Reynolds Falls

[Brekel]

Hi all.
Just wondering if anyone knows what the condition of the track to Reynolds Falls is like at the moment?
I've seen reference to tentsites both before the big descent, and also close to the Falls after descending. Are the campsites ok?
Ideally I'd pick the one nearer to the falls, but how bad is the descent/climb with an overnight pack (with some extra photography gear adding to the weight)?
Some descriptions I've read make it sound like there's no way you'd want to do it with more than a day pack, but other pages don't make it sound so bad. I guess the wetter it's been, the better the falls and the worse the descent.

[doogs]

I haven't been to the falls, but want to visit at some point, so have also done a bit of research. I'd suggest you have two different types who visit the falls, the waterfall photographer and bush walker. The bush walker's seem to find the walk easier and many visit as a long day walk. The waterfall photographers struggle a little more finding it a bit of an epic. Both write blogs, it's up to you to which you feel best describes the walking that you do. Personally I'd camp before the big descent and get an early start the next day as I hate pointless uphills with big packs!! I also wouldn't hesitate to take my pack down the hill if I didn't need to take it back up or if there was a stunning campsite.

[north-north-west]

When you say "after the big descent" do you mean near the river itself?
There is one spot in particular in the forest after crossing Tumbling Creek and climbing up to a flatter area. This is around 4km from the scramble to the river. There are also potential rough sites around 1.5km from the river, and good camping just inside the forest before the descent to Tumbling, or the numerous flat clearings before that.

Timewise, as a loose guide, I''m slow as hell with a full pack, but walked from a campsite near the top of Pandani Creek (just below Back peak) to the forest camp, set up the tent, then down to the Falls and back, in a day, with plenty of photos. A late finish, of course.

[Brekel]

There is one spot in particular in the forest after crossing Tumbling Creek and climbing up to a flatter area. This is around 4km from the scramble to the river.
There are also potential rough sites around 1.5km from the river, and good camping just inside the forest before the descent to Tumbling, or the numerous flat clearings before that...

Thanks NNW, great information.

Doogs: I was a bushwalker who took occasional photos, then got more serious about the photography. So now, I guess I'm 50/50.

Only recently got back into serious walking after a forced break of a number of years, but I've done a number of walks up to 5 nights the last several weeks.

[Nuts]

I noticed it's called Ossie's Track now on List Map ✓
This (I shouldn't be alive.. haha.. haha) gives a recent overview of sorts:



you could just send a drone down ?
*which, as far as i'm aware, even as a rec reserve, any reserved land isn't 'fair game'*

[Brekel]

Thanks Nuts - I'll watch it when I get back from a road trip tomorrow.

[Brekel]

Nice video Nuts - amazing footage of the falls.

How deep/tricky are the creek crossings likely to be this time of year? There was a bit of rain up there over the weekend, but some dry weather forecast this week

[Nuts]

None of them out there have much in the way of a catchment, fast to rise and fall.

[Robparsons]

I noticed it's called Ossie's Track now on List Map ✓
This (I shouldn't be alive.. haha.. haha) gives a recent overview of sorts:



you could just send a drone down ?
*which, as far as i'm aware, even as a rec reserve, any reserved land isn't 'fair game'*

[Nuts]

(..they do all survive)

(assuming you aren't laughing at rules for drones)

[doogs]

You would have to assume Rob Parsons has gone through all the right channels to obtain drone and commercial licenses from Parks and Wildlife. His page has appeared on my Facebook feed as a suggested 'sponsored' content (ergo commercial) and he clearly uses a drone on Reserved lands. Rob?

[Biggles]

I completed this walk in early May of 1997, on the supposed pretense it would be a "decent hike". I cannot remember every detail, but three things remain and stand outs and constants, experienced all around Cradle Mountain at the time: the weather and the enveloping gloom and in the specific instance of Reynolds, a powerful sense of isolation.

Conditions were challenging about 2 hours into the walk to the point that myself and a more robust walking companion seriously considered turning back, with persistent light rain and descending fog setting in progressively colder emperatures. There is a section in that video of traversing a ledge to lower ground where we used a length of rope to ease down and back up. I cannot recall the creek crossing. Our packs were not overnight — small Berghaus packs and a Gitzo CF tripod each, plus water and food (we need not have bothered with water!). The falls themselves were midway between a low and moderate flow at the time, leaving both of us underwhelmed (even the changing of the fagus had come and gone), my companion very much so with his heavy Linhof Technorama 6x17 panorama camera (whatever happened to these photos, or him, I have no idea). Our total walk time was 10 hours, with an infuriating loss of direction somewhere near the creek crossing, arriving at the trackhead in darkness. Just writing that sentence I can recall a sign, or signs, plural with Reynolds Falls [arrow]; are these signs extant?

It wasn't until the next day we were able to report to the Ranger Station of our return. Today, GPS and mobile phones are prevalent. None of that back then. Just map and compass, some additional scribbles, wits and bravado. Numb legs and runny noses...

I would suggest you first reccé the entire walk route to the falls with a day pack and full provisions only with a small camera (no tripod!). Take detailed notes and mark/notate specific points with a GPS. Armed with that knowledge, you then know what to take note of, what to plan for and what to take, rather than 'fly blind'. Twenty-four years on, and widely-travelled, I cannot see the benefit in returning, and even if I did with extra time to burn around that neck of the woods, it would definitely not be with anything other than a day pack and a smaller camera (again, no tripod!), plenty of energy food and GPS with spare batteries, and not solo. And that's all before I even consider what physical shape I am in now, compared to then!!

Reynolds Falls as a destination can be considered an adventurous, even rewarding walk, but not in weather where high rainfall would result in sharp rises. In terms of photography, waterfalls thundering away in flood conditions rarely make for an inspired photograph, and are all together just worth admiring their gusto from a distance (Iceland's being notable exceptions, so often upstaged by Middle Earth-like settings). I see nothing wrong with using a drone in an isolated place as a research/search-and-find tool. Those waterfalls that provide the most striking memory are in low to moderate flow that can be timed to reflect their beauty, and if aesthetics balance form and function, even a gossamer flow will be a memorable scene; I doubt Reynolds would turn into a trickle at any time. I do not know if I still have my record of Reynolds among a distant stash of many thousands of slides dating from 1977 to 2019 when I migrated to digital.

[Reubs]

Has anyone descended from Mount Beecroft to Reynolds Falls before?

[north-north-west]

Has anyone descended from Mount Beecroft to Reynolds Falls before?

Probably, but they also probably regretted it. I think this is one of those routes that looks great on the map and turns out to be sheer hell in reality.
View of the falls would be interesting from that side. Base of the falls not accessible without abseiling. River may not be crossable below the falls - and definitely not immediately above - which would make for a rough trip out.
I've thought about it but noped out.

[Reubs]

Haha I wondered if it might be a bit like that
I was hoping to follow the button grass ridge down and cross the river upstream of the falls before linking up with the Ossie Track. I think this would avoid the cliffs...

[north-north-west]

Might be possible. There is a fairly flat section that's open almost to the riverbank about .5km east of Christmas Ck, which would be maybe 1km upstream of the falls. May be possible to cross when the water's low, depending on the height of the banks. Worth a try and if I was younger and fitter I'd be tempted to scout it out. Instead, I'll let you be the guinea pig.

[Reubs]

Might be possible. There is a fairly flat section that's open almost to the riverbank about .5km east of Christmas Ck, which would be maybe 1km upstream of the falls. May be possible to cross when the water's low, depending on the height of the banks. Worth a try and if I was younger and fitter I'd be tempted to scout it out. Instead, I'll let you be the guinea pig.

I'll be the guinea pig, I'll let you know when I try it

[vagrom]

If you're ever in the same area, don't forget to visit Quaile Falls, a daywalk version of Reynolds' , photogenic if there's been good rain. And check out Nic Haygarth's work on the entire region.