Mount Olympus

Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion.
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Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.

Mount Olympus

Postby Penguin » Mon 18 Feb, 2008 4:53 pm

I am thinking of doing Mt Olympus as an overnight walk the weekend after next.

Any suggestions re the route to the summit and where best to camp.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby flyfisher » Mon 18 Feb, 2008 5:18 pm

Good description of 2 routes in the Chapman-Siseman book "Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair" page 184

Should give fabulous views in the right weather.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Mickeymoo » Mon 18 Feb, 2008 5:22 pm

G'day penguin, my old man and I did this walk last year, we went about 2kms past echo point then headed up. we did encounter a few small cliff faces (and a few waterfalls that plunged over them) but these were relativly easy to get past, the ground is also quite soft and spoungy which makes it a little bit harder as it tends to be a little slippery. We camped at Lake Oenon which is a magic spot to camp, it does get a little scrubby up towards the lake though but not too bad. From the lake we headed south where there are a few rough pads and scree slopes that leads up to the saddle between the north and south plateaus (we went to the south side) then went back the same way but we ended up a bit more north of where we went up.
I have heard/read that most people do it from the west side especially if wanting to camp on top of at Lake Petrarch and do Mt. Olympus as a day walk.
Hope this helps, I'm sure some other people on here will know what it's like on the west side.

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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Penguin » Mon 18 Feb, 2008 8:01 pm

Thanks Mickeymoo. The Eastern approach sounds interesting. We will be doing Frenchman's over the preceding five days, we thought Olympus would be a good couple of days to finish off the week.

I will have a look at the Chapman book flyfisher, thanks for the suggestion.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby norts » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 8:12 am

I agree with Mickeymoo, I did it last year, and couldn't find any route but the camping at Lake Oenon was very pretty. Camped the second night at Lake Petrarch. Chapmans book says the west slope down to was burnt a (quite)few years ago, it is starting to get a bit thicker now, but not impenatrable.

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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby tasadam » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 9:30 am

Mickeymoo wrote:...we went about 2kms past echo point then headed up...

If it's the route I'm thinking of, the junction looks like this
[image removed] Image of Byron Gap turnoff on Overland Track.
But I could be wrong - maybe that's further north. Seemed like more than 2 km to me. But that was after doing most of the Overland track, and that last day down the lake side was very long.
(image was a URL link to other photos from that area)
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby johnw » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 3:20 pm

tasadam wrote:
Mickeymoo wrote:...we went about 2kms past echo point then headed up...

But I could be wrong - maybe that's further north. Seemed like more than 2 km to me. But that was after doing most of the Overland track, and that last day down the lake side was very long.


Adam,
I remember that sign from the Overland Track in early January. We also walked out via the lake, overnighting at Echo Point. From memory, when you leave Narcissus there is a sign just past the loo saying that the Cuvier Valley track is for "experienced walkers only, not recommended" (or something similar). You then come to that signposted junction in the forest. I thought it was about 2 km in, with probably still 4-5 km to Echo Point. However I'm wondering if Mickeymoo is actually describing an off track route straight up the hill from the OT, about 1/2 way between Echo Point and the sign.

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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Mickeymoo » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 4:59 pm

the way we went up was off track and straight up about 1.5-2km north from echo point, hope that clears it up. I didn't realise that there was actually a recognised route up there :?
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby norts » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 5:48 pm

That sign post is for the Cuvier Track. It goes up onto Byron Gap and then down to Lake Petrarch. Chapman describes a route from Byron Gap to Mt Olympus but it doesnt sound very appealling.

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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby PeterJ » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 7:14 pm

norts wrote:That sign post is for the Cuvier Track. It goes up onto Byron Gap and then down to Lake Petrarch. Chapman describes a route from Byron Gap to Mt Olympus but it doesn't sound very appealing.

Roger


This above information is correct and if you do head to Lake Eonone from Byron Gap you have negotiate some large boulder fields. The eastern route is substantially further south towards Echo Point. If you pick the best route there is not much scrub at all, but get a bit off and you run into quiet a lot, especially north of Lake Helen. The best way up starts about 20-25 minutes north of Echo Point.

Another route is to head up the Cuvier Valley and then directly for the southern end of Seven Apostles and along the south summit plateau.

The area, especially near Eonone, is delicate and needs looking after; trust you'll do that.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Son of a Beach » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 7:45 pm

Hi All,

I'm not familiar with these routes, but please keep in mind that if they are untracked, and sensitive areas, please do not post details regarding access to them in this publicly accessible forum, but use private messages or emails (see the rules... link near top right of the page).

Thanks! :-)
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Penguin » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 8:24 pm

Okay Nik

It is interesting that these routes are in Chapman's book.

We will walk softly and try to leave no footprints.

pms appreciated
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Son of a Beach » Wed 20 Feb, 2008 7:28 am

Thanks mate :) . I'm all for sharing information, but this restriction is basically to avoid upsetting people who would be more worried about the areas that are not so sensitive, as well as to reduce the potential for some places that really are sensitive to become overrun with large numbers of careless visitors.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby scrub boy » Thu 28 Feb, 2008 7:57 am

I've been up there a couple of times, camped at the lakes etc. so it's easy to say but I wouldn't return as I was very aware of how fragile it is, both the lakes and areas of the summit. Some areas around the lake are compacted and pads are starting to form in the scrub.
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Re: Mount Olympus

Postby Penguin » Mon 03 Mar, 2008 7:17 am

I have just come back. It is a very beautiful place and great views from the summits.

I have to agree with scrub boy. The camping areas are starting to intrude on the natural beauty and may even be doing some long term damage.

Fortunately the route does require some bush skills and this should naturally keep the numbers down.
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