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Australian Alps Walking Track - 2011 Diary Dave's Website AAWT 2011 Overview Schedule Pictures Map Diary
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Day 03 Date: Thursday, 17 March 2011 Kilometres: 26.0 Total kilometers: 84.2 Animals: birds People: one trail-biker, three forestry workers Weather: mostly sunny and cool Campsite: Short Spur Track Camp location: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-37.62581,+146.38051 Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/byrnesinoz/AAWT2011Day0317March?authkey=Gv1sRgCLy0kdfa3LDU6gE
I got up at 6:45am when it was just light enough to see and, wearing all my rain gear as mosquito protection, was breakfasted, packed up and on my way by 8:50am. The first couple of hours was spent following a faint trail up a ridge to the summit of Mount Easton. It was slow steady work through the forest, but quite pleasant in the cool and away from the mosquitoes. At the top (992m) I was in the clouds and it was cold and damp with no views because of the trees. After that I reached a firetrail and had pleasant cool walking at altitude along tree-fern bordered firetrail and later more open Eucalypt forest. Then began the very steep descent to the Jordan River. I was very cautious and slow taking baby steps the whole way on the loose gravel firetrail. It took a long time, but I made it safely down to the river which had seen a number of old mining settlements many years ago, but most of the remnants are now overgrown. I stopped at one of them, Red Jacket, for lunch at 1:15pm in pleasant sunshine. After lunch I had the choice of following the official AAWT route up the crest of a wooded ridge with difficult trail, or following an alternative given in the guide book along a firetrail which ended up in the same place but was 2.7km longer. I chose the latter which climbed steadily for 6km with nice views out to the west, but hard work all the same. I was starting to worry about water for camping tonight and was very happy to come across a small waterfall. I drank my fill and filled my two litre water bottles figuring that would be sufficient to get me through til tomorrow if necessary. The firetrail continued to climb and eventually passed the summit of Mt Victor (1185m). The air was cool and clear and there were occasional good views across mountains as far as the eye could see. I then followed some gravel roads, encountering three forestry vehicles going home. With only a two kilometers to go to my planned campsite (waterless) I took a short deviation along a firetrail to get off the road and came across a cabin in the wilderness with a rainwater tank. There was nobody about and it looked like a weekender. At first I thought I would camp outside and "borrow" some of their water, then I thought maybe I would sleep on their roofed deck, and then when I tried the doors and it was unlocked, I decided to stay inside. There was lots of food, etc., but I didn't touch any of it. Just used a little water and camped on one of the beds. The interests of the owners can perhaps be deduced from the magazines on the kitchen table - Guns & Game and One Hundred New Bikini Babes! Hopefully I'll have a quiet night and be able to get an early start. |
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