Clumner Bluff from Mersey Crag

[LeftRightShoot]

Gday,

Is it feasible to attempt Clumner Bluff from Mersey Crag? If so, is there any advice on a route and/or travel times? Looking at an Abels loop of the Walls soon.

King David, Jerusalem, Turrana, Mersey, Clumner.


Cheers

[Azza]

Years ago we were on Turrana Bluff after starting up near Lk Augusta, one of party continued onto Mersey Crag and then over to Clumner and back.

I'd already done both Clumner and Mersey Crag so wasn't really keen on the slog fest. It was pretty close to lunchtime when he took off on the mission.
I think we camped in a Pencil Pine forest somewhere around Turrana Bluff and he didn't make it back before dark.
He did catch us early the next morning, apparently he was camped on the next rise over, he couldn't see us so he camped.

Look across towards Clumner from Turrana Bluff its all open walking from memory. Lots of nice camping options up there.
Stick to the Plateau and the walking is pretty easy.

[LeftRightShoot]

Thanks very much. This could be a great loop but I'd hate to have to come out and then do Clumner as an out and back.

[teak]

This is a photo from Mersey Crag looking towards Clumner Bluff the going looks okay but I have not done it myself.

[LeftRightShoot]

Thank you very much. Looks great but I've been fooled by that a few times!

[Azza]

Thanks very much. This could be a great loop but I'd hate to have to come out and then do Clumner as an out and back.

There is a track/old road down Clumner at the northern end or you could descend direct to the Walls Carpark assuming you can find a suitable route down and avoid the cliffs.
Depends on what your comfortable with off track and/or whether you want a car shuffle.

[bushwalker zane]

Some super lovely open walking up there! I did Clumner from Lake Mackenzie, as the Mersey Forest road was cut off from flood damage when I wanted to go there. Having already been up Turrana and Mersey Crag it was funny to take the long route passed both of them to clumner, however, the walking was so lovely with many open patches of grassland, and minimal scrub. Well worth it!

Between Mersey Crag and Clumner is plenty of open country, and from memory it didn't take very long to go between those two peaks. Here's my blog post on it if you're interested
http://abelzane.blogspot.com/2017/02/clumner-bluff.html

[Tortoise]

We went from Mersey Crag to Clumner and back a few years ago. We stayed high on the slopes of Mersey Crag on the way out, and had a lot of scoparia to play in. We took a lower route on the way back and it was much better.

[vagrom]

b.zane, the tent in your blog on Clumner's an HBerg. Can you tell me what model?

[bushwalker zane]

b.zane, the tent in your blog on Clumner's an HBerg. Can you tell me what model?

It's the Soulo in Green with a footprint. Absolute bombproof thing! Here's a link to the model on their website:
https://us.hilleberg.com/EN/tent/red-label-tents/soulo/

[vagrom]

Thanks for tent info. Yes v.solid, and like a smaller Salewa. 2.4 kg, roomy, best materials - the Volvo end of the spectrum.

[north-north-west]

Yes, that's the way I did it. Wonderful little bit of country and mostly very easy walking, just a little scrub below Mersey Crag itself.

[LeftRightShoot]

Thanks all for all this info. Im back and I survived. What an amazing trip. Got through it in 3 days but planned for 4. I DID NOT find a suitable way across the Fish river so had to walk the extra km's on road. Heres my trip: https://ayvri.com/scene/e9k4xvl45o/cjur ... 65ymgg3few

I did Clumner, Mersey, Turanna, Jerusalem and King Davids. Started late and was always behind schedule until hitting trails on day 3. Jerusalem and King Davids were a snap and the short route down from Kings Davids to Wild Dog was easy to find and easier to walk. The book is right! Why isnt this the main trail!?

I managed to see the most beautiful moonrise I've ever seen, I had a friendly eagle following me for a while... and i didnt see a soul for 2.5 days.

[bushwalker zane]

I found that unbelievably satisfying to watch! How did you make that trail video? Is it a special watch and website that does it? I've never seen anything like this before. That was great!!

Also, sounds like you had a really lovely walk

[north-north-west]

Zane:
GoogleEarth will do something similar, if you're good enough at manipulating the perspectives.

cnschultz:
I'm rather surprised you didn't take the short route up Jerusalem from near Zion Gate. It's fairly straightforward - just drop a little south into the Powena Creek valley and up the southeastern spur. Much simpler than traversing all the way around the Eastern Wall, although it does mean you have to carry your pack all the way over.

As for the direct line between Herods Gate and King Davids: this is an old route that TasPAWS closed years back (due to erosion and rockfalls) and has been trying to rehabilitate. Fortunately the hordes mostly no longer use it so there is some progress in that department.

[LeftRightShoot]

I found that unbelievably satisfying to watch! How did you make that trail video? Is it a special watch and website that does it? I've never seen anything like this before. That was great!!

Also, sounds like you had a really lovely walk

Got the 3 days off my watch (suunto, but any should do it). I just stitched the gpx of each day together. Then I had to run a process over it to even out the speed (otherwise it paused at my campsites for a very long time). I used GPSBABEL for that. Theres a much simpler thing called "relive" (relive.cc) but it only works for short trips. Relive also links with strava so its super easy to generate. Google earth is ok but often your perspective disappears into a mountain. Very frustrating.

[LeftRightShoot]

I'm rather surprised you didn't take the short route up Jerusalem from near Zion Gate.

I did consider that. It was only superstition that convinced me otherwise. I'd had some "fun" bee-lining some other paths in teh last two days and didnt want to get cliffed (or bushed) out. Also there was a trail marked on my map! I hadnt seen one in 2 days and it was nice to follow one... for 500m until it ran out

[north-north-west]

Yeah, it can be a bit hit and miss if you don't know the terrain. But that one is easy enough. Little bit of scrub low down but there are pads and plenty of leads and it opens out quite quickly, plus the cliffs are easy to avoid.
All the tracks fade out in Zion and Hinom, but it's not far to Jaffa Gate where they start up again.