Mount Pelion West should not be confused with Mount Pelion East.
| Mount Pelion West | |
| Photo Size: | 280 |
| Map: | Australia Tasmania |
| Map Relief: | 1 |
| Map Size: | 280 |
| Label Position: | right |
| Elevation M: | 1560 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] [2] |
| Prominence M: | 469 |
| Isolation Km: | 6.35 |
| Location: | Central Highlands, Tasmania, Australia |
| Range: | Pelion Range |
| Coordinates: | -41.83°N 145.97°W |
| Topo: | Achilles (4036) |
| Type: | Dolerite |
| Age: | Jurassic |
| Easiest Route: | One day return from Pelion Hut, via the Overland Track |
Mount Pelion West is a mountain located in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is part of the Pelion Range and is situated within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park at the easternmost boundary of the Murchison River catchment.
Mount Pelion West is the fourth highest mountain in Tasmania with an elevation of above sea level[1] [2] and is one of only eight mountains in the state which are over .[3]
The mountain summit is at grid reference 152682 UTM Zone 55S and high resolution topographical information is available on Tasmap Achilles (4036) 1:25000. To the west lies an extensive, relatively flat moorland, to the north is Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff, to the northeast and quite close at is Mount Oakleigh, to the east is Mount Pelion East and due south is Mount Achilles. Below the northern side of the mountain is Pelion Creek which flows into the head waters of the Forth River. The Forth River has its origin directly east of Pelion West at Frog Flats (above sea level), the lowest point on the whole Overland Track. At its closest point the Overland Track passes within of the mountain summit.
Keith Ernest Lancaster, an early bushwalking and mountain climbing pioneer, climbed Mount Pelion West on 30 January 1946 by enduring a slow and painful crawl through sections of the sharp and prickly Richea scoparia that frequently inhabits alpine areas around Tasmanian mountains. Lancaster referred to Mount Pelion West as one of "The Giants of the Reserve". In his account of his climb Lancaster mentions "the confusion of the enormous boulders" on the top of the mountain.[4]
On the Achilles Tasmap is marked the approximate location of a walking track to climb the mountain along its northeastern spur. The unmarked track start is approximately east of the Pelion Creek crossing on the Overland Track and is in between two logs that are perpendicular to the Overland Track. This mountain is much more difficult to climb than either Mount Ossa or Mount Pelion East, the more traditional side-excursion climbs along the famous 65km (40miles) Overland Track.[5] This is due to a difficult traverse of over across huge dolerite boulders to reach the obelisk shaped, sloping summit boulder.
| Pelion West as seen from Pine Forest MoorImage:Mt Pelion West_scenic.jpg | Pelion West from Pelion PlainsImage:Pelion West from Waterfall Valley.jpg | From Waterfall Valley, right to left: Pelion West, Thetis, Paddys Nut, Ossa Image:Rugged top Mt Pelion West.jpg | Rugged top of Pelion WestImage:Pelion West summit obelisk.jpg | Pelion West's angled obelisk summit boulderImage:Pelion Plains_ Lake Ayr and Mt Pillinger from Pelion West.jpg | Pelion Plains, Lake Ayr and Mount Pillinger from Pelion WestImage:Cradle Mt & Barn Bluff from Pelion West.jpg | Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff from Pelion WestImage:Ossa from Pelion West.jpg | Mount Ossa, Tasmania's highest mountain from Pelion West on the right and Pelion East, the spire-like mountain on the leftImage:Ossa from Pelion West 2.jpg | Mount Ossa, Paddys Nut, Mount Thetis and many other spectacular mountains as viewed from Mount Pelion WestImage:Dimensions.jpg | Track location and distance to summit |