Mt Barney 10 Peaks - Lower Portals to Double Peak, return via Mt May

An arduous 3-day through walk with best mate Paul (Shatkins) following Barney Creek from Lower Portals up to Double Peak in the Ballow Range and returning via Mt May by the Paddy's Peak ridge.

Day1. Leaving the Lower Portals car park it is 45 minutes until reaching Barney creek. Take the normal route over and up the ridge to Barney Gorge campsite. We then rock hopped from this point up to the Upper Portals passing numerous cascades and waterfalls that will become a fun-park in summer time. To pass the Upper Portals pass on the left side of the first large water fall then cross right behind it. A well worn trail bypasses over the Upper Portals Gorge and down to the other side. From this point you can look down the Upper Portals many cascades. A short rock hop up creek comes of the Junction of Ballow Ck and Yamahara CK. The ridge that connects these creeks is the ascent to Montserrat Lookout. We camped at Yamahara for the night a further 300m up the right hand branch of the creek.

Day2. As described earlier the ridge between Ballow and Yamahra Ck is your ascent to Montserrat Peak. This is a steep grassy eucalypti covered ridge with a well worn trail. Upon reaching the open slabs of Montserrat you are rewarded with unobstructed views of Mt Barney. A trail head then heads WSW down the slope passing the false summit of Mini Montserrat then up to Focal Peak. Focal Peak is the actual center of the ancient volcano responsible for creating the surrounding rocky peaks of Barney, Maroon, May and Lindesay. There is no view from Focal Peak. Its lush tropical rainforest appears to grow a maximum 6-8m high due to jet stream winds and vulnerability to storms coming through the peaks shearing the tops of the canopy inhibiting its growth. A bearing North down the moss covered slope pass's through cedar pass. A soak can be found west down the gully from Cedar pass. It was 250m for us. Once returned to the trail it was up the dense covered ridge to Durramlee Peak. There were faint trails through the sharp alpine bushes and old man bearded vines whilst heading south west down to the Durrumlee-Double Peak Saddle with a reasonable possible campsite. Continue along the ridge SW to our desitantion of Double Peak's summits. Double Peak South Summit has been considered the best lookout in the Barney region. True 360 degree views of Barney to the the Main Range on opposite sides of the 45 degree slopping rock sides. With a full moon rising and the sun setting with crystal clear skies its impossible to pass this spot up for the night. We made the most of this opportunity.

Day 3. Leaving the dual summits of Double Peak follow the faint foot-pad back to Durramlee Peak. From this point you follow the main north easterly ridge down to Mowburra Peak. Mowburra poses mediocre views but not outstanding compared surrounding summits. Upon coming out of the densely overgrown rainforest high on the ridge you walk through grass clearing that gives you a easy 200m of quick going before entering the ridge for more bashing through palms and vines before coming out onto a long 2.5km 400m descent on the grass covered steep slope to Grace's hut. After a short rest you continue down grass road to the junction road that veers left uphill to Cleared Ridge and the entry into the National Park. This ridge allows good ground coverage and once the elevation has been gained you can appreciate the dual Peak's of Mt May that is in the North direction. A steep 260m climb is then made up the northern trail of Mt May North Peak. Near the top there is one fun scramble up the jagged face, this must be done. Just upon reaching the summit the trail head veers left towards the south peak and East to the viewpoint to look South. Back to the trail head, a loose descent where care should be taken to reach the saddle a quick scramble up the south peak is made. A trail leads down in a SE direction where trailhead to Mt May campground can be followed. A resonibily well trail is then followed down this ridge that allows quick coverage. Descending from Mt May North down over the various rocky spurs to Paddy's Peak and onto Drynans hut takes approx 3 hours with a fit party. We had through packs on and still enabled good timing. From Drynans hut and the thoughts of knowing there was no more hill climbs to the car we followed the fence south on a 4x4 trail back to the Lower Portal car park.

The peak making up the ten is Mini Montserrat Peak Between Focal and Monserrat itself.

Relieved.