Mother Cummings peak route

[jrueslim11]

Howdy fellow hikers.
I'm planning a stroll to the top of mother cummings peak, i have been informed that there is 2 tracks. the northern end from westrope rd or the southern from smoko falls.
Has anyone done these lately? is either way well marked? which way would be the better of the two?
Cheers!

[doogs]

I've only been up from Smoko Creek and I can recommend it. I was around 4 years ago that I went up and the route was well marked with so rickety old signs occasionally found. Don't be put off by the washed away bridge at the start of the walk, the rest is straight forward until the summit plateau - make sure you remember where the descent route is as the plateau is quite large and there are a lot of misleading cairns around!!

[GerryDuke]

Here is a pic of a sign on the track where it passes opposite Smoko Falls. A couple of things to keep in mind. You don't need to cross the river to access Smoko Falls. There is a track which is fairly obscure on the right of the parking area where the bridge was! The creek followed is named Mother Cummings Rivulet. It was previously named Smoko Creek on the earlier Tasmap. The falls come off the dolerite cliffs across the creek opposite this sign taken in 2008. More on my site. Very beautiful walk.

SMOKO FALLS TRACK

[north-north-west]

Like doogs, I've only ever done the Smoko Falls route, but can advise it. It's one of Tassie's most beautiful creekside walks. Really lovely place.

[frenchy_84]

As Gerry mentioned there is a new route on the carpark side of creek, and it is really well taped so you wont get lost. Important to note though that it joins the old track above the junction to ironstone/dell tracks so if your wanting to walk those tracks its still quicker to cross the fallen bridge and walk the road.

Also Smoko creek valley and the sandstone outcrop above Dell creek are awesome, its a great short walk just to walk to chasm and smoko falls, if it was in the tropics that would be a major tourist stop.

[ben.h]

As the others, I've only done it from Smoko road (perhaps 2 or 3 years ago). The track is very easy to follow so I wouldn't be concerned about that, although the advice to make sure you look carefully at where you emerge on top is good advice. Last time I walked it I went up via the track across the washed out road (about a km up the road on the other side before you get to the track proper) and came back via the creek side track discussed earlier which forks off just before the creek bringing you directly back to the car park/end of road.

Great views from up there and a pleasant walk. Enjoy!

[jenandjen]

You can also go up via Westrope Road at Western Creek. This is a great site to check out
http://tastracks.webs.com/greatwesterntiers.htm

[Tortoise]

Looks like I'm one of the few who went from Westrope Rd. Just not for a couple of years, so I'm not sure re current status. It was a short, steep, easy to follow track then cairns to the 'peaky' bit. Then off track to the high point on the plateau. (Just don't get wedged between a fagus bush and the side of a tall boulder. Coming back down the obvious way was a much better idea.)

Not quite sure if you're after the speckie view at the 'peak', or the high point for the peak-bagging points - or both. Incidentally, on LISTmap, the label is inconsistent between the 'scanned maps' view and the 'topographic' view (where the southern plateau is called Cummings Head).

[clarence]

Welcome to the board jrueslem. I did the Westrope Rd route about 3 years ago. It is very easy to follow but quite steep in places. The Westrope Rd track goes to the pointy cliff bound northern summit. The Smoko Creek track goes to the broader southern summit. The Westrope Rd track is much shorter than Smoko Rd route.

If you do the Westrope Rd route, there are two ways to the summit. When you reach the crest of the rocky escarpment there is a track heading due east (left) approximately along the line of the escarpment. It is not as well used as the other track, but very pleasant walking. Otherwise continue south into a wide open grassy valley, from where a track then swings back in a NE direction to the peak. Especially on the latter route (from the grassy valley heading NE) there are a few boudlerfields. In winter with ice-frost they can be a bit dicey.

In addition to the Smoko Ck route and Westrope Rd, there is also a third route up the eastern slope of the southern (broad) peak.

Clarence

[Lostsoul]

Reviving an old post
Went up the Scotts lookout road today,easily done in a 2wd with good ground clearance.Drove past the lookout to where the road ends and this is where the Cummings Cliff track starts.Very well marked trail up onto Mother Cummings Peak,no trouble following it even in the snow.

[Tortoise]

Thanks, Lostsoul. I'm not familiar with Scotts lookout, but found Cummings Cliff track on LISTmap. So the road would be the one before Smoko Rd, off Meander Falls Rd?

[north-north-west]

They must have cleared the road since I looked at it, because it was all mud and fallen timber.

[Lostsoul]

Thanks, Lostsoul. I'm not familiar with Scotts lookout, but found Cummings Cliff track on LISTmap. So the road would be the one before Smoko Rd, off Meander Falls Rd?

Yes that’s the one,seems reasonably well used,it’s open and clear atm,is a bit rough in places but definitely don’t need 4wd for it.

[tastrekker]

Great to hear about Scotts Road. I was there only 2 weeks ago and encountered trees down on Scotts only 50m in. Smoko Road, on the other hand, was sporting a lovely coat of new gravel. Nice to see the area getting some love after last year's floods.

[Lostsoul]

Great to hear about Scotts Road. I was there only 2 weeks ago and encountered trees down on Scotts only 50m in. Smoko Road, on the other hand, was sporting a lovely coat of new gravel. Nice to see the area getting some love after last year's floods.

Smoko Road is closed atm as is the road to Meander Falls.Only road open at present is Scott’s Peak lookout