Precipitous Bluff

[GraemeSpedding]

Greetings to All.
We are returning to PB this January - via the South Cape Range - and then down to the South Coast Track and wondered if there were any changed conditions since January THIS year. Alternatively if anyone is doing ther trip before Jan 10 2010 can they please provide an update if anything significant has changed?
People able to organise the weather definitely appreciated.
Cheers
Graeme ( WA)

[stu]

Hi Graham,

I am heading in via the Southern Ranges after Xmas (28 Dec), should be out by the 10th (just); I'll try to give you an update then.
We are taking our time (8-10 days) to take in a few side trips (including Bisdee) then back out along the South Coast.

Cheers.
Stuart.

[GraemeSpedding]

Hi Stuart
Thanks for this. I will check the site b4 we drive in - which is on the morning of the 10th. Are you finishing at Cockle Creek or Melaleuca? Perhaps you can encourage the Scoparia away from the foot track. GRIN.
Have a good trip.
Regards
Graeme

[stu]

Finishing at Cockle Graeme;
I'll do my best to encourage the scoparia, but that damn stuff has a mind of it's own
Hoping the weather gods are kind to us all this summer.

Cheers.
Stuart.

[Dave Bremers]

Will be heading up into New River by SCT and New River Lagoon, should be back around the 19th of Dec. Don't know if NRL is on your route but will notify of conditions in that area (SCT/NRL) anyway.

Dave

[GraemeSpedding]

Hi dave
Yeh we will come down from PB along the lagoon and camp at Prion Beach. So any news will be welcome.
Cheers
Graeme

Will be heading up into New River by SCT and New River Lagoon, should be back around the 19th of Dec. Don't know if NRL is on your route but will notify of conditions in that area (SCT/NRL) anyway.

Dave

[ILUVSWTAS]

The Campsite at Cavern Camp is MUCH nicer than at Prion. And the water is much MUCH nicer at Cavern camp than at Prion.
SCT is muddy as always, and the wading along the lagoon is not too bad providing you have suitable footwear and polaroid sunglasses to spot all the submerged logs laying in wait to give you and your pack a good soaking!

[GraemeSpedding]

Hi
Appreciate the tip about Cavern Camp and the sunnies- i will send the younger members of my crew in front to do log detection. I am sure that the SCT is as muddy as I remember ti last time ( Jan 2008) i think???
Thanks
Graeme

The Campsite at Cavern Camp is MUCH nicer than at Prion. And the water is much MUCH nicer at Cavern camp than at Prion.
SCT is muddy as always, and the wading along the lagoon is not too bad providing you have suitable footwear and polaroid sunglasses to spot all the submerged logs laying in wait to give you and your pack a good soaking!

[Dave Bremers]

The Campsite at Cavern Camp is MUCH nicer than at Prion. And the water is much MUCH nicer at Cavern camp than at Prion.
SCT is muddy as always, and the wading along the lagoon is not too bad providing you have suitable footwear and polaroid sunglasses to spot all the submerged logs laying in wait to give you and your pack a good soaking!

Agreed: good tip about the sunnies. Quick question ILUVSWTAS: where is the Cavern Camp? I've walked the SCT before but we went straight through to Osmiridium Beach. However, this Cavern Camp sounds ideal for my coming trip.
Cheers,
Dave

[ILUVSWTAS]

Cavern Camp is not on the SCT but up new river lagoon, you wade the lagoon for 3-6 hrs and you'll see a buoy hanging from a tree, the cam is in underneath some HUGE swamp gums. this is where the track to PB starts!

[Dave Bremers]

Cheers, we'll check it out!

[Dave Bremers]

Greetings to All.
We are returning to PB this January - via the South Cape Range - and then down to the South Coast Track and wondered if there were any changed conditions since January THIS year. Alternatively if anyone is doing ther trip before Jan 10 2010 can they please provide an update if anything significant has changed?
People able to organise the weather definitely appreciated.
Cheers
Graeme ( WA)

Well, the SCT is same old track its been in my experience, nothing you can't handle after doing the SCR. Cavern camp is gorgeous, good water and plenty of space. Nice view too. Good luck!

[Dave Bremers]

The Campsite at Cavern Camp is MUCH nicer than at Prion. And the water is much MUCH nicer at Cavern camp than at Prion.
SCT is muddy as always, and the wading along the lagoon is not too bad providing you have suitable footwear and polaroid sunglasses to spot all the submerged logs laying in wait to give you and your pack a good soaking!

Oh and we just walked in our boots, and we had absolutley zero trouble with the logs, even without the polarised sunnies. We found the bottom quite rocky which slowed us down a bit though... which is where the sunnies come in handy. Had to swim about 15m across the mouth of a creek though - be mindful of that.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Swim?? did you try going up-creek to cross on fallen logs??

[Dave Bremers]

nah had a quick scout and swimming looked quicker and less effort. freaking cold tho! we were keen to try out some of our various pack swimming methods too - i recommend resting on top of the pack and kicking with a butterfly kick. as i mentioned on the pack swimming topic, keep it to less than a minute to stop your pack becoming ridiculously heavy .

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh i spose you were prepared for creek swimming so it wouldnt have been a big deal, Still all the creeks up to Cavern camp can be crossed either on logs or by wading out deeper and passing by on sandbars

[GraemeSpedding]

Just back from North India. Thanks for all the info especially wading OUT to get to sandbars. dont fancy a swim - only do that in Kakadu where the water is warm. Updates b4 we walk iin on Jan 10 will still be appreciated.
Cheers
Graeme

[GraemeSpedding]

Hi folks. Well the weather was kind ( hot even) and we managed to complete the route this year. Walked right thru to Pigsty Ponds on the first day, which was a biggish day for us from the north, but set us up nicely for the rest of the trip. Spent a night at Oozle Lake in a storm then walked the next day in a white out as we traversed Pindars Peak to LTTS. Bashed from LTTS round to Lo Camp and did the climb and descent in one day from Lo Camp in near perfect conditions with views. One questions, we followed John Champan's notes to the water fall on the lagoon side -where we had lunch. But after this Chapman says you go another 15 mins to a major gully, then cros this and 150m later take the spur to descend. We only went probably 75 m from the gully and found the track obviously blocked and lots of tape to follow down the spur. Was this correct or should we have stepped over the barrier?? The spur we followd then led us into the little nest of nasty siink holes that we had to tip toe across. Again should we have encountered these?? or Would Mr Chapmans descent ( assuming his is different) avoided them.
However Cavern Camp is nice with VERY good water and the lagoon was LO so the wade was easier with no swimming. After that the SCT was just a littel diddly bop.All the creeks were lo and the mud in good condition after all the dry.
I saw in the log book that 3 or 4 people are started out for PB and were forced to run back to the Quarry - as we did last year - I trust that this was NOT any of you.
Back to Tassie for a winter Walls trip next year.
Best wishes
Graeme