Schnells Ridge

[eggs]

I put up a photo from Schnells Ridge from last Monday in "Where am I", but I thought a few more may be of interest.

It was a very hot day [last Monday 11th] - and although only a day walk - this took more out of me than the other multi-day walks combined.
Drank like a fish at the end of the day.
However - it was good to see something after 2 former cloud bound attempts.

Anne River from the suspension bridge

Ascending with Peddar behind

Zoom on Eastern Arthurs

[eggs]

Lake Judd embedded in Anne Range

Panorama of the Top of Schnells Ridge

1000 foot drop down to tarn on the southern side

[eggs]

Main basin with Smiths Tarn

Only water we found near the top

Panorama over the first Tarn on Schnells

[Nick S]

Nice pics eggs. I do remember that day being pretty hot

[stu]

Very nice photos eggs, thanks for sharing.
I have been up to Schnells 3 times, but never this clear (cloudy 2/3 times).
It's a great little range, I think I'll do the loop walk next time tho to explore the area a little more.

[stepbystep]

Great stuff, I was curious about accessing the views to the other tarns, looks like pretty open going up top?
It's moving to the top of the list

[eggs]

Yes stepbystep,
the tops are very open as well as most of the sides. The scrub is mostly on the lowest slopes. Which means no shade from the sun.
It is also a bit tricky in thick cloud - as the normal loop exit ridge is not found by following the clear ridgeline, as I discovered the previous year.

We have started at a couple of different spots.
This time we went up on the first ridgeline to get a view into the Anne Gorge, and it meant a short but notable section of scrub bashing.
I am also told that if a loop is attempted into the section beyond Smiths Tarn, that it is quite scrubby at the base of the far exit ridge and crossing the creek.
There are 2 high level tarns hidden on that other side, and I believe camping near them is possible.

[tazz]

The tannin stained tarns make a nice contrast to the surrounding greenery.

[PeterJ]

............I am also told that if a loop is attempted into the section beyond Smiths Tarn, that it is quite scrubby at the base of the far exit ridge and crossing the creek. There are 2 high level tarns hidden on that other side, and I believe camping near them is possible.

True on both accounts. You can get down that far ridge to the bottom of the moraine somewhat below Smiths Tarn and also just below Moraine Tarn and then climb back up on the other side of the moraine for a nice round trip. There are just a few campsites near the uppermost of the tarns on the eastern side and it is only a short drop to it. See my walk notes.

Probably the last time I went there was in April 202 when I went to prove that a magazine article had a photograph that was clearly not at Smiths Tarn. I have just re-uploaded the web file I made at the time I went there if you would like to have a look.

Schnells is on my list of walks to do for 2010

[stepbystep]

............I am also told that if a loop is attempted into the section beyond Smiths Tarn, that it is quite scrubby at the base of the far exit ridge and crossing the creek. There are 2 high level tarns hidden on that other side, and I believe camping near them is possible.

True on both accounts. You can get down that far ridge to the bottom of the moraine somewhat below Smiths Tarn and also just below Moraine Tarn and then climb back up on the other side of the moraine for a nice round trip. There are just a few campsites near the uppermost of the tarns on the eastern side and it is only a short drop to it. See my walk notes.

Probably the last time I went there was in April 202 when I went to prove that a magazine article had a photograph that was clearly not at Smiths Tarn. I have just re-uploaded the web file I made at the time I went there if you would like to have a look.

Schnells is on my list of walks to do for 2010

Interesting Peter,
By this do you see the circuit achievable as a day trip from Hobart or as an overnighter?
Either way I'm keen maybe March sometime???
How was Davis L.O.?
Cheers, Dan

[PeterJ]

By this do you see the circuit achievable as a day trip from Hobart or as an overnighter?
Either way I'm keen maybe March sometime???
How was Davis L.O.?

Davis Lookout was quite good and the weather was a delight; being not too hot and there was hardly a mosquito and the flies not very annoying. I will add a posting shortly.

That was the easy part of your questions. I did the circuit mentioned many years ago as a weekend, and the last time I was over on the eastern side, spent 3 days there. I calculate the diversion would add about 2 hours to the day walk, so from my perspective, after considering the driving (>2hrs), it is a bit far for an enjoyable day and would be best as an overnighter.

March or April would seem a good time of year.

[north-north-west]

Probably the last time I went there was in April 202...

So corby isn't the oldest forum member after all . . .

[flyfisher]

No he's not actually.

ff

[Rolfe]

Did a weekender there with the Launceston Walking Club in February. There was only one pool left for water, which was near the high point. Mostly easy, open walking on the ridge apart from a narrow saddle involving a climb down and up (slightly scrubby). We camped on the ridge East of Smiths Tarn. Got water and a swim in the (larger) tarn to the East of the ridge. Easy going down to the tarn from the ridge south of the knoll and surprisingly quick.
Then went North and off the ridge, crossing the creek about 300m? below Moraine Tarn. There is a narrrow but thick scrub band on the Northwestern side but a bash pad through it which helped (can see it as you come down). Another short bit of scrub just before the Lake Judd track. Was a terrific weekend- highly recommended.

[vagrom]

I went there a couple of years ago with a Hobart group and we camped very comfortably beside the tarn above as I remember. The plan was to get to the Gallagher Plateau but the weather was so good we just enjoyed ourselves instead. Bummer. Where's the bad weather when you want it?
There's an old Tassie Tramp which describes a walk to Mt Weld across the Gallagher and back. Was it number 22?
And there's an old explorer map, possibly in Trampled Wilderness, that shows a route taken from the Arthur Plains up to Schnells Ridge. In any eventual long distance route from the north to south of Tassie, I wonder if such a route would be feasable, avoiding a Scotts Peak road bash, but being close enough to it for an escape route. Opinions? Is it yet more enviro trashing?

[stepbystep]

A few pics from yesterday, a fantastic walk done with Bap from this forum...gotta love the SW!!!

[GerryDuke]

Thanks SBS for the great photos. You got a beautiful day. I was up that way a week or so ago just after the snow. Stayed to the roads! Will dig out a couple of photos.

Gerry

[Bap]

Great photos, this walk will stick in my memory for a long time, thanks for the day Stepbystep.

[Nick S]

Great photos SBS!

[Bap]

A few from the Nikon.

[stepbystep]

Thanks for the comments guys, too easy to get nice pics on a day like that.
Would love to see the area under heavy snow Gerry....

[Phil]

Great photos guys; perfect day for it!

[Hallu]

Did you do it as a day walk after all SBS ? I'm planning on trying to do Lake Judd and on the way back Schnells Ridge in a day (I'll be staying at Maydena so there's not too much driving) for Easter, 8 hours or less should be ok, more than that would be pushing it.

[ollster]

Did you do it as a day walk after all SBS ? I'm planning on trying to do Lake Judd and on the way back Schnells Ridge in a day (I'll be staying at Maydena so there's not too much driving) for Easter, 8 hours or less should be ok, more than that would be pushing it.

I did it with MJD (his first or second walk back after breaking an ankle) as a day walk and we took 7hrs (and 1 minute!) return. So realistically a fit person could probably knock it off in 6 hrs or less.

[stepbystep]

Did you do it as a day walk after all SBS ? I'm planning on trying to do Lake Judd and on the way back Schnells Ridge in a day (I'll be staying at Maydena so there's not too much driving) for Easter, 8 hours or less should be ok, more than that would be pushing it.

I did it with MJD (his first or second walk back after breaking an ankle) as a day walk and we took 7hrs (and 1 minute!) return. So realistically a fit person could probably knock it off in 6 hrs or less.

Yep easy, make an early start and take your time.

[Hallu]

Great, exactly my kind of walk, thanks.

[mjdalessa]

How much scrub is at the base of the eastern ridge? Do many use this for the circuit? There are two ridges either side of the mentioned camping tarn that look feasible but each has a reasonable amount of "green" at the bottom. I will be approaching from the Sarah Jane direction. I noticed Chapman suggests the ridge on the opposite side of Smith's Tarn to the west rather than the one I'm referring to. I'd like to camp on top between the two summits- I'm sure there will be no water issues with the weather we've had lately. Otherwise we'll probably camp at the tarn suggested.

[north-north-west]

From my experience: the camping until you're up pretty high is very rough and while the scrub bands are narrow, the scrub is thick enough to be a major pain if you miss the pad through it. Once you're on the ridge east of Moraine & Smith's it's easy enough going. But, really, Schnell's is better done from the west. An hour from the road and there's an easy route up.