Bushwalk Australia

Recently I decided it was time for me to get out and have a sleep in the bush, as it was something I had never done. Santa, Brothers and Sisters and Mother and Father greatly spoiled me at Christmas time, with a new pack, gaiters, thermal trousers amoung other things. It was very nice of them all. On Boxing Day I thought I had better go and buy a tent. So I got one and a sleeping mat and set off to test it all out the next day.

I'm sure everyone has seen the same pictures, but it's my turn now

I visited the Walls and planned to get to the Dixon's Kingdon Hut and go from there.
It was a very warm day. Walking with a fullish pack for the first time was hard, but interesting.

I found the spot where I had to turn around in September due to the snow being over a metre deep and not knowing where to go. About 50m from the Pool of Bethesda, it was interesting.

After 3 hours I arrived at the Hut and set up a tent outside for the first time ever.
Very thankfully I headed up Jerusalem that evening.

This was near a boardwalk with nothing else around it. But some fool chucked their foot right in the middle of it.


The map reads this is looking in the direction of Lake Thor.


Lake Salome. Name the hill in the background? It's a game.


Everything was so clear from top of Jerusalem. I had never seen a place with so much to see, that could actually be seen.


I was supposed to get up at 5am and be on The Temple for sunrise. Mr Weather had a different idea. Rain/drizzle all night and out to this.


I packed up and headed down Jaffa Vale. I don't really know how, but it took me an hour to reach the Rego Book Box.

It was too drizzly and wet between the rego box and the top of Lake Meston to take photos or anything. But it looked like awesome landscapes. I enjoyed the swapy plains between Lake Adelaide and Meston. They are very tuff.

At Lake Meston hut I decided to do the sensible thing and walk out, via Lake Myrtle track. I did want to have a look around Rogoona and the other lakes and waterfalls in the area, but I lost.

Walkers are a funny bunch. This made me laugh and I did have a turn too.


Rogoona over Lake Myrtle.


The Blizzard Plain is a truly brilliant invention.

The downhill section of the Myrtle track is very steep. On reaching the road, I had to run/walk the 8km back to the Wall's main carpark. By this time I was in a tremendous
amount of pain, all coming from my feet. The last km uphill made me feel very sick, but on reaching the car, all was worth it. A great journey.



THEN
On New Years Eve, without even thinking about it, I set off for the Pelion Hut area. I started to walk the Arm River track at 6pm. It was drizzling the whole way in. Reached Pelion at 830. Firstly I was amazed at the size of the Pelion Hut. Very big. I didnt look inside that night, but a lady told me there was probably plenty of room inside. So I went and built a tent.

Hoping the weather would clear and allow me to climb Ossa and Pelion East on New Years Day, I was laying down to sleep by 930.

It rained all night and was drizzling but fine in the morning. I still had not had a sight of Mrs Ossa.

So I had crack at Pelion East anyways.
For my troubles of sticking to the track, my right foot went knee deep a mud bog. Which I was happy with.

20 minutes up, a windy snow storm came in.

Mt Ossa.

Pelion East.


Within 10 minutes the ground was completely white, only a thin layer of snow and then hail. I turned around as things were getting a bit silly and the hail really was stinging my legs and face.

With hope gone of seeing anything,
Ossa finally partially came out (I assume it is Ossa) as I was heading off.


On the walk out, small trickes of water the night before, had turned into fast flowing rivers. I fell in love with buttongrass rivers. We've got a thing going on.






More pretty things .




The day before it was possible to walk through here without getting wet. It had turned into a shin deep river overnight.


But, another good fun trip and a good warmup for my first half marathon which was 3 days later.

Looks like you had fun. Your first overnight camp eh! You won't forget that in a hurry. Nice pictures too. It is surprising just how quickly a tiny little stream can turn into something hard to cross.

Well, these look like the exact boots I was wearing.
http://www.campsaver.com/itemMatrix.asp ... trixType=1
Apart from the very first time I wore them, which was last September when I went into the walls, when I got a blister the size of a 50 cent piece between the heel and achilles, which still has mark there, the boots have caused no trouble and have been quite comfortable.
For the day , according to the books, I had walked 23km to the gravel road, where there was 7-8km left to go. It is the longest I have walked in a day with the boots on. It was only on the road that the feet became sore. Probably my fault for trying to run, but I only ran about 2km. I've never really been injured, but it was definitely the sorest I had ever been. After half an hour in the car, off the feet, I couldn't even feel where the feet were sore. They were probably just pretending.

Looks like you caught me between edits

MrCAMEL wrote:For the day , according to the books, I had walked 23km to the gravel road, where there was 7-8km left to go. It is the longest I have walked in a day with the boots on. It was only on the road that the feet became sore. Probably my fault for trying to run, but I only ran about 2km.

I am surprised you had energy left to run, let alone the inclination to do so. That was a very big day. No wonder the feet were tired.

Nice account of your trip and soem nice photos, definantly a good spot for your first overnighter to get hooked!!

Well done MrCAMEL! I enjoyed your report and photos. Keep it up . You certainly got a clearer view of Mt Rogoona from L Myrtle than I did. Sounds like you were only a little ahead of us through the Walls, and starting the same day.

BTW how did your half marathon go? I ran my first half (and only one, so far) back in August.

I would have liked to spend more time out there and possibly have linked the two different places together in the one outing. But I didn't really think about that beforehand.

The Half marathon went really well. From October, I put in a solid 1 week of running in preparation for it . It was on a nice clear and cool morning in Hobart that was warming up a lot by 9am, but I had already finished. Official time was 1 hour 41 minutes 41 seconds. I was thinking I was being optimistic hoping for under 2 hours, but I did it easy Now, I do a bit more running regularly and will try and be faster.

How did your run go?

MrCAMEL wrote:I would have liked to spend more time out there and possibly have linked the two different places together in the one outing. But I didn't really think about that beforehand.

I'd like to do the Arm River section sometime and link up other places I've been, eg Lees Paddocks.

MrCAMEL wrote:The Half marathon went really well. From October, I put in a solid 1 week of running in preparation for it . It was on a nice clear and cool morning in Hobart that was warming up a lot by 9am, but I had already finished. Official time was 1 hour 41 minutes 41 seconds. I was thinking I was being optimistic hoping for under 2 hours, but I did it easy Now, I do a bit more running regularly and will try and be faster.

How did your run go?

Good work! My time was very similar yours. This was a smaller local event with only about 120 runners.

My goals were:
1. Finish (in one piece). I did that and felt good for pretty much the whole run (a bit sore the next day though).
2. If possible do the 21km in under 100 minutes. I finished in 99:36, so was very happy with that .

The course was very pleasant in cooler weather, in Royal National Park in southern Sydney. The last 18km was all trail running including a few rocky bits and some mud (like a bushwalk on steroids ). I'd like to be faster too, but unfortunately I'm not getting any younger .

Fascinating clumps of what I assume is fungi on that tree.
Thanks for sharing.

Great stuff Mr Camel.
Really enjoyed your post and pictures