You can’t miss the jagged peak of Mt Field West every time you ride at Maydena. At 1434m it towers over the bike park from other side of the Florentine Valley and is often capped in snow, even during Summer. I’d always wondered what it would be like to hike to the top of it!

From Lake Dobson it’s an 8.5-9 hour return hike to the summit of Mt Field West, initially climbing through the Mt Mawson ski fields before continuing onward and upward over the huge scree fields of the Rodway Range. Shortly after you arrive at K-Col Hut after which the terrain mellows as you traverse rocky hillsides and tarn covered plains before the final scramble to the summit of Mt Field West.

It’s a great walk passing through a stunning and moody South Western Tasmanian landscape, different but no less spectacular than the walks you find on the Tasman Peninsula. Ideally you wouldn’t do it as I did. Given the length of the walk and scenery as a day hike it’s a tight fit in shorter Autumn days. It would be better to bivvy out overnight and make a two day adventure of it, leaving plenty of time to explore, or do the walk in Summer. Either way, given the terrain it’s a walk I’d recommend avoiding in bad weather – visibility is your friend.

A white rainbow was visible off and on for a couple of hours during my hike to the summit. A white rainbow AKA fogbow appears white due to the smaller water droplets in fog. Apparently they symbolize peace and serenity. Cheers to that hey!