Frenchmans Cap

Frenchmans Cap, seen from Lake Tahune from

Frenchmans Cap ( German French - hat) is a mountain in the Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park in the west of the Australian state of Tasmania. The Aboriginal Tasmanians designated the 1,446 m high mountain as Mabarlek.

History

Although the mountain probably early represented a feature for navigating vessels, dated the first records of the Frenchman Caps only by 1822 in the context of the prison camp in Macquarie Harbour. The summit clearly visible from afar served many escapees as a guide to their mostly unsuccessful escape through the inhospitable West Tasmania, through to the settlements in the East. The origin of the name is obscure; he might be referring to the similarity to a Phrygian cap, which was worn during the French Revolution. According to another source, the name should therefore come, that the often snow-covered mountain in a ( French ) remember Chef's Hat.

The first European who has the Frenchmans Cap boarded was James Sprent in 1853. 1941 of Frenchmans Cap National Park was established, which went up in the 1990s in the Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

Ascent

The typical ascent takes place along a well-marked path within two days. After the first day and about 16 km to Lake Vera, where there is a hut. On the second day you come to another lake, Lake Tahune, past, and reached after about 9 km to the summit.