• Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions
  • Support
  • Projects
  • Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions
  • Support
  • Projects

bush ranger immigrant low light blackberries Tasman Peninsula Biodiversity vegetation event study wynyard Wilderness devonport jews archeolology Mythology Maritime Atmosphere sea sparkle eldon sky packraft Reprint waterfront recycling

Support Us

Categories:
  • Feature Article
  • Issue Eighteen
  • Office for the Captured Pixel

The Sentinels at Dawn

Sam Wilkinson

May 3, 2014
Like 1
Categories:
  • Feature Article
  • Issue Eighteen
  • Office for the Captured Pixel


Tags:
  • adventure
  • Atmosphere
  • buttongrass
  • Climbing
  • Geology
  • Lake Pedder
  • Mountains
  • quartzite
  • sentinels
  • Southwest
  • Southwest Tasmania
  • starthgordon



Mid-August, six AM , it’s minus one degrees Centigrade and my fingers are not working.

As the stars start to fade and the first light of the day is coming, I set off with ten kilograms of camera gear to climb into the Sentinel Range. After signing the log book, it’s a steady  uphill stretch through buttongrass plains. Lake Gordon is appearing behind me and the white dusted silhouette of Mount Wedge to my left.

Thirty minutes in, the mud turns to quartz and I begin scrambling up. Stopping to take a break, I get out my Hasselblad camera, loaded with black and white film, to take a shot of the rising sun

The sun is out, fiercely burning my neck, yet I’m still cold in the notorious Tassie day. I reach a false summit, which is visible from the camp ground, and spend an hour there taking photos, being idle. There is little wind and I can’t hear anything, I’m at peace. I push on to climb the true summit not far away, rising high above the more sheltered, intimate false summit.

 

 

 

About the trail:

Heading towards Strathgordon along the Gordon River Road stands the Sentinel Range. Turning around the bend, this amazing quartzite range shoots up suddenly and the driver can be easily distracted by its beauty. Standing at only 974 meters above sea level, it’s appearance is deceiving due to the range being less than 1 kilometer wide and 5 kilometers long.

Access to the start of the walking track is through the Wedge River Picnic Ground, which includes shelter,  two fireplaces, shelter,  and flat camping areas. This 4 kilometer walk takes about 3-4 hours return. It’s very steep but quite safe to climb with the help of thick branches and good foot holes.

The climb down is tougher than going up- sore joints and careful footing can result in a few bush landings.  This is easily my favorite day walk in Tasmania.

 

Author profile
Sam Wilkinson

Sam Wilkinson graduated from The University of Tasmania in 2013 with Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring photography. He's an avid world traveler and adventurer since a young age. Growing up in East Timor, Bali and Australia opened his mind to cultural difference between the East and West. He is currently working as a freelance photographer in Tasmania and spends his spare time climbing mountains.


icon light bulb ES-Tasmania/


Related posts
    No other articles on TG by this author - maybe soon!

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Would you be willing to help support the ongoing costs for publishing Tasmanian Geographic? 

 

As a special thank-you we’ll send you our special “36 Wonders of Tasmania” PDF map.

Every cent will help.

 Thanks in advance!

  • About Us
  • Contributors
  • Archives
  • The Fine Print
  • Professional Services
  • Giant Tree Expeditions
  • Support Us

The more you know, the less you need

Share it on your social network:

Or you can just copy and share this url

We send out issues by email containing fantastic images, words, video, and more. You'll love it.