On Friday, Feb. 28th. 1947, rain was still in evidence as we resumed the car journey westward, spending the night at the King River picnic ground. On the following morning I left the picnic ground (800' - 10.10 a.m.) in a continuation of the showery weather and drove to the highest point of the road between Gormanston and Queenstown, parking the car opposite the West Lyell turn-off (1400' - 10.25 a.m.).

A heavy shower delayed my departure for Mt. Owen until 10.50 a.m., when I set off in a strong wind, climbing over the small red hill ahead, behind which lay Mt. Owen largely obscured by clouds. Making use of a track travelling in the same direction, I was a little beyond the Queen River falls before I realised I was on a direct route to the mountain top, guide stakes marking the way. I ascended to the end of the track, reaching the top of the northern eminence (3630' - 12.9 p.m.) and then crossed over to the main summit of Owen (3670' - 4m. - 12.20 p.m.).

Luckily, a temporary lull in the weather permitted an occasional limited view between fast moving clouds. Extending from S.E. to S.W. and joined to Owen by a narrow col in the S.S.W., the southern portion of Owen rises fairly high and, except for a low col, is separated from Owen by a deep gulf with steep walls and obvious glacial cirques. Like Owen, it is practically devoid of vegetation, although some growth is slowly returning to both. Mts. Huxley, Jukes and Darwin appear in the S. to S.S.E.. A stream flowing from the base of Huxley westward to the King River can be seen threading its way between the hills in the S.E., with the Crotty road, white and narrow, shining like a silver thread in the rear. The northern peak lies to the N.N.E., with the King River winding erratically in the E.N.E.. A small triangular plateau lake lies a little to the east. Mts. Lyell and Sedgwick could be seen in the north, Mt. Tyndall in the N.N.W. and Mt. Dundas to the N.W.. The Mt. Lyell smelters and the Zeehan Road were also visible in the N.W., Queenstown lay below in the west, whilst the sea and sand dunes appeared in the W. to S.W..

I left the top of Mt. Owen at 12.45 p.m. and picked up the staked route just below the north peak where it terminates and pushed on down the track at a firm pace, regaining the car without incident (1400' - 8m. - 1.28 p.m.). A puncture on the way home caused a delay and it was 2.50 p.m. before I regained the King River picnic ground.