Mt Claude Summit

[Dave W-C]

Having read others notes I feel I can make it a little easier for future groups to find the summit of Mt Claude.If you're coming from the Round Hill look out look for a side track heading off to the right in a flat grassy area immediately before the summit blocks. The side track is quite obvious, but narrower than the main track. If you were to stay on the main track, it starts to descend quite steeply and traverses across the northern side below the summit blocks.
Once you've found the side track, follow it for 50m or so over a gassy/low scrub area. Look for a rock cairn high up on the left (not straight ahead as the track appears to go.) The climbing route starts just below this and to the right, climbing up thru a sort of slot behind this cairn and follow the narrow gully up thru another slot. Above that slot head slightly left, looking for rock cairns (we added several). You will face a very steep narrow gully which leads to a high point immediately before the infamous “chock stone”. This is conglomerate, and looks extremely slippery and hairy, so I don’t recommend this way. Back at the base of this steep narrow gully, go right, looking for more rock cairns and very shortly climb down to your left. This natural lead heads under the summit area, with a big open lead to the right. DON’T take this but continue towards the ‘sky’ and you will see under the big chock stone, then head right. Part way thru this lead you will see the small entrance to the cave on your left. You’ll know this is correct as at the back of the cave is the blue rope. Emerging at the top, head right, keeping low and you’ll be immediately below the summit cairn. A very short scramble up and you are there. All this bypasses the hairy chock stone which looks quite impressive from the summit…and scary.

[walkabout]

Thanks Dave and welcome to the forum.
I have walked to Claude a few times although haven't tried to get to the summit. I know the side track you mention, so next time I will try and find the start of the climbing route.
Cheers.

[Peak Bagpiper]

Climbed Mt Claude and Mt Vandyke summits yesterday. The rope in the cave was still there. A cracking day for a long stroll (26k all-up), but the views did not disappoint. The pano looks west to the OLT.

[naturelover]

Hi Peakbagger. Thanks for that info: very interesting, so much so we've decided to do it for fun this weekend. Could you tell me, however, whether there are good enough footholds on that roped section for my legs to do the work rather than my arms? I had an operation last week, and can put plenty of weight on my legs but still have reduced pulling power in my upper body. If the situation allows me to take the strain in my legs, I can do it, but if I have to do monster pulling, maybe I should go somewhere else. Can I push instead of pull??

[Tortoise]

Hi nl. See what pb thinks, but I've been up through the cave/ slot a few times, and I've always needed to rely a lot on my arms. It's very steep rock that has always been somewhat slimey and slick, as it rarely if ever really dries out. You might be able to do it with your legs if you go barefoot and wrap your toes around the small knots. But the hardest bit about it is the small amount of room to play with between the v steep 'floor' and 'ceiling' which is parallel to it.
On the other hand, I reckon you'd LOVE the chockstone. But you've probably done it already. It'd be a bit dodgy if wet, but not as hard as other stuff you've done. You just might need to take a more conservative approach.

[stu]

We did it via the chockstone, in the wet, and after initial trepidation it was fine.
Just sling your leg over each side & do the mounted crotch shuffle...voila

[Tortoise]

We did it via the chockstone, in the wet, and after initial trepidation it was fine.
Just sling your leg over each side & do the mounted crotch shuffle...voila

Just the kind of thing I was thinking of.

[north-north-west]

We did it via the chockstone, in the wet, and after initial trepidation it was fine terrifying.
Just sling your leg over each side & do the mounted crotch shuffle...voila

That's closer to my first experience up there.

Second time I did the cave and rope. Definitely need to be able to put a fair bit of stress on the upper body for the cave. Either go via the chockstone or find an alternative.

[naturelover]

Unfortunately, I forgot to press the button that said to alert me if anyone replied, so I thought no one had. We just gave it a go anyway, and had great fun. I kept most of the strain in biceps and legs rather than in my upper torso, so all was well.
I have posted quite a few pictures of intersections and action along the way in my blog to indicate routes, in case it helps others planning to climb this way. We found the instructions here terrific, yet still a tiny bit confusing at times, so hopefully the extra pictorial info can help. The rock was super-slippery - really greasy - and Angela took a bit of a tumble which made us both nervous. All's well that ends well. It certainly felt like a good adventure. I would most definitely NOT recommend the chockstone in the kind of conditions we encountered yesterday, unless you feel suicide is the answer to your problems.
blog is [url]natureloverswalks.blogspot.com[/url]

[Tortoise]

Oops. Sorry re the inaccurate information. Don't know how I forgot the loops, as opposed to little knots, in the rope - which are illustrated very nicely in an earlier post.
Glad it worked out.

[Graham17]

"You’ll know this is correct as at the back of the cave is the blue rope"
Still there Jan21