South Picton Range

[stu]

Hi, just wondering if anyone had specific directions to the start of the South Picton Range walk (Mt. Chapman / Burgess Bluff). I did Mt. Picton a couple of months ago, so know where the start to that walk is; I understand the South Picton walk starts just up the road from the Picton walk? Anyone know how far further up the road? Is it cairned / tagged well enough? Probably a little late here as I will be going in the morning but though I'd try this site as info on many a walk is hard to come by. Cheers very much. Stuart.

[scrub boy]

How did you go? I'd be interested to see what the condition of this track is like. My recollection was that you did follow the road to where it levels off after climbing up the hill. I recall the start was fairly easy to find and the track was easy to follow but that it dwindled away a bit just before ascending onto the main south Picton ridge. Has anyone done this as a circuit over Mt Picton?

[stu]

Will be going first thing in the morning - hopefully your beta helps, I haven't driven any further than the start of the Picton walk but sounds like it is pretty obvious where to go. A circuit would be great, tho you'd probably want to do it in summer as the range is obviously pretty exposed. You could also continue on to Mt. Riveaux from Picton & out to the road via Pear Hill (see an article on this section of the walk that I posted on wildtiger.biz (http://www.wildtiger.biz/?tracknotes&id=63) - take note of the track; pretty sure there is nothing between Riveaux & Picton tho, other than scrub that is.

[MJD]

The South Pictons can be climbed from a forestry road near Cook Creek. The track to Mt Picton starts at 0469910E 5218010N and the track to the South Pictons is about 600m further up the road at 0469730E 5217620N (note that there's another "parking area" in between these two spots). The track is pretty good although there's a bit of cutting grass at the start. The track is harder to follow once you reach Square Tarn but there are several pads that get you onto Abrotanella Rise - the real "track" heads slightly to the left as you leave the tarn and if you keep slightly to the left you will come out on the saddle between Abrotanella Rise and Anderson Bluff. It would be possible to do a (2 day) circuit of Mt Picton and the South Pictons.

[stu]

Cheers MJD, we found it fairly easily in the end. We had to break up our walk a little; the first weekend we went to Mt. Chapman in atrocious white-out conditions, managing to navigate our way there via Square Tarn, scrub bashing up the hill from there (we were unaware of the easier route up to Abrotonella rise due to zero visibility). A couple of weeks later we went back & did Burgess Bluff in beautiful, clear Autumn conditions finding pads up to Abrotonella Rise pretty easily - being treated to an amazing panorama - from The Southern Ranges, Mt. Bobs, PB, Crest Range right round the Eastern & Western Arthurs (West Portal looking particularly dramatic from this side) - one of my favourite views! A great little daywalk in the right conditions. Thanks for your input, as always much appreciated.

[olblackbilly]

Hi, I was wondering whether anyone has climbed mt. picton via blakes opening and red rag scarp recently as i have not been there for 20 years or so. How long does it take to walk to blakes opening these days , it used to be 4-5 hours over the suspension bridge from tahune....cheers...olblackbilly

[Robbo]

I was wondering whether anyone has climbed mt. picton via blakes opening

I walked in just after Christmas 2007. It is very straight forward from the Picton River Forestry Road. I recalled walking up there around 20 years ago as well and thought I'd use it as a bit of training walk for the Western Arthurs... I forgot how bad it was getting up through the scrub, so didn't make it as far as I'd have liked.

SteepClimb.jpg (117.7 KiB) Viewed 13507 times

The track along the river is still a very pleasant walk.

TrackWalk.jpg (107.88 KiB) Viewed 13506 times

The hut at Blakes Opening is in a bit of a mess now.

BlakesOpeningHut.jpg (102.76 KiB) Viewed 13505 times

The turnoff is still marked but a bit hard to find, but is clear enough - just after the walkers registration book and once you walk into the the 'clear' of the opening.

BTW, I have since learned that walking into Mt Picton this way is being discouraged by the 'powers that be'. It turned out to be a 'useful' training walk?! Anyone else know anything about this?

Tony Robinson

[tasadam]

You're right about that hut being a mess now.
When I was there a similar number of years ago it was good to stand under, to cook in. A 3 sided lean-to that had the headroom to allow it to be useful, unlike what your photo shows.
Lots of googling but I cannot find reference to the powers that be discouraging walking in to Picton that way. Anyone else know anything?
Might have to phone Parks in Huonville.

[wander]

Given the Blakes Openning access is still described in the current Chapman (it could have easily been left out without detriment to the details of the area) I suspect Parks do not have much issue with it. Unless it is taped it will be difficult to follow in the forest short of North Lake. I would be interested in a current update of this section of trail.

I can say that it is a very serious scrub scrunch to access the other far end of the South Picton ridge from Farmhouse Creek. The climb from the creek is OK, but once along the ridge and into the re-growth from a 20 to 50 year old fire it is very thick and gets thicker with altitude and gains more scoparia interwoven with it all as you climb. We only got 1/2 up to Burgess Bluff and turned back. We think someone came down this way as we found tent pegs (and V nice pegs they were) in the only clearing on the whole ridge just before the ridge drops away to Farmhouse Creek.

[wander]

For some pics of the Picton and an attempted access via Farmhouse Creek go here https://picasaweb.google.com/105622138270107185062/201111MtPicton

[mjdalessa]

Nice photos wander, how did you find picking up and following the old track to Judds Cavern?

[wander]

mjdalessa, no problem. A bit of hunting now and then for the next tape. I am pretty certain we went into the final locality on 1 pad and out by another.

[tigercat]

I went to Square Tarn, Burgess Bluff and Chapman yesterday. I managed to drive my Corolla to the start of the track. The track was pretty easy to follow, a lot of tape to Square Tarn. Avoided most of the light scrub on the way to Abronella Rise, taking a route on the Sth side as advised by others on this thread. Glorious views of the peaks of the SW, Bobs, PB, WAs, Anne and most impressively Federation

Chapman

[tibboh]

Nice warm day for it.......how many hours?

[tigercat]

8+3/4 hrs