Federation Peak 2008

[Markus]

Just thought i would share a few of the pictures from my latest trip to Federation Peak. This was my second time to the area and my first time to the summit, due to bad weather forcing us to turn back about 300m from the summit a couple of years ago. The weather was great and got to spend part of Christmas day on the summit!

Note pictures were taken by both dad and me.


Tiger snake on the track


Federation Peak


Cracroft River


Geeves Gully





Lake Geeves


Final Ascent





Hanging Lake from the summit


Thwaites plateau





Final Ascent








Bechervaise Plateau





Federation Peak from the top of Moss Ridge





Moss Ridge

[corvus]

Markus and Dad great pics and can I say Oh You Lucky beggars as I think I may have left my chance too late in life to attempt it , still who knows now I am retired I may get my fitness level up to it within a short period
What did you do to the Tiger to upset it

[Robbo]

Markus and Dad great pics

I have to concur with Corvus on this one... great pictures and well done.

Corvus, I guess you know what your capabilities are, but I reckon if you give yourself plenty of time in a good weather window, you'd be able to do it. You have the experience, which I'd say counts for as much as just about anything else when doing such things.

As for me, while I think I could still do it, I do not have the desire to place myself in such precarious positions to get to the top of another mountain...

TR

[the_camera_poser]

What an awesome set of pictures- looks like you had really awesome weather. That final ascent though- as a person who hates heights, all I can say is YUCK! LOL

[corvus]

Forgot to add that since my fall from grace whilst rock climbing(its the landing that hurts) I am useless on really high places that incur climbing now

[MJD]

Very nice. I like the sixth one - haven't seen one quite like that before. Well done.

[Markus]

thanks for the comments, the tiger snake was just very active and alert to our footsteps on the old road down to the farmhouse creek bridge.
As for the final ascent, it really is just the exposure that you need to be able to block out, and yes take your time making sure of every hold. However it is not the sort of stroll that you would recommend to every walker, due to the potential risks. Moss ridge is one peice of track that amazed me (The photo with all the crosscutting sticks and logs sums it up well), you could barely call it a track until you look out to both sides and see the sourounding bush which would be virtually impossible to get through with a pack, this section of track tested me just as much as the final ascent

[stu]

Nice pics Markus & Dad - we passed you on our way out, I guess you were about an hour along the farmhouse track on your day 1 - I was in the group of 9.
We all made the summit & had equally spectacular weather - we even all went swimming & sun baking at Hanging Lake post ascent - who'd have thunk in the South West!
A fanrtastic walk & I'd have to agree the final ascent wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting; still, no stepping backwards or else...
Great photos, very much a walk I will do again & again in the years to come; maybe via the Eastern Arthurs or Old River next time.
Glad you both got up & out safely too, thanks for sharing

Cheers.

Stu.

[Markus]

stubowling, yep your party were the only people we passed the whole trip! By Old River do you mean along the Huon track? My first attempt at Federation was via the Huon Track, it is a great track however the bulldozer driver didn't care much for following the contours

[stu]

Hope we didn't spoil your solitude with our yahooing Marcus, we were pretty excited to be out by that stage - glad you had the place to yourselves otherwise
The route from Old River was one of the traditional approaches to Fedders area - from Bathurst Harbour following old surveying leads.
Boat transport can be organised to drop you off about a k or so up the Old River to save the scrub bash around Bathurst Harbour.
It follows the valley between the Eastern Arthurs & Castor / Pollux ranges, ascending Gorilla Ridge to the saddle on Geeves Bluff.
It is untracked, but due to recent fires along this valley would be relatively easy going - some scrub is always expected on this type of route.
It is detailed in Chapmans South West guide & Kevin Dorans fantastic book on Fedders - a must for the enthusiast;
I doubt this route gets much traffic at all these days

Maybe someone out there has done this route in to Fedders & can share their experience?

I've heard the Yo-Yo track is fun, not! I'm sure I'll go in that way one day too -
I'd like to do all the different approaches one day - again, see Kevin Dorans book for inspiration

Cheers Markus.

Stuart.