Distance: 4.9 km (3.0 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Moderate terrain
Altitude: 1069m to 1476m. Gain: 257m. Loss: 618m . Gradient: 10 deg (Moderate)
Skills: Occasional scrambles (3/7)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Low scrub in open or bush / river rocks

Occasional scrambles (difficulty: 3/7)
Tramp with some scrambles and exposure to falls

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

Heading due west off Tarn ridge, just north of pt1470 it is a 100m climb to Lancaster highpoint - the first summit of many on Carkeek Ridge. Obvious ridge continues to Thompson, but from this summit you must drop SSW and the ridge below which you are aiming for is not visible in fog. A small cairn on the ridgeline marks the spot to start descending SSW, but three spurs drop from this point and careful map&compass work is required ot get the right one if you can't see it. The ridge you require is directly below the cairn - but false ground-trails try to lead you further west.

The remainder of Carkeek ridge is long and narrow - a knife-edge in places. A far cry from the broad tarn dotted Dorset tot he south. Many rocky outcrops require brief scrambles - and not all are shown on the map. I counted 5 peaks all up after Thompson.

You hit leatherleaf on the knob above Carkeek Hut, but a track has been cut from this point through the worst bits. Carkeek Hut is tucked away just inside the bushedge, but the dunny is visible on the bushline.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description