Thumbs From Clear Hill

[ILUVSWTAS]

Only got 1 decent shot from our latest walk, was a bit typically SW'y

Sw tas = scrubby wet tas....

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[eggs]

Nice - I didn't realise Clear Hill was a conglomerate rock type.

Is that also the type of rock on Thumbs / Wright / etc?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hey Eggs thanks! Yup lots of conglomerate on Clear Hill! and the Ragged Range.
Not having done Wright or the Thumbs yet im not sure about them, but I'd imagine they would be partly conglom??

[ollster]

'Twas most untrustworthy conglomerate too... very occasionally busting off in your hand (or under your foot).

[stu]

A write up of mine & a friends day trip to Clear Hill & The Thumbs in April 2008 here:

http://www.wildtiger.biz/index.php?tracknotes&id=64

A few photos of the area (yes, The Thumbs are a conglomerate range, but Mt Wright is more into a quartzite I think - see attached pics).
The Thumbs are a spectacular little summit, very airy & exposed like great summits tend to be.

The Thumbs from Clear Hill Plains.

Looking back at Clear Hill from the ascent of The Thumbs.

The Thumbs & Clear Hill from the summit of Mt Wright.

[stu]

...and a few more from Mt Wright area...

The Thumbs from Mt Wright summit

Looking south along the Mt Wright ridge from the northern end.

Le brothers Spong on the smaller of the 2 arches on Mt Wright (note rock type change from Clear Hill & Thumbs).

[ILUVSWTAS]

Nice Stu!
Is getting up the actual summit of the Thumbs difficult??

[stu]

...and a couple more of the main arch at the northern end of Mt Wright (as featured in 'Where Am I' recently).

The beauty of natural engineering, Mt Wright rock arch.

Lads edging toward the bridge - the top is narrow & exposed but you can still make your way along it, carefully

[stu]

SW, the top of The Thumbs is not too bad, a little climby mantle move to get onto the summit slab then just a delicate walk to the little tower top - awesome fun!

[ILUVSWTAS]

Cool mate thanks for that!!
Thinking of heading in to try that one in the next few weeks!

[abowen]

Hi Stu,
Is it best to tackle the Thumbs from the western or eastern side? I have seen some notes on a track which ascends from the eastern side via the Rasselas track.
The arches on Wright look pretty amazing. I have seen the larger one through some binoculars, but haven't been up close and personal yet. Is access best off Rasselas as close as you can get before stepping off up the ridge? Looks pretty scrubby.
Cheers
Andrew

[stu]

Hi Andrew,

I think most parties still tackle The Thumbs from the eastern side (we only did it this way to combine the 2 peaks), it was reasonably easy from the west tho & would probably make a fairly casual over nighter with good camping on the Clear Hill Plains (water available from little creeks + still clear after fires early last year). Our descent route off The Thumbs was far easier than our somewhat misdirected ascent (see article); just easy clear button grass leads, a bit of scrambling along the ridge itself & a pad up to just below the top where some slightly trickier scrambling was required, nothing that bad tho.

Mt Wright is pretty straight forward - cross the Gordon (as if heading to Rhona) & not long after just pick a clear lead across the plains & head uphill, not much scrub at all really, just lots of buttongrass again, & lots of uphill. Walking along the tops is delightfully clear & easy; this one is a fairly easy day walk allowing for full exploration of the mountain & it's features & a wallow in the Gordon on your return if you get a clear hot day like we did.

Great area

Stu.

[MJD]

The Thumbs are conglomerate. It's a lovely walk up the Rasselas Track to Myrtle Creek and across the Gordon Plains. Some bits are a little overgrown and some bits are almost perfect despite little use.

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Looking north from the Thumbs summit - notice the conglomerate

A perfect bit of the Rasselas track - notice the walker in the distance

[Buddy]

That conglomerate is Owen conglomerate and occurs again at Conglomerate Ck. when driving into Queenstown. It also constitutes the Ragged and Sawback Ra. leading into Adamsfield.