Ducane Traverse October (2)

[nq111]

Ok, the photos have been a bit later arriving than anticipated and the original thread got a bit long so I figured best to start a new one.
We did the Ducane Traverse in mid October. Great trip and all conditions as you will see.
The walk from the ferry up the track was a good start and completely un-Tassie like. Sunny, shorts and t-shirt weather.

We made the gap in good time and first scouted the ‘paddock’ for a camp but decided on Campfire Creek. Lovely camp, dry and clear night, warm, nearby running water. It was almost like camping in Queensland

Next day we made the short stroll to about the top of the pass and stuck our way up falling mountain. The scrub was, present, but not as bad as I had feared.

But as we got higher the snow was terrible – soft, rotten in places and deeply melted around the rocks (up to several metres deep). It was slow going as we sometimes fell up to our waist (or worse – don’t ask) and moving from snow to rock meant crossing weak snow with big drops.

And it was hot. We eventually bridged the last snow onto some rock and were on Falling Mountain proper – nearly 2 hrs behind schedule.

[tigercat]

Great shots. I hope you have more enroute to Mt Massif and the Labyrinth

[nq111]

Quick lunch and across the boulder fields. The snow was mostly gone up here and we moved fast. I had some leather gloves to try but took them off about half-way , there was no leather left on the fingertips! I didn’t miss them (no abraded fingers) and wouldn’t bring them again.

Mt Massif Ahead.r.jpg (192.83 KiB) Viewed 14297 times

There are now a few cairns where you skirt around Mt Massif to pick up the gully, but any path would seem to do. We gained the gully and the snow was firmer than on Falling Mt – a straight slog up to the Bowl. We had made up the lost time and actually made camp earlier than planned.

It was a little windy up in Mt Massif Bowl. Predictions were for 60km which seemed about right. Having sat through confirmed 120km+ winds on a Tassie mountain it was not the slightest bit concerning. But we camped on the snow to save damaging the cushion plants and with a bit of light rain the pegs were pretty loose. So the tent billowed and flapped more than it should.

Massif Bowl Camp.r.jpg (61.86 KiB) Viewed 14297 times

Last edited by nq111 on Wed 14 Nov, 2012 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[nq111]

Next day was wet and misty so we decided to take the boulder fields to the right rather than straight down the ridge. After a while, we figured we had skirted the hard parts and gained the ridge again – just before the exposed ledge traverse. Whilst wet and windy there was no ice on the rock and it was easy – in the future there is no need to avoid the ridge unless the rocks are icy IMO.

Heading up the other side of Big Gun Pass the weather cleared a bit and we took some videos and photos, including this showing the ridge we had traversed the day before.

We had hoped to do Mt Geyron but visibility was poor and it was starting to sleet. Coming through Ducane Pass the snow was firm and easy going – but we stuck to the GPS.

Heading down to Lake Helios my notes had ‘Traverse West to avoid scrub’. We headed most of the way down and the Lake didn’t look too far – so we sort of headed straight for it. Stupid. What should have been about 2 mins walk took about an hour of walking over bush and scrub and getting slapped and scratched and tripped.

It was an early camp and we set up beside some pretty ponds as the snow started to fall.

Lake Camp 1.r.jpg (122.14 KiB) Viewed 14296 times

Snow and sleet fell through the night and the morning greeted us with this. But the wind direction spun 180 degrees through the night so we figured the system had passed and was heading away (as forecast). This is me getting the ice off the guylines before striking the tent.

Lake Camp 2.r.jpg (120.52 KiB) Viewed 14296 times

[nq111]

Well, we only made it about 500m and turned back and pitched camp again. Snow and wind started up again and it was hard to see without googles. Also, the night had been sleet, rain and snow and the rocks were all slick with ice. No point being a hero.
A boring day in the tent making stupid videos. The snow falls tended to sleet and rain and the rocks were wet rather than frozen by the afternoon. Next day we struck camp early and headed around the west side of the lake (much easier than the way we came). Visibility was terrible and we were glued to the GPS as we picked our way down the mountain.

Ducane heading Down.r.jpg (52.77 KiB) Viewed 14295 times

By the top of the Labyrinth things were relatively serene and it was a nice stroll down the Pine Valley Hut.

Upper Labyrinth.r.jpg (116.54 KiB) Viewed 14295 times

We enjoyed a warmer evening drying our gear with a range of Overland Track walkers. Next morning the obligatory lazy start meant a race to the ferry – the GPS logged us in making it in just under 2hrs to find the ferry would be another hour. So some time in the sun before the steam home to a hire car with a flat battery  .

Anyway great little trip which we got to experience it all – from sun to snow to a warm hut with regular walkers. I wouldn’t rate the traverse as hard by experienced walker standards in good conditions but being Tassie, it could soon become a nightmare if conditions turn and you are not prepared. In any highlands Tassie have extra time for ‘tent days’, a strong tent and plenty of food and fuel.

[tigercat]

Great photos. Thanks for posting. Brings back memories of our trip a week later.

[Nick S]

Thanks for the write up nq, you certainly had a different experience than our group! Glad you enjoyed it, I'd definitely walk it again.

[nq111]

Were you with balboaknight Nick S?

[Nick S]

Ah sorry, na I meant a few years back when I did it.. viewtopic.php?f=42&t=5206

[nq111]

Ah yes, thank you for that detailed trip post - II didn't connect - it was one of my main sources for writing the track notes that we took on this trip. And I regret not following your advice for the scrub at Lake Helios .

Very different conditions indeed! (well, the start conditions seemed fairly similar - the photo in your post of heading up the gully on Mt Massif looks identical to ours, other than there was a little more snow on the peaks in the background in ours). Such is Tassie.

I was pissed not to get onto Geyron - some of the other peaks would have been good too - but Geyron I really wanted to bag. I guess it will still be there for another time.

[bernieq]

Thanks for the report, nq.

Can you pass on a request to your mate in the first photo for me? Please, don't carry a foam mat on the outside of your pack unless it's in a bag. (see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9108 )

DuCane Range is on my ever-growing list so I guess I'll be picking up little blue bits, as usual.
.

[stepbystep]

Nice report mate!

Pity about the weather, our group just completed this trip in near perfect conditions in 4 days.

Lucky to be local I guess

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[nq111]

Can you pass on a request to your mate in the first photo for me? Please, don't carry a foam mat on the outside of your pack unless it's in a bag. (see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9108 ).

Ah yes - that is actually my pack.

You will note the vertical carry to reduce snagging and tearing of the mat (as opposed to the traditional horizontal carry that has both sides of the roll snag things on the way through). I can assure you whilst the mat gathered a few tears and dings, it was minimal and I don't believe i left anything in the bush.

Having said that, you raise a fair and valid point. A have a number of ebay drybags lying around, some with minor tears, and will take up your suggestion in the future by encasing the mat in one of these.

Hope you get to the walk - it is a nice one and not too tough - just watch the weather

[nq111]

Nice report mate!

Pity about the weather, our group just completed this trip in near perfect conditions in 4 days.

Lucky to be local I guess

Is that really the same place?

This spring does appear to be loaded with relatively good weather for Tassie. I don't recall so many nice days when i lived down there.

Having said that, apart from the disappointment in curtailing our plans for some side peaks, the weather kinda added to the experience. And it could have been much worse (been there, done that ).Though I could have done without the full day holed up in the tent.

[stepbystep]

Haha sorry about that...if it helps our first night was sub zero and we got pretty wet getting onto the range

We've had a few months of very wet walking so we deserved a break for this one.