This is a fun traverse (or else return trip) taking in Mt Lyndon (1489m) and Cloudy Hill (1442m), in Korowai Torlesse Tussocklands Park. It offers excellent views of Lake Lyndon, and of many mountains in all directions. The lighting in winter was nice, accentuating the creases in the various ridges and spurs of the Torlesse and Craigieburn Ranges.
You’ll need to organise transport and permission to cross private land doing it as a one-way trip. The return trip option will still be very doable in a day. Track notes at the end. For more info on Korowai Torlesse Tussocklands Park see the DOC website.
Mt Lyndon Cloudy Hill Traverse: The Scenery
Track Notes
You need permission to cross private land to do this walk as described, and also organise transport at the other end. Another worthy option would be to return from Cloudy Hill the way you came, or to climb Mt Lyndon the shorter way from the northern end (see that post here), and return to there. I suspected I was about to cross private land when I reached a new looking fence, but it was way too late to turn back by that stage. (Sorry!) I hadn’t checked the map properly and thought the conservation area extended to the road.
Starting from the lodge on this occasion, you follow a track along a stream and then pass through a fence to access a north-south spur. There is some scrub to push through on the lower slopes, but never too thick. (There are also some mountain bike tracks that you criss-cross). Climb the spur all the way to Mt Lyndon. From Mt Lyndon, continue NW and descend very steeply to a saddle, then ascend very steeply to near point 1456m. On the way down aim for the softest scree. On the way up, get across to vegetated areas towards the top for better footing. This section felt a little intimidating but I survived! 🙂
From near 1456m continue across 1345m to Cloudy Hill. With permission you can descend on a straightforward route over 1014m to the road. This will take about 4+ hours in total. Returning the way you came will involve repeating those steep sections, but you’ll know what you are dealing with by then.
One can go up to Red Hill from the Porter River near Coleridge Pass, then down the northern spur from Pt 1494 to avoid crossing private land. Different summits, but similar traverse…There’s that nice newish track alongside the Porter River, starting on the true right but soon crossing to the true left.
Thanks Honora. Red Hill was the first entirely off track walk we did, roughly three years ago. I later heard rumours of a track on the true right but it was so snowy at that time that you couldn’t see it and we ended up walking on the true left up to Red Hill and back (from the ski field road). I’m keen to go back and sus out that track and do that loop you’ve suggested. Red Hill had what are still some of the best views we’ve seen.