Cheyne Range/Mt Gell

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hi all.
Our regular posse (minus 1 or 2) Had a walk out to Mt Gell and over the Cheyne Range over Easter. We started from the Rufus canal road, up to lake Dixon, up to near Australia tarn, over Mt Gell, along the range, down to lake Hermoine then up to the Hugel plateau and down the Little Hugel track.

It was a fantastic off track walk, mostly open walking and some excellent navigational practice.
More photos will come later as I have a few to sort through, and some of the others will post some here (maybe) when they are back to work. But for now heres is a pano shot taken from the Hugel Plateau

[MJD]

wot! only one picture! you've been back for days.... well two....

[ILUVSWTAS]

Haha yeh I know, sorry MJ. More will come once i've sorted them! At this stage I can only manage 10 minutes or so sitting up at the PC at a time.

[stu]

Ok, I'll help out & throw a few of mine up from this great little trip...

Ascending from the Franklin River Valley.

Mt Gell summit.

Hungry? Wolf Spider near Cheyne Range high point.

[stu]

...a few more...

Beautiful landscapes below Cheyne Range (Hugel massif in background).

Camp at Lake Hermione (night 3).

Ascending towards the Hugel Plateau (Lake Hermione & Cheyne Range in background).

[stu]

A few panos...

Australia Tarn (left) from ascent of Mt Gell (looking south).

Looking north from near Mt Gell.

Looking south-east from near Mt Gell.

[stu]

...a few more panos...

Looking south to Mt Gell from Cheyne Range.

Looking east to Mt Olympus, Mt Hugel & Mt Rufus.

Lake St Clair, Shadow & Forgotten Lakes from Little Hugel summit.

[ollster]

Dammit Stu, you keep snapping me with stupid looks on my face. (Or perhaps that's more than random chance? ) Nice pics boys. I wanna go back, especially to camp at those great campsites dropping off Cheyne!!!

[MJD]

Nice pictures Stu. Pity I missed this one.

As for a picture of Ollie looking smart (is that what he meant?): Now there's a challenge - should we start a new topic?

[ollster]

As for a picture of Ollie looking smart (is that what he meant?): Now there's a challenge - should we start a new topic?

"No matter how good you are don't ever let them see you coming."

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hahaha ouch Martin. all this time at home is turning you nasty....

Incidentally of course, I did happen to watch an episode of mythbusters last night where they were trying to polish a turd, I'll lend you a copy if you want some tips Oll??

[andyszollosi]

Looks like a very fine trip gentlemen!

How many days did you end up taking?

[stu]

Old post, good times, thanks for digging up the memories

Day 1 was from end of Rufus Canal Road to a camp before Australia Tarn.
Day 2 was to summit of Gell then down to lovely camping in the saddle between Gell & Cheyne high point.
Day 3 was to Cheyne high point then down to camp at Lake Hermione.
Day 4 was up on to plateau between the Hugels & out via Forgotten / Shadow Lake tracks, which was only a shortish day.

Such a good circuit with so many camping options you could choose your own adventure; it's definitely on my 'return' list

[andyszollosi]

Thanks for that breakdown, stu!

Pretty much every walk I do in Tassie makes it onto my 'return' list!

[north-north-west]

Well, yeah, although when I go back I won't bother with the Chimaera. The rest of the circuit is superb. Dixon, Franklin R, Hippogriff, Gell, Cheyne, Hermione, Little Hugel, Hugel, Rufus. Wonderful country.

Your days 2 & 3 were slack. I went from a camp just below the summit of Gell over the Cheyne Range and down to Hermione in one day. And then up over Hugel (with a side trip to the little'un) before camping near the tarn at the saddle just below the circuit track. Last day, return via Rufus and the Gingerbread track. But it took the whole first day to get over the Chimaera and the next day was short 'cause I stopped at Australia Tarn. And then the weather hit on the summit of Gell, so another short day . . .

Gell is one of the best. A fantastic mountain.

[icefest]

They are magnificent shots NNW!

[north-north-west]

Ta. Lucky with the conditions. One of the best mornings ever.

[Travis22]

They are magnificent shots NNW!

Absolutely!

Travis.

[Tortoise]

Bumping this topic again. Wondering re pros and cons for clockwise vs anticlockwise direction (Rufus Canal Rd/Cynthia Bay)? Probably relative slope/scrubbiness, I expect. Thanks for your thoughts.

[north-north-west]

I think it's easier to pick the least scrubby point at the Gell/Cheyne saddle if you go clockwise, but otherwise it's a toss-up. Just make sure you time it to camp at Hermione.

[Tortoise]

I think it's easier to pick the least scrubby point at the Gell/Cheyne saddle if you go clockwise, but otherwise it's a toss-up. Just make sure you time it to camp at Hermione.

Will do. Looks a lovely spot.
I had someone else say he prefers to go down through the scrub between Gell and Australia Tarn rather than up - hence anticlockwise.