Nevada Peak

Monday 15 December 2014

This was a delightful early summer day without much wind at all and cloud free, but also quite a mild temperature. On top of that bugs were minimal and the flowers great.

During the drive in we arrived at an unsigned road junction and fortunately took the left one to successfully get to the start of the track. A fresh parks sign was met a couple of hundred metres in and then a short boggy bit of track, but once past that it was good underfoot. Some years ago I helped Dave T and PWS cut the new Woolleys Tarn track and got a surprise how long that section went for. It was still in good order and nice a firm and dry whereas the old start was wet and degraded. Things deteriorated at the other end well beyond the junction on the old track.

Woolleys Tarn was really a nice sight and we took a break there in the shade of the old myrtle trees before climbing up to the plateau.

On the way we went past a number of Waratah at peak flowering and a welcome stream running down slope giving easy access for a drink.

At the foot of Nevada Peak a moraine took us to the slope leading to the summit.

It was calm on top and ideal lunch conditions after which it was down to Snowdrift Tarns with some flowering cushion plants. Further out on the plateau hosts of snow daisies were evident and it would have been a great if they had been out.

Pterygopappus lawrencei Sage cushion plant

 

Scleranthus brockiei Mountain Knawel

Dracophyllum minimum

We did make a minor error by heading a little too far north and had to drop down to cross rocks missing the easier route. Next came the downhill bit through woodland to the rainforest. It was warm enough to really appreciate the cool water when a creek was reached. A really good walk in ideal weather.
The walk took 6:15 hours of actual walking for the 12.5k circuit
Click the image below for the photo album

Nevada Peak