Spicers Peak

[Karlostavitch]

I'm considering an overnight hike to spicers peak with an experienced hiker and a couple of newbies. Can anyone advise about the best route and the camp site.

We are also tossing up between Spicers and Mt Castle, I have done the Mt Castle hike a couple of times but I have heard you can ascend on the cliff side which sounds quite interesting.

In comparison to Mt Castle from Sylvestors lookout, how would you rate the Spicers Peak route?

[tomh]

Comparison - difficult to separate - both are good walks of similar grade and enjoyment.

Try the Spicers Peak traverse. Starting from Governor's Chair carpark take the short walk to the lookout then continue on towards the peak keeping near the top of the cliffline on your left. There is a track. More description here
http://www.southee.com/Bushwalking/MainRange.html#label033
As you approach the eastern summit cliffline base contour right and go up a steep gully through the cliffline.
Near bottom of gully: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14344761@N02/4715733004/
Near the top of the gully http://www.flickr.com/photos/21625419@N06/3018650535/ there is a campsite and go left a short distance to the peak lookout. (There are two small Main Range remote bush campsites up there. Talk to and book with QPWS. Info at
https://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/iaparks/gds/IAGDS030.do. If you use either site a report back on its condition would be appreciated.)
Head back past the gully top towards the western summit keeping to the broad ridgeline - track is probably well overgrown now, all ferns, dense tree cover and some rock scrambling. At the indistinct western summit take care you need to find the NW ridge to descend - navigation skills/map/GPS/compass required. You should quickly come across a small rock platform. Good place for a tea break, then jump down from the end or backtrack 15m and bypass below on the south side.
Continue down that sometimes sharpish and open ridge until it becomes a track then farm track, fence on right. When you see a fence heading off down at right angles (north) follow it down to the historical old spicers gap road and turn right (east) for an easy walk back to Governor's Chair.[code][/code]

[cams]

Great post tomh. I reackon the walk up Spicers is a bit more difficult but probably shorter than the walk out to Mt Castle. At least compared to the standard route up onto Mt. Castle.

"Take a Walk" recommends detouring around the most exposed scramble lower down the slopes by contouring along the base of the cliff until it eases out a bit and becomes a broken up slab. This is the way I went but it involved a fairly tough bash through very thick mats of vines around the base of the cliff. Might be the way to go if there are some newbies though.

[Karlostavitch]

Hi and Thanks tom and cams,

Great information you have provided for me here and everything I wanted to know, so I really appreciate you taking the time to explain to me.

I think I would like to try Spicers peak this time because I haven't done it before and I will take your notes with me. I will report back conditions once completed.

Thanks again, cheers,