 |
| Mount Pillinger from Twin Spires |
Mt Pillinger lies to the east of the
Overland Track and provides spectacular views (1MB jpg) of the main peaks along that
route, as well as many other peaks of the Central Plateau and northern
Tasmania. This is a moderate daywalk and well worth the effort.
Times
The walk should take 2 to 2 1/2 hours one-way, but this will depend on how quickly you climb steep hills. Slower climbers should allow more time. You will also need to allow extra time for sitting on top soaking in the view.
Accessing the walk
The walk commences from
the very end of the Arm River Road; the first part of the walk is along the
standard walk-in to Pelion Hut. Drive to Mole Creek and then heading west out
of the town take the Mersey Forest Road.
About 35 km from the middle of Mole Creek, you turn right into Maggs Road (signed to Arm River), and then after a further 2.5 km fork right into Arm River Road. Follow the road to its end. There isn't a great deal of parking - try to park
so that others can too.
Safety
The summit is at 1280
m, and in poor weather the approach and climb would be unpleasant – as for all
Tasmanian walks, take warm and waterproof clothing. Some of the slopes are
steep and bouldery, so some care is required. Mobile phones on the Telstra
network operate from the higher parts of the peak.
Description
From the carpark, the
track first heads through the forest and is fairly level for a short distance
before climbing steeply to the plateau. Once the track has levelled out, you
will come across a fork. The main track
goes right, and a more minor pad heads left.
Someone has placed some sticks across the minor track, and I'm not sure
if perhaps there is a later turnoff to the Mt Pillinger walk. Anyway, you can
head left, and the track undulates and winds along a pleasant valley.
 |
| The wrong cairn which does NOT lead up Mount Pillinger |
There is
the opportunity to go astray along here where a misleadingly well constructed small-cairn marks an intersection
with a track leading left. This track actually heads east, away from Mt Pillinger, probably
back to the end of a road in the Mersey Valley I think. (See photo of the WRONG
cairn.)
Keep going until you find a substantial cairn (GPS Ref. S 41 48.404 E 146
07.802) and can see a reedy lake ahead. The track now turns left and heads
uphill and is easy to follow all the way to the top although some sections are steep
and/or bouldery. The track first heads roughly southeast, then turns through roughly southwest before turning west and climbing steeply and more directly to the
summit. The views open up, and from the top there is a very spectacular view of
many of the peaks of the Overland Track and Central Plateau.
Maps
At 1:100,000 you can use either the Mersey (8114) sheet or the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National park map. At 1:25,000 you will need the Rowallan (4237) and Cathedral (4236) mapsheets.
Other sources of information
The Abels Volume 1 contains a description.
John Chapman also covers this walk as a sidetrip in his Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair Guide.
See also my post about my walk to Mount Pillinger in February 2013.
