Bushwalk Australia

Has anyone been to Esperance Peak (near Dover) lately?
I'm curious about the route there and can see three possiblities.
Either walking the ridgeline south from Snowy, walking the ridgeline north from Adamsons or the shortest path about 3km west through the bush past the end of Caseys Rd.
The first two options form part of 'The Southern Sweep' which I read about in Tramp 32. I'm wondering how scrubby the ridgelines would be. The 1:25,000 map doesn't make it look that hard but a second or third opinion would be much appreciated.
A one-way traverse from Hartz/Snowy camping near Esperance then continuing over Adamsons Peak and out looks like a good leg stretch. Is there any permanent water on the traverse, and if yes what is the camping like around Esperance? I read somewhere there is a nice camp site between Adamsons Peak and The Calf? True or false?
Any illuminations would be much appreciated.

I was part of a large group that went up from a spur off Casey's Rd a few years ago. I can't remember the exact details of how to get there though. Maybe someone else who was on that trip could give you some tips. It took about 6 hours return from memory. There are a few members who have done the traverse from Hartz too.

I was also a part of this large group...the quickest / most direct route to be sure.
Apparently the section b/w Snowy & Esperence is very scrubby (scoparia); i'd probably guess fairly dry too.
I have also been to The Calf & Mesa...plenty of camping options around this way but also dry; i'd be carrying plenty of water if doing the traverse.
Having said this, it should really only be a (longish) 2 day trip...would be a good way to do it & a visit to Mesa is worthwhile, the views from the summit offer some very remote vistas
Enjoy!

This is where we went from.

stu wrote:I was also a part of this large group...the quickest / most direct route to be sure.
Apparently the section b/w Snowy & Esperence is very scrubby (scoparia); i'd probably guess fairly dry too.
I have also been to The Calf & Mesa...plenty of camping options around this way but also dry; i'd be carrying plenty of water if doing the traverse.
Having said this, it should really only be a (longish) 2 day trip...would be a good way to do it & a visit to Mesa is worthwhile, the views from the summit offer some very remote vistas
Enjoy!

Thanks for the advice. Maybe the best plan is solid days walk from Snowy along the ridge and camp closer to Adamsons Peak. Seems to be a few creeks just below the ridgeline a kilometer SW of Esperance.
Mesa sounds good although the map looks like half a kilometer or so of scrub to get through. Hope it's worth it.

tibboh wrote:

stu wrote:I
Mesa sounds good although the map looks like half a kilometer or so of scrub to get through. Hope it's worth it.

Rookie error no.1 Dont judge the scrub by what the maps say, they are rarely accurate.... There's 100m or so of scrub under Mesa, but besides that it's all open lovely walking.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:

tibboh wrote:

stu wrote:I
Mesa sounds good although the map looks like half a kilometer or so of scrub to get through. Hope it's worth it.

Rookie error no.1 Dont judge the scrub by what the maps say, they are rarely accurate.... There's 100m or so of scrub under Mesa, but besides that it's all open lovely walking.

Maybe it was accurate in 1984 when my map was made? 100m sounds better than 500m

Doubtful, They tend to just write scrub on the maps in most alpine areas, regardless if it's 6 inches high, or 6 feet high.

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=4914&p=58702&hilit=Esperance+Peak#p58702

Found this report which sounds like your trip ILUVSWTAS, Pazzar & Stu.
Nice waterfalls.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Doubtful, They tend to just write scrub on the maps in most alpine areas, regardless if it's 6 inches high, or 6 feet high.

So does this mean the ridgeline between Snowy and Adamsons is not fairly clear as the map suggests by the lack of any vegetation?

Haven't been along there myself, but i hear it's the less scrubby side. Between Snowy and Esperance is meant to be quite scrubby in places.

The scrub up to Mesa depends on the line you take, although the very last ten metres or so of altitude is the worst. And a month or so back there was plenty of water between Mesa and The Calf - pools and soaks on the saddle. There were also pools visible on the ridgeline out to Esperance. I seriously thought about it, but the weather looked like it might stuff up shortly so it was left for another day.

The views are fabulous.

The views from Mesa and The Calf were pretty good, too. I'm fairly satisfied with what I achieved.

north-north-west wrote:The views from Mesa and The Calf were pretty good, too. I'm fairly satisfied with what I achieved.

Haha yes indeed! Never been to Mesa so you're one up on me

I will enjoy that for the very brief time it lasts.

You can thank Mark for it. I doubted if it was worth it but he insisted it wasn't as scrubby as it looked.

tibboh wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Doubtful, They tend to just write scrub on the maps in most alpine areas, regardless if it's 6 inches high, or 6 feet high.

So does this mean the ridgeline between Snowy and Adamsons is not fairly clear as the map suggests by the lack of any vegetation?

Ok did this walk a few weeks ago.... The ridgeline between Adamsons and Esperance is fine. A couple of spots look scrubby, but arent that bad.

The ridgeline between Snowy and Esperance is *&%$#! and should be avoided by anyone who doesnt like consistent head high scrub for 8 hrs straight.

Ouch. Well that's saved me a bit of pain......thanks ILUV. Think I'll camp at Adamsons and come in from the south

tibboh wrote:Ouch. Well that's saved me a bit of pain......thanks ILUV. Think I'll camp at Adamsons and come in from the south

No probs! That would actually be quite pleasant. The camping out there would be nice in the right conditions.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:

tibboh wrote:Ouch. Well that's saved me a bit of pain......thanks ILUV. Think I'll camp at Adamsons and come in from the south

No probs! That would actually be quite pleasant. The camping out there would be nice in the right conditions.

Any recommendations re campsite at Adamsons?

tibboh wrote: Any recommendations re campsite at Adamsons?

You can camp by the little tarn near Esperance Pk, or near a small peak before you descend to the ridge out to EP. Have camped at both spots, but the tarn is the nicest. Also makes It to the half way point.

Peter

PeterJ wrote:

tibboh wrote: Any recommendations re campsite at Adamsons?

You can camp by the little tarn near Esperance Pk, or near a small peak before you descend to the ridge out to EP. Have camped at both spots, but the tarn is the nicest. Also makes It to the half way point.

Peter

Thanks Peter. I'd imagine that Esperance then The Calf and Mesa would be a good day walk from this high camp then?

tibboh wrote:Thanks Peter. I'd imagine that Esperance then The Calf and Mesa would be a good day walk from this high camp then?

If you camp between Mesa and Calf you could do all you mention as a day walk. That seems to assume you are going for 3 days. If only a 2 dayer then I suggest camp at the tarn near Esperance. My notes say
On the low gully south west of the peak there is an excellent flat grassy camping spot and some pools for drinking water (839049)
It took us nearly 9 hours from Hartz and a shade over 7 to go out via Adamsons.
Between Esperance and Calf there an obvious high plateau is followed but you have to skirt around belts of tree and high bushes. We used the eastern ends of the belts in most instances. At the south end of the plateau there is steady climb/deccent to/from near on the western side of The Calf.
This was back in Jan 1993, so conditions may have changed, my notes from the Snowy end say just contour round the plateau area leading off from the Harzt-Snowy saddle. Before long there is tight scrub, but a track takes you through this then once on the level it continues until reaching some open areas. From here on the pad becomes indistinct and it is just a matter of pushing through the waist high scrub until on the slopes of Esperance where it is low alpine vegetation. It seems it may have grown considerably since.

Thanks Peter for such detailed information

Anyone been out this way recently? I did have some information RE access from Caseys Road but I seem to have lost it Please PM me, Cheers.

bogholesbuckethats wrote:Anyone been out this way recently? I did have some information RE access from Caseys Road but I seem to have lost it Please PM me, Cheers.

FT have been working out that way. Give them a bell re access, if they're not actively logging they will get you a key if gates are locked. We went off a spur rd from Caseys Rd, or maybe Caseys itself. There was no pad of any sort so just get as close as you can and throw yourself at it the Hartz-Adamsons traverse is calling me next time ...

stepbystep wrote:FT have been working out that way. Give them a bell re access, if they're not actively logging they will get you a key if gates are locked. We went off a spur rd from Caseys Rd, or maybe Caseys itself. There was no pad of any sort so just get as close as you can and throw yourself at it the Hartz-Adamsons traverse is calling me next time ...

I've been trying to call them all day but no answer, they must have my number on a blacklist

I have been weighing up just waiting to do it with the traverse, but I like the look of the cliffs from the eastern edge.

Cheers

FYI access is via Casey Road then Casey Spur 7, about 200m up the spur there is old road on the left (blue tape). Someone has been through there recently and taped and partly cleared a route all the way to the plateau.

bogholesbuckethats wrote:FYI access is via Casey Road then Casey Spur 7, about 200m up the spur there is old road on the left (blue tape). Someone has been through there recently and taped and partly cleared a route all the way to the plateau.

That's interesting. When we went through there was nothing! There's really no need to be doing that there...I guess you were thankful though!! We found a small waterfall off the cliffs and some nice forest below.

stepbystep wrote: That's interesting. When we went through there was nothing! There's really no need to be doing that there...I guess you were thankful though!! We found a small waterfall off the cliffs and some nice forest below.

It was unexpected but It did make the day somewhat easier. The taped track bypasses the cliffs but I did go and check them out and I think I found the small waterfall you mentioned.