Mt Arthur Hut - Salisbury Lodge

 

The sign-posted turn-off is 1.8km from Mt Arthur hut. From here, the 3.6km track to Gordon's Pyramid descends into Horseshoe Basin following snow poles through the tussocks and reaches the floor of the basin at 1370m. With sinkholes all around, take care where you put your feet. An easy 70m climb on a mostly well-defined track leads to a narrowing ridge that descends 90m then climbs to the 1380m spot height then descending very steeply to the narrow ridge that feeds up onto the Pyramid. A 200m climb slowly reveals views to the W of the Leslie Valley and behind to Mt Arthur. To the NE is Mt Lodestone.

 

At the summit of Gordon's Pyramid (1489m), Salisbury Lodge can be seen on the edge of a clearing, 3km on track and 370m below - it looks deceptively close. Shortly after reaching the tree-line, the track descends quite steeply for a short distance then traverses a series of low ridges through the Beech forest until clearing the bush, just after the signposted turn-off to the Sphinx Valley.

 

Reasonable weather conditions (visibility and wind strength) are recommended as care needs to be taken in Horseshoe Basin (sinkholes) and the descent from 1380m spot height (exposed). Otherwise, the track is easily followed.