Party: Saul Richardson
Date: 26-27/12/2013
Just a quick report on my 3 peaks walk the other day. Summary is I just made it, but it was hard going and I wasn’t very well for most of it.
Set off about 5 am and made good time to the Cox’s river, just over 5 hours. Went down Yellow Pup track but then up Mt Konangaroo & Bullagowar as I was doing it “anti-clockwise” with Guougang the first peak, having done it the “normal” direction previously. That was the end of the quick going and by the logbook I was stuffed, but kept going. Kanangra Ck @ the Coxs was almost dry, though it and Whalania were flowing upstream. Coxs was low and the other creeks were all easy to cross with dry feet.
Descending Nooroo buttress down off Guougang was spectacular in good clear weather.
Didn’t get up to the top of Paralyser until late night. Slept there for a few hours, though hadn’t planned to. No sleeping gear except a foil blanket and some warm clothes, so it was chilly.
4:30am left Paralyser, messed about in the dark trying to find the start of the ridge. Why, I don’t know. Tired, I guess, and no clear landmarks.
Got to Cloudmaker trig at 1pm to sign the logbook. There I met another walker doing the 3 peaks just completing his first peak. He still looked so fresh and eager…
Bizarrely, another first for me: I had trouble finding my way though the Dex Ck scrub! Tired? Maybe. Last time I was there there was a clear-as-anything track right through. Instead of just navigating, I tried following tracks and wasted more time. Anyway, of course map and compass won out eventually. Still had lots of time to get back, but was feeling poorly and very run down. I felt sick every time I tried to eat or drink, which wasn’t ideal.
A highlight on the way back was having to wait at the track leading up from the electricity pylon after Mt Debert (Little Cedar Gap?) for a large wombat to nonchalantly make its way down the track before I could pass. Most wombats dash off in fright, but not this one.
Got back to the car just after 5am, so basically right on 48 hours. It took me less than that last time I did this walk and I am much fitter now. A good walk nonetheless, though not so much fun trying to rush.
Saul Richardson