Eve gets lost looking for Gorilla Mountain

James and I took Eve looking for Gorilla Mountain yesterday afternoon. Off track walking and difficulties with magnetic rock affecting our compass saw us all climb the wrong spur, putting us 1km short of reaching the mountain. Our little climb was hard and thick, resulting is obscured views, mozzies and scratches. I could be dreaming, but I heard a new cry for Eve.. one that seemed to be apprehensive, nervous, even a little scared. She came good when we found our way off our mistake, and was back to her gurgling self when we found the track again.

On the way back we saw a snake. Not sure if its a Red Belly or a Copperhead...?

We did get to see Gorilla Mountain at a distance, and saw where we went wrong. The GPS tracker on the phone reveals exactly where we lost it.





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Quailburn Rd to Ohau Peak

Heike, Mike, Shelagh, the dogs and I went exploring over the weekend. Last winter I couldn't help noticing the great ski terrain on the southern end of the range that the Ohau Ski field is on. Our question was if access was possible.

Not only was access possible, turns out it is managed by the Department of Conservation and there is a well maintained track heading up through the bush from the end of Quailburn Rd. This road is the same road that runs to the tourist attraction signed "Clay Cliffs" and you pass it on the left on your way out of Omarama to Lake Ohau. It is only about 5 km out of Omarama.

Follow Quailburn Rd onto gravel, and continue through until you reach a old red house with a bridge on its North. Cross the bridge and drive through to park at the old shearing shed museum, where the track begins.

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Photos

Three Passes with Aaron

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Flickr slideshow

Gee I love Tasmania

Sunshine and I just arrived home from Tasmania. We spent 10 days walking, shopping, climbing, moblogging and talking at TasLearnscope05.

If you haven't already, you can get the picture at my flickr account, and our moblog.

Highlights for me where climbing in Freycinet, walking up the Acropolis, shopping in Hobart, and a delayed flight home that had to circle 5 times right over the Blue Mountains on sunset!

I can't rave long enough about Tasmania. It has such intense history, amazing wilderness (getting logged faster than you can say World Heritage), fantastic people (even the ones in utes with bumper stickers reading "fertilise the bush, doze in a greeny" are... thought provoking).




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons (Attribution) license.

Jo's Walk

Jo came to visit last week. She took Sunshine and I on a nice walk that links Centenial Glen to Porter's Pass and accross to what I know as Celebrity Crag.


Here's the view back towards Centenial Glen and Porters Pass climbing area. We are about to climb up to Celebrity Crag. I spotted some good looking lines along this way.


Jo's favourite water fall is this little one, just down from Centenial Glen. When viewed straight on, the bolder at the bottom looks just like an elephant! Hence Jo's name for the falls - Elephant Falls.


And Centenial Glen is a beautiful place for walking under falls. Pitty about the erosion being caused by the climbers though.


We rested at Celebrity Crag while to our left a couple of climbers made their way up the cliffs. The dogs where well behaved on the walk, Mistisa's saddle bags slowing her down just a touch, and keeping her from running off too far.

A Great 3 Days

The pictures in this post, plus many more can be viewed at Just Pictures.

Had a big 3 days with Sunshine recently. Firstly, we went canyon in Empress again - this time doing the big walk out along the beautiful National Pass Trail.

Sunshine dropping off Empress Falls.


If you look closely you might see the National Pass Trail half way up the cliff, on the right hand side. The Trail actually traverses this entire cliff line, half way up!

Then we drove down to Sydney to meet Mum for YumCha and to pick up a new laptop.


Then we spent the night in the van overlooking Shelly Beach at Manly.

It was our first night sleeping in the van and it was comfy. It rained all night, but with so much room inside we were not affected by it at all.

In the morning, while a beautiful sun rose over North Head Sydney harbor, we opened the door to let Mistisa (our dog) out. She ran after some joggers not even to return 2 hours later...

we picked her up later that morning at the Manly pound!


We drove home that afternoon and headed straight out to Narrow Neck to climb a 3 pitch, 67m, 3 star, grade 13 climb called Cave Climb. Getting the the bottom of the cliff was a real drama. The guide we had was more than 10 years old and when it described steel ladders to climb down, all we found were dodgy, rusty things that looked a bit like ladders with a water fall falling over them. While it was a bit of an adventure going down them, it was actually quite beautiful.


Cave Climb was a fare old hike from the base of those ladders, but when we eventually found it we weren't disappointed.

The starting pitch was a challenge but we both did it with the aid of a little tree.

The second pitch was adventurous, stepping out under over hangs and across big open cracks, finally reaching an amazing belay anchor in a huge cave.

The 3rd pitch unbelievably went up into the cave, popping out through a little hole in the top, and stepping out onto an amazing view over the impressive reach of cliff we had climbed.

Onwards and upwards to the top for a beautiful sun set, and a starry eyed walk out.



So ended a great 3 days with Sunshine. And what better way to end it than with another one of our afternoon sunset climbs.

Valley of the Waters - National Pass Trail - Wentworth Falls

Mum and I walked the National Pass Trail today, and what a beauty! A very spectacular walk traversing a very big cliff line with views all over the Jamison Valley. Big cliffs and water falls all around us. A must do for any visitor to the Mountains. It's a 3 hour round trip starting from the Conservation Hut at Wentworth Falls. If you time it right the sun will be shining on some very nice swimming holes in the Valley of the Waters (12 noon) is good for the Empress Falls.
Would really like to do the Empress Canyon again, but walk out along the National Pass Track. Heaps of big cliffs to marvel at, and many Black Cockatoos to see along the way.