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Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
VIC Grampians	(General)	(General)	(General)	[ Grampians Guide \| Images ]

Topic Date User

Best way to access Mt. Difficult 9-Jan-2018 At 8:00:05 PM Access T CliffCare

Message

Hopefully, a little more clarity on the current state of the trail

On 9-Jan-2018 Grinder wrote:
>I think they are trying to be clear to walkers and campers that the campsite
>and trail are closed.
>My understanding is that the campsite is to be closed permanently, but
>the trail will eventually form part of the Grampians Peak Trail, as shown
>on this recent brochure:
>
>http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/662813/Grampians-Peaks-Trail-Brochu
>e.pdf
>
>
>In the meantime, there is no indication that the area is closed to climbing.
>Climbers should be free to access the cliff. The most sensible and lowest
>impact option for that would be to use the existing trail as an access
>trail, being mindful of not interfering with any works along the way or
>worsening any erosion issues. There is no other way of accessing the cliff
>unless you bush-bash.
>
>I suspect that if you asked Parks directly as an individual they would
>say that the trail is closed and shouldn't be used. VCC Access/Cliffcare
>probably has a better chance of coming to an understanding on climbers
>access based on the issues associated with the track closure and when/where
>work will be done. It has parallels with use of the Giants Staircase and
>the approach trail to Mt Rosea as a climbing access trail, except that
>at some stage they are likely to be doing construction work and genuinely
>won't want people around.
>
>So, I reckon the definitive answer is that that trail is closed - bush-bash
>your own way in (maybe 50 cm off the track?). The practical answer is deliberately
>obtuse.

As noted in my post responding to darkpromenade, this has been discussed with PV and climbers can use it as previously. The trail was damaged extensively in the North Grampians fire and for a variety of reasons and without going into too much detail, the campground and trail won't be repaired. Therefore it is no longer an 'official' trail or walk that they promote as such to park visitors. There is a new campground slated for Dead Bullock Creek that lines up with a Trailhead and a newer section of the GPT.
The area is not closed for climbing now.
Please use the same trail you previously used although as I noted above, I have been told some parts are not so good. (keen to hear from those who have been in. Maybe I will schedule a visit)
The old trail will not be part of the GPT.

A little from a report I did in 2016 https://cliffcare.org.au/2016/08/31/access-report-september

On 9-Jan_2018 JamesMc wrote:
>For what it's worth, my understanding is that the track to the Mt Difficult Cliff is originally >a climbers' track, cut on a series of VCC working bees in the 1960s.

Really? The whole track from the campground up? I'd been keen to get the background on that. From my understanding, the last section was but not the whole track.

>It's a bit rough for Parks to close the track just because they want to close the camp >site at the bottom or don't want to maintain it. If Parks don't want to be bothered with

It was damaged in the fire and due to new trails and a few other concerns, it won't be repaired and therefore not maintained

>maintaining the track then it should be treated like the old track up Mt Rosea - a sign to >direct tourists away, and just leave the track for climbers and any other free spirited >people to use.

That's pretty much what is happening

>The track heads south east from the Troopers Creek camp ground. If you park just >south of the camp ground and head east or north-east into the bush, you will soon pick >it up.

Not sure of how clear the track is at certain points due to the damage.