Main Range Teviot Gap to Cunninghams Gap
Mobile Phone Coverage
Seems great for Mt Superbus and all peaks north from here.
Mt Castle from
Mt Bell-Mt Roberts-Lizard Point-Superbus shoulder M66
From Teviot Gap after crossing the old wooden bridge and passing beyond the National
Park boundary sign, turn right onto a timber track rather than following the old rabbit fence route.
Follow the timber track which will contour around to a ridge on Mt Bell. The track crossed about 3
tributaries of Teviot Brook and was at times thickly infested with native raspberry. After the third and major tributary, head up the ridge. At the time
of writing (July 2002) there is a pink taped trail that can be followed to the summit of Mt Bell.
As there is only a 300 m ascent, it doesn't take long to reach the top of Mt Bell.
Some views can be found if the east peak is explored. This takes about 5 minutes to reach from the west peak. Mt Roberts
is reached by following the ridge west and keeping to the north as it widens. The route from Mt Superbus is reached
at a level area within 300m or so from the summit. Lizard Point is another 20 minutes from Mt Roberts and is so much
worth a look. The walk from Lizard Point to Teviot Gap by Mt Superbus can be achieved in under 3 hours.
On descending from Superbus shoulder keep to the left when a rocky cairn is found to avoid taking the wrong path.
Cunningham's Gap to Teviot Gap
Cunningham's Gap to Spicer's Peak S55
Suggest avoid the treacherous section between Spicer's Gap and Spicer's Peak
especially with a through pack. This is the area responsible for the death of Stephen
Wells in 2001 who was regarded as a highly experienced walker bu met his fate
in this notorious stretch.
I always walk the long but safe route from where the road to Spicer's Gap begins west of Cunningham's Gap.
It takes me about 5 hours to walk to Spicers Peak East from here. Walk along the dirt road until a decent ridge
appears on the south side of the track and cut through the lantana to the ridge top. An old vehicle track
is soon joined. Count yourself lucky if you aren't clothed to at least the armpits with cobblers pegs before you reach the rainforest section.
In any case you can spend hours picking out the seeds if you get bored.
A lovely panorama over Spicer's Gap begins to open up as you get higher and beautiful cliff top vistas become obvious before
the rainforest of West Spicer's Peak. The walk from West Peak to East Peak can take up to an hour - it is always longer than
prepared for. The East Peak has a large Cairn nice views and a nice but small camp site. Be careful of the blady grass!
Spicer's Peak to Mt Huntley Summit S66
To avoid the small cliffs on the south side of Spicer's Peak, walk about 50m West or until the track
becomes obvious and take a compass bearing south. This will lead you to a creek which can be followed until water
is found. By this time you will be adjacent to false doubletop. Either avoid the climb by traversing in the rainforest around
to the saddle with Mt Doubletop or go up and over false doubletop.
Mt Doubletop is ascended from the North West. It is possible to climb via the South West but the tedious steep ascent is tiring and unworthy
of conservation minded bushwalkers. Descending Mt Doubletop down the South West ridge
leads to the vehicular track into Hell Hole gorge - this is an easy retreat.
Between Mt Doubletop and Mt Huntley are two major knolls - Swan Knoll and then Huntley Knoll. Swan Knoll gives the easiest ascent or descent
off the main range of all the routes. Open Eucalypt forest and remnants of logging gently pass down to the upper Swan Ck where
people regularly come to camp. Huntley knoll is a grassy open hill that always feels tiring and
is a premonotion of the long hike up to Huntley's cliffs.
Once reached, the Huntley cliffs are followed around their base until an obvious ascent route through a break in the cliffs is found. With a through
pack the climb up is scary so be careful and don't take any unnecessary risks. I also don't believe the blackboy that offers
support will last forever and I purposely treat it with caution. I would give 3 to 4 hours for this leg.
Mt Huntley Summit to Mt Asplenium S65
A compass bearing towards the south and east through a delicate tree fern understory leads to a small creek where water can be obtained.
Once obtained head east up the hill until on the ridge. Follow the ridge to Mt Asplenium. The Gendarme rocks are a series of three pinnacles.
The first two are bypassed on their west sides the northern one must be ascended as it gives passage up Mt Asplenium. Contour west around small cliffs
and ascend through a slippery viny nettle region - be careful. Go up to the rather flat featureless summit.
This stretch is about 1 to 2 hours.
Mt Asplenium to Mt Steamer M66
Heading south, the rainforested plane becomes a ridge and within 15 minutes woodland begins to dominate as the soils become stony. Panorama Point is soon
reached. This lives up to its name with views of the steamers and the mountains to the south, west and east. Turn west to find the descent route through two cliffs
before contouring eastward until the main ridge is picked up once more. For some reason I always have difficulty with native rasberry around here.
At Lower Panorama Point a steep descent leads to a lower ridge. A choice between bracken or
rainforest needs to be made and I usually opt for the rainforest margin moving into the bracken where the going gets tough.
There appears to be 100 false trails in this area.
Before the ascent to Mt Steamer a lovely campsite is reached. A track to a nice water course is found west from here. Mt Steamer is a long ascent that takes at
least half an hour and longer if unfit.
Mt Steamer to Lizard Point S77
This is perhaps the most scenic section of the walk. Descent off Mt Steamer involves climbing down a small cliff followed by another small cliff after a little knoll.
Another knoll is ascended and descended before the final approach to Lizard Point begins. On the East is a massife 300m cliff. The vegetaion changes to a Leptospernum forest.
People still camp at Lizard Point even though they have done a lot of damage. I do wish their were fewer people in the world.
Lizard Point to Teviot Gap S66
A 5 minute walk from Lizard Point leads to a camping spot where people ought to camp. A small slippery mossy cliff is encounterd on the ascent of Mt Roberts. Care should be taken
by climbing without a pack and roping them up with rope used to help people if necessary. It is slippery here.
Mt Roberts has a wet rocky peak much of the year fully enclosed in warm temperate rainforest. On the descent south and between here to Mt Superbus Soutshoulder keep a compass handy asn bear
south as it is hard to find the track at times. A line of rocks that was used to support the old rabbit fence is the indicator to head east down to Teviot Gap.