The Thumb
The Thumb, a granite monolith pinnacle high on a ridge of the Mount Bowen massif, was one of the last sought-after, unclimbed summits in Australia in 1952. Just off the north Queensland coast on Hinchinbrook Island, The Thumb can be seen breaking the horizon, just waiting to be explored.
Location - Hinchinbrook Island National Park, Queensland, Australia
Distance - Approximately 4 - 6 km one way, depending on route (not including the zig-zagging through creeks and around vegetation)
Time - A multi-day trip, but it is possible in one day return for the extremists
Grade - 5, difficult and strenuous
Type - Remote, off-track bushwalking
The Thumb is another great adventure. It "ticks" all the adventure boxes, so to speak, and can be done – return – in one long day from the beach. However, it's more common to take several days to accomplish this feat. Regardless, you'll feel like a pioneer once completing this one!
There are many things to cover in this article, so here are some quick links to sections of this article:
History, When To Go, The Routes, The Ridgeline Route, Thumb Creek Route, Anti-Thumb Creek Route, South East Ridge Route, Thumb Saddle, Climbing The Thumb, Essentials, Saftey, Interactive Map.
The Thumb, a granite monolith pinnacle rising 981 metres high on a ridge of the Mount Bowen massif, was one of the last sought-after, unclimbed summits in Australia in 1952. Just off the north Queensland coast on Hinchinbrook Island, The Thumb can be seen breaking the horizon, just waiting to be explored.