Federation Peak
{{Short description|Mountain in Tasmania, Australia}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Federation Peak
| photo = Federation Peak.jpg
| photo_caption = Federation Peak from the Eastern Arthur Range
| elevation_m = 1224
| elevation_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=11539 |title=Federation Peak, Australia |units=meters |access-date=5 June 2017 }}
| prominence_m = 600
| isolation_km =
| isolation_ref =
| map = Australia Tasmania
| map_caption = Location in Tasmania, Australia
| location = Tasmania, Australia
| range = Arthur Range
| coordinates = {{coord|43|16|17|S|146|28|32|E|type:mountain_region:AU-TAS}}
| first_ascent = John Béchervaise, Bill Elliot, Fred Elliot and Allan Rogers - 27 January 1949
| easiest_route =
}}
Image:Federation Peak Climb.jpg
Federation Peak is a Tasmanian mountain with a sharp spire-like shape, which marks the southern end of the Eastern Arthur Range in the Southwest National Park. The peak, approximately {{convert|90|km}} south-west from Hobart, was named after the Federation of Australia.
With an elevation of {{convert|1224|m}} above sea level the last stretch of the route up is extremely steep and exposed, involving rock climbing moves {{convert|600|m}} above Lake Geeves.{{cite AV media |people=Simon Bischoff |date=July 22, 2018 |title=Winter on the Blade |language=en |url=https://vimeo.com/ondemand/winterontheblade/281197775 }} Its reputation is such that Sir Edmund Hillary declared it "Australia's only real mountain".{{cite news|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-30/federation-peak-ascent-via-blade-ridge-in-winter-documentary/8754688 |title=Federation Peak: First ascent of Australia's 'only real mountain' in winter via Blade Ridge |author=David Robertson |work=ABC News |date=29 July 2017 |access-date=February 26, 2018}}
History
The first westerner to sight the peak was the surveyor James Sprent who was carrying out a trigonometrical survey of Tasmania. He described it as "the Obelisk".{{Cite book |last=Doran |first=Kevin |title=Federation: Australia's Adventure Peak |publisher=Desdichado |year=2004 |pages=14–16 |isbn=0-9586935-1-X}} It became known as Sprent's Obelisk, however in 1901 it was officially named Federation Peak in honour of the Federation of Australia by Thomas Bather Moore while cutting a track from Hastings to Port Davey via Old River.
It took almost 50 years after the first western sighting for the summit to be reached, a testament to the harshness of southwest Tasmania. Challenges include thick horizontal scrub, ancient cool temperate rainforest, exceptionally steep and harsh terrain on the surrounding ridges and highly unpredictable weather generated by the roaring forties.
After several unsuccessful attempts by various groups in the late 1940s, a party from the Geelong College Exploration Society led by John Béchervaise reached the summit on the 27 January 1949.
The exposed and technical nature of the usual route that is usually climbed unroped has resulted in a number of fatalities;{{Cite web |date=2007-04-09 |title=Climber falls from Federation Peak |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/climber-falls-from-federation-peak-20070409-gdpvfg.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} most recently on 30 December 2024 when a bushwalker fell to his death.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-31 |title=Bushwalker Dies on Tasmania Federation Peak |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-31/bushwalker-dies-on-tasmania-federation-peak/104773878 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
=Notable accidents=
;2007
: Tasmanian Michael Skirka, 38, fell to his death in April 2007.{{Cite web |date=2007-04-10 |title=Federation Peak Death Under Investigation|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-04-10/federation-peak-death-under-investigation/2237460 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
;2016
: Tasmanian Melissa Fisher, 32, fell to her earh in March 2016.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-24 |title=Bushwalker Dies In Fall From Tasmania's Federation Peak |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-24/bushwalker-dies-in-fall-from-tasmanias-federation-peak/7273526 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
: Statement from Inspector Riley: "It appears over the last 10 years we've done approximately 20 recoveries around Federation Peak and there have been six deaths."{{Cite web |date=2016-03-24 |title=Bushwalker Dies In Fall From Tasmania's Federation Peak |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-24/bushwalker-dies-in-fall-from-tasmanias-federation-peak/7273526 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
;2024
: A 27 year man from New Zealand, living in Victoria, fell to his death in July 2024. {{Cite web |date=2024-07-24 |title=Tas Missing Bushwalker Eastern Arthur |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-24/tas-missing-bushwalker-eastern-arthur-search-wednesday/104134582 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
: A Victorian man in his 30s fell to his death in December 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-31 |title=Bushwalker Dies on Tasmania Federation Peak |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-31/bushwalker-dies-on-tasmania-federation-peak/104773878 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}
Climate
The highest elevations of the mountain experience alpine conditions with most of the weather patterns determined by the wind. The mountain receives large amounts of snow in autumn, winter and early spring, with the summit area frequently layered in ice. Unseasonal snowfalls can be seen in summer though many of them don't settle.
Climbing routes
There are a number of graded rockclimbing routes to the summit, most notably Blade Ridge (grade 18), which is a steep knife edge ridge rising out of the cool temperate forest at the foot of the mountain. The ridge joins the main face of the peak a few hundred metres beneath the summit. The climb from the end of the ridge is then up an exposed but well-protected face to the summit, some {{convert|600|m}} above the valley floor. Blade Ridge was first successfully used as a route up Federation Peak in February 1968, by Peter Heddles, Rod Harris, David Neilson and Jack Woods{{cite web|url=http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Federation+Peak|website=TheSarvo|access-date=4 August 2017 |title=Federation Peak}}
Most bushwalkers with minimal or no climbing gear take the exposed 'Direct Ascent' scramble from the Southern Traverse of the peak above a drop of {{convert|600|m}} into Lake Geeves (approximately Australian climbing grade 5).
Access to the base of the peak is generally from Geeveston via Farmhouse Creek and Moss Ridge or Scotts Peak via the Eastern Arthurs. The first route is the shorter of two - generally three days to the peak. The Eastern Arthurs via Scotts Peak Dam takes at least 7 days finishing at Farmhouse Creek; up to 10 days with bad weather.
Winter ascents
The first ascent under true winter conditions was made by Faye Kerr and Max Cutcliffe in September 1954, while a Tasmanian group led by Kevin Doran climbed the Mountain in severe weather over two weeks in August 1978, a trip which cost Doran a toe from cold injuries.{{Cite web | url=http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Federation+Peak | title=Federation Peak - thesarvo - thesarvo }}
The first, and only, winter ascent of Blade Ridge (a steep sharp ridge on the northern face) was made in 2016 by Mick Wright and Mark Savage, on an expedition led by Andy Szollosi. Their journey is featured in the documentary Winter on the Blade.
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Australia|Mountains}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Federation+Peak
External links
- [http://www.john.chapman.name/tas-fed.html Federation Peak - John Chapman]
{{Tasmanian mountains|state=autocollapse}}
{{SouthWestTasmania |state=autocollapse}}