wobbly wrote:Has anyone walked from Chinamans plain through to Lake Artemis or Eros? If so can they comment on conditions or suggested routes between these two spots.
I have been through that area quite a number of times. The Chinamans Plains are truly delightful with lots of great things to discover and it is easy to vary your route each time - but try and stick to the white bits on the map. Now the white bits run out near the Ling Roth Lakes - and I have always (well 5 or 6 times I guess) gone via the thin bit of dark green between the two northernmost lakes. This is down from the hill - spot height 1167. To get there - go along the light green areas from the North East, the going is easy at first past three small lakes (that are very photogenic) and then drop down into a saddle to sidle the hill before 1167, and also sidle 1167 on the left slightly and I think it is best to drop down to the second lake a bit rather than head directly down to the connecting bit (to avoid fagus scrub). The descent is not too bad through medium scrub - scoparia and stuff. Then go to the bit between the lakes - this is thick fagus and is SLOW (but thankfully short) - watch that you dont go around in a circle! Once through the fagus - the going on the mts of Jupiter side is a lot easier - and you may even find a very faint pad (animal pad or human?) - anyway its very faint and easy to loose - but it does not matter if you loose it. You then gradually climb up onto the Mts of J (best to stay on a bit of a spur).
Once on the top - you can either go right or left. Both have their merits. Mostly I have gone right - slowly through complex country - to a small saddle above the outlet of L Artemis (this saddle offers nice camping a bit down near some tarns to the east- and great views). From the saddle just scrub bash straight down to the Artemis track (when i first went that way there was a faint pad - but on more recent trips - it has been too faint to follow). Again - i would not call it bad scrub - especially with gravity assist. From Artemis - follow the track to L Eros - and then (fainter) around the north of Eros the Merope outlet creek. From there - the track seems to end - and I have crossed the creek and climbed up through scrub onto a rocky knoll (great views) - and from there it is a lot easier (ie no scrub) all the way to the top of Du Cane Gap - but you need to pick your way around scrubby bits and lakes - but it is magical country with nice camping opportunities.
The other way - ie to go left on the Mts of Jupiter - is possibly a bit easier and nicer (and better when the fagus changes colour) - but is probably longer - timewise. It is easy going south along the open Mts of Jupiter tops -with some scrambles and carefully avoiding scrub - to descend near the south end of L Payanna. From there you can go to Du Cane gap via routes north or south of the Orion Lakes (I like to head north for better views - but you need to pick your way around fagus stands)
Not that most of this area - there are no tracks - and that is the way it should be to minimise impacts. There are so many easy routes you can take - but you need to be patient and thread your way around the scrubby parts and use the map intelligently. And - in my opinion - go in April when the fagus is changing colour.
I have been wanting to cross to the Mts of J via routes further south such as near Lake Norman - does anybody know how scrubby that country is nearby?
Dave