Riveaux

[mjdalessa]

Went up Riveaux today, very nice little peak. Had a pretty late start despite getting up at 6:30, arriving just before 10 or so. The Picton was real high on the way in, and we saw a lyre bird scuttle off into the bushes just before the Picton Rd. turn off. Anyone wondering about directions: Arve Rd, Picton Rd, Riveaux Rd, park at locked gate, 2-3km road walk (30mins) tags on left after a second gate just after the big rainforest gulley (still on Riveaux Rd.). This is very easy to find. The first section goes through very pleasant open rainforest, no real track but not needed. It is tagged well and we only had to follow up two or three minor false leads through this section. Gets quite steep and slippery before long but this is quite short.

Rainforest

Lower down there is the odd slippery log but further up they can become full on obstacle courses in places! The slippery section then levels out, where we noticed lyre bird rumagings...

The rumagings

Then a I noticed branches moving in a large tree with no kind of breeze. Yep, we'd found one of the creatures themselves. He was making a huge commotion with his various noises and ways of jumping around the tree tops.

Lyre bird, centre of image

Despite the lack of views the walk was interesting and enjoyable. As you get higher the rainforest begins to become interspersed with cutting grass, not at all slowing progress. Thats until the baurea comes to replace the rainforest on the ridge. Not too bad really, just the usual step exercise, but the ridge was met with much hate by my companion, followed by much swearing. Pretty tame on compared to my past experience on the east side of one of the ridges ascending the jubilees. The tags are very easy to follow through here and I got the inmpression there used to be some kind of track, but it is much overgrown now. It was surprisingly hard to know if you were anywhere near the summit until we saw a largish boulder lying in a small stand of rainforest after the baurea. The ridge is close to flat with no landmarks.

[mjdalessa]

Stu’s report (http://www.wildtigertasmania.com/2008/0 ... -hill.html) mentions the route was very dry when they went, but below the ridge there was a knee deep muddy watershed to walk through! Stu’s report provides very good info on this walk, except do not expect to do the 1:30hrs? they did back to the road. This is a very quick time; doable, but you would have to really be rushing. Recently I did Trestle Mountain from the pond on the connection side of Collins Bonnet in 1:20hrs, 9km distance and a 600m ascent and descent. You would have to do a similar kind of pace to this which I found to be pushing it a bit.
The ridge took a fair while at a steady speed, probably an hour and a half or so before we entered a high level clump of rainforest. A large boulder lying in the middle of this indicated we were very close. Soon we started hitting ledges and summited within five minutes. This summit really took my breath away; you walk in the forest all day with no views and then suddenly pop out on a very rugged little tower. It has a real feeling of isolation over others I have done because of this, encompassed by a sea of forest with a small cliff wrapped piece of rock jutting up. The day had been surprisingly pleasant and clear, many of the major south west peaks unfolding around me. Hartz, Adamsons, Southern Range, Picton, Arthurs, Franks, Anne, Weld and the Snowys all in clear view.

Anne, Picton and the Southern Ranges were all carrying a large burden of snow, while the Snowys and Weld looked surprisingly free from this angle. The huon track winds through the valley below. Photos were taken and we just sat, soaking up the stunning panorama.

At three we relunctantly retreated, as if not to press the darkness too much. We stopped for a while to chat to a lyre bird in a very similiar location to on the way up, and then continued on. The sun was setting as we walked along the road leg, and boy was it a stunner. I just which I had a vantage point to enjoy it…

We arrived back in hobart at 7:30, very pleased with our day. I completed one of four summits for this little region on a list I made (Weld, Bobs, Picton, Riveaux), It's an excel version of the guide with some summits deleted to leave only 90. I have catogerized it and only included selected: scrambly, unique and rolling (for want of a better word) peaks. By rolling I mean button grass or open type stuff with tarns on top etc. that are very easy and enjoyable walking. There are no really hard and scrubby mountains, only things I think will be really enjoyable and less frequented. There is no POWs, Spires, Propstings or White Monoliths. If I finish this list of mine I will be happy.

By the way, does anyone have an idea how much traffic Riveaux would get? I theorised about 5 parties/ year, what do you think?

[mjdalessa]

and a panorama from Picton to the Frankland Range...

[Nick S]

Can't answer your questions but great report and photos! The sunlight on that tree is really nice.

[pazzar]

Great little walk. Nice photos too!
Weld and Snowy's had very little snow on them today, and Picton was mostly gone too, but Anne looked very impressive still

[mjdalessa]

Did you do weld as a day walk? and how easy is it to follow compared to riveaux?

[pazzar]

Yeah took 12 hours. The track is not anywhere near as open as Riveaux, and gets quite overgrown as you gain altitude. I'd safely say its at least twice as hard, and at least twice as long. The tapes are fairly inconsistent in places, making the hardest part of the walk staying on the track.

[Stibb]

Anne looked very impressive still

It was At least from mt Eliza. Clear blue sky in the afternoon too (and by sunset on our way down )

[mjdalessa]

I want to head up there as an overnighter as soon as I can, I'm thinking it won't be too hard to follow with a relaxed time frame. I guess I'll find out though!