Platform Peak

Saturday 25th July 2015

Platform Peak Summit

Today I took some friends up to Platform Peak because they had not been there before. See previous post here for walk description and map.
We set off from the end of Braslins Road and walked up to the summit using the same route as I used last time. The weather was perfect with clear skies. To add a little variation, on the descent off the northern side of the peak, we followed an obscure track that branched right off the track. This eventually met up with an old track and finally the good road.
This was an excellent short walk with great views, although I didn't take very many photos this time.
It took an hour longer than when I did it solo.
Distance: 12.3 kms.
Time: 4"27"
Ascent: 509 metres
Click here to download GPX file.

Platform Peak

Tuesday 13th August 2013

With the threat of worsening weather this afternoon, I wanted to do a shorter walk so I could be home by the time it started. Platform Peak was chosen for a couple of reasons- it was short and it was also unfinished business as I had attempted to do Mt. Dromedary and Platform Peak together last year, but ran out of time, only getting to the base of Platform before having to turn around, as I had to be home at a certain time.
Armed with fresh information on the tracks, thanks to Becca (Blog site here) I set off walking at 8.35am from the end of Braslins Road in Black Hills. The weather was fine and cool with lots of frost on the ground and a blustery wind up in the tree tops. I knew this part of the track as I had previously walked this way. The track goes uphill on old forestry roads before making a turn and heading north until a junction is reached and then westwards to another track. From here I walked south for 150 metres to find the walking track heading up to the summit. The track was well marked and was easy to follow all the way up and had a light covering of snow most of the way. It was blowing a gale at the top, so I didn't hang around too long before finding a bit of shelter out of the wind. The temperature up here was 1 degree, but I don't know what the wind chill factor was, but take it from me, it was cold. The summit cairn is very impressive as you can see from the photos.
I was going to stop for a bite to eat up here but decided to keep going. The track descended quite steeply in places in a north easterly direction to finally reach a well maintained road. It was then just a matter of following this road for 1.6 kms. and then branching off on an old forestry track to eventually meet up with the outgoing track and back to the car. I never did get to eat anything, so by the time I reached the car I was quite peckish.
This was quite an enjoyable walk with great scenery.
Distance: 12.3 kms.
Time: 3'25"
Ascent: 550 metres
There is a map and gpx track at Everytrail.
Click here to download GPX track.

Looking Westwards from near summit

Looking SE towards Mt. Wellington

Looking Westwards

Summit Cairn

Looking towards the summit cairn

Looking Westwards

Icy pond beside road

Summit Cairn

Mount Dromedary

Saturday 10th November 2012

Mount Dromedary Summit

The aim of today's walk was to climb Mount Dromedary and then go on and do Platform Peak as well. All did not go to plan as I ran out of time in the end because I had to be home by a certain time.
To reach the start of the walk drive out to New Norfolk and turn right over the bridge towards Black Hills and finally turn right into Braslins Road and drive to the end.
I started walking about 0830 and walked around the locked gate and uphill on a good forestry track. It was wet in places with flowing water, but nothing serious and after 30 minutes I came to a junction. I kept heading in an easterly direction before coming to another junction which I noted as I was coming back this way. I carried on straight ahead and after a while the track started heading south.

Along the track to Mount Dromedary

Soon I passed the junction with the track that I was going to return on and kept going south to find the marked track to the summit. The track was easy to follow and after about 50 minutes of climbing I reached the top. There were good views here.

From Mount Dromedary

As I wanted to go to Platform Peak as well, I didn't waste too much time here and climbed back down to the road track and turned left onto the track I had previously seen. This track went down to Little Marsh and paralleled the western side of it. It was quite pleasant walking in this area. After crossing a small creek the track went back uphill to meet the outgoing track. I walked back to the first junction and walked along the track in a northerly direction towards Platform Peak. I did not know were I was really going, only that I had a track on the map in my GPS that went to the summit. This proved to be totally inaccurate in the end. Anyway I came to a good road which was heading in the right direction and then turned left onto another track and searched for the ascent track. I could not find it so I retraced and found another track and at the end some tapes. I followed these but it was not a defined track and I was running out of time, so decided to abandon my attempt and walked back to the car.
This was a good walk with good views and even though I did not get to Platform Peak I enjoyed it.
Note: I have since learned where the track is and have done Platform Peak. If I had kept going along the taped trail for another 30 metres, I would have come across the track!!
Distance: 21.1 kms.
Time: 6'24"
Ascent: 808 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

From Mount Dromedary

From Mount Dromedary

From Mount Dromedary

From Mount Dromedary

Platform Peak