preview it loads the right way round....

[Skid]

The gap between Diamantina rocks. The canister and log book is just inside the gap on the right hand side as viewed from this direction (looking West)