Mt Townsend to Opera House, returning via Crags Ck
Date: 2009 12 11-13
Distance: 28km
Ascent: 1500m
Rating: M/X/R extremely!
Time: 2.5 hours on Day 1 and 12 hours on Day 2 and Day 3 (Time reflects intermediate pace with frequent stops to take pictures)
Participants: Kaz & M. Baker
Route:
Friday avo Charlottes Pass to camp near Seamans Hut
Saturday – Mt Townsend, Alice Rawson Peak, Abbott Ridge to Opera House
Sunday – Aquaduct tunnel, Crags Creek, Watson Crag Saddle, Blue Lake, Charlottes Pass
Notes:
On first night we camped to north west of Seamans Hut in a gully. Camp site 400m east of main range track 55 H 614246 5966329 (UTM GDA) Excellent protection from the wind and water course nearby. Flat spot with good grass coverage.
Track to Mt Townsend runs off the southern side of Mueller Peak, came across it at 55 H 613543 5967348 (UTM GDA) on 2000 m contour line
Water located on way to Mt Townsend at 55 H 613514 5967815 and 55 H 613074 5968558 (UTM GDA)
Mt Townsend cairn consists of a cement pillar. Mt Townsend has a good shelter that would hold approx 8 people – located to the east of cement cairn / on the edge of uppermost boulders.
Mt Townsend is the point from which Eugene Von Guerard’s famous painting of the Main Range entitled “North-east view from the northern top of Mt Kosciusko” was painted in 1864. See:
http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/
Further Info on the descent off N Townsend and photos are on the attachment below