DuCane Traverse
Posted: Fri 27 Apr, 2012 10:07 am"No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become lost in the wild." - Christopher McCandless
This hike was physically and mentally exhausting but each moment bought that amazing feeling of isolation and accomplishment that only comes from adventuring out into the pristine wilderness alone.
I started off from Lake St Clair and was going solo due to others having injuries and work commitments. The first night I spent in the Campfire Creek campsite which was the start of the bad weather. I lay awake for some time contemplating actually heading up falling Mountain and if it was a good choice or not given the weather.
In the end I just did it anyway. I made good time heading up Falling Mountain cutting Chapmans stated time in half. At that stage I thought I'd be at Mt Massif in no time at all. The weather was bad. It was clouded in and raining and of course very windy so I didn't get may photos of this section but occassionally the cloud would lift and I'd snap a shot for memories sake.
My expected quick traverse from Falling Mt to Mt Massif didn't happen and it took almost double Chapmans time. The weather really came in and navigation in and around the boulders became really difficult. The worst of it being the last section before heading up Mt Massif. At this point I had real difficulty finding a route. The path I chose was probably not the best but after crossing some deep cracks between boulders and climbing up some precarious rocks and working my scrawny muscles to their limit I finally came out the other side.
I can honestly say that it was such a pleasant sight to see the creek leading up to Massif. My hands were ripped to shreds as were my overpants but I was just so relieved to finish that section. I'm sure it has great views if the weather is fine but for me it was just seemed like hard work. (There were a few exceptions on the odd occasion where the weather opened for those prescious seconds)
Walking into Massif Bowl was still wet and windy and the views were fairly average but after setting up the tent the sun finally dropped low on the horizon and lit up the bowl and I could see why people love it up here. The weather came in again and I had my second cookup in the one man tent.
That night my feet got really cold and I thought the condensation had wicked down through the sleeping bag but I woke the next morning to find my water bladder had leaked and that the foot end of my sleeping bag was sitting in 2 litres of freezing water.
The next part of the hike was again on more dolerite which further ripped my tender hands and the weather was atrocious. There was one section where I though to myself 'This can't be the way...surely!' But after scouting around without the pack I could see no alternative but to cross the thin section of rock with cliff face either side. It probably wouldn't be too bad except that the wind was howling and the rain was heavy. In the end I half crawled my way across and climbed up the other side.
It wasn't long after this that I descended into Big Gun Pass and the weather started to lift a little. The walking from the descent onwards was much easier and I loved giving my hands a rest from the dolerite. The views starte to come for me at this stage and I could see just how grand the vista was.
I found the pad leading down to the Labrynth and really enjoyed walking around all the tarns and trees looking out over the cliff edge. The Labrynth was amazing and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself. What an amazing place to be. The weather came in again while I set up the tent and I had my third dinner in a row inside the one man tent. I woke the next morning to find a leech on the inside of my tent. Obviously the most useless leech in history having all night to find its mark it failed. It was a great morning though and the sun was in full force. I meandered around the lakes just soaking it up.
I made my way up the lookout and had some great views before starting down to Pine Vally hut. I saw my first person as I was descending. I loved that feeling of isolation in the wilderness and realised that heading to Pine Valley that was about to change. I did however enjoy talking to everyone at the hut as most people out hiking are genuinely pretty easy going and good for a yarn.
That pretty much ended the trip and the walk out was as per the Overland Track. Of course as keeping with tradition I had a nice swim at Narcissus before being ferried back to civilisation.
I have some more photo's of the trip here on Flick if you're interested http://www.flickr.com/photos/taspicsvns/
This hike was physically and mentally exhausting but each moment bought that amazing feeling of isolation and accomplishment that only comes from adventuring out into the pristine wilderness alone.
I started off from Lake St Clair and was going solo due to others having injuries and work commitments. The first night I spent in the Campfire Creek campsite which was the start of the bad weather. I lay awake for some time contemplating actually heading up falling Mountain and if it was a good choice or not given the weather.
In the end I just did it anyway. I made good time heading up Falling Mountain cutting Chapmans stated time in half. At that stage I thought I'd be at Mt Massif in no time at all. The weather was bad. It was clouded in and raining and of course very windy so I didn't get may photos of this section but occassionally the cloud would lift and I'd snap a shot for memories sake.
- Looking toward Falling Mountain
My expected quick traverse from Falling Mt to Mt Massif didn't happen and it took almost double Chapmans time. The weather really came in and navigation in and around the boulders became really difficult. The worst of it being the last section before heading up Mt Massif. At this point I had real difficulty finding a route. The path I chose was probably not the best but after crossing some deep cracks between boulders and climbing up some precarious rocks and working my scrawny muscles to their limit I finally came out the other side.
I can honestly say that it was such a pleasant sight to see the creek leading up to Massif. My hands were ripped to shreds as were my overpants but I was just so relieved to finish that section. I'm sure it has great views if the weather is fine but for me it was just seemed like hard work. (There were a few exceptions on the odd occasion where the weather opened for those prescious seconds)
Walking into Massif Bowl was still wet and windy and the views were fairly average but after setting up the tent the sun finally dropped low on the horizon and lit up the bowl and I could see why people love it up here. The weather came in again and I had my second cookup in the one man tent.
- Mt Massif Bowl
- Mt Massif Bowl.jpg (202.46 KiB) Viewed 7609 times
That night my feet got really cold and I thought the condensation had wicked down through the sleeping bag but I woke the next morning to find my water bladder had leaked and that the foot end of my sleeping bag was sitting in 2 litres of freezing water.
The next part of the hike was again on more dolerite which further ripped my tender hands and the weather was atrocious. There was one section where I though to myself 'This can't be the way...surely!' But after scouting around without the pack I could see no alternative but to cross the thin section of rock with cliff face either side. It probably wouldn't be too bad except that the wind was howling and the rain was heavy. In the end I half crawled my way across and climbed up the other side.
It wasn't long after this that I descended into Big Gun Pass and the weather started to lift a little. The walking from the descent onwards was much easier and I loved giving my hands a rest from the dolerite. The views starte to come for me at this stage and I could see just how grand the vista was.
I found the pad leading down to the Labrynth and really enjoyed walking around all the tarns and trees looking out over the cliff edge. The Labrynth was amazing and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself. What an amazing place to be. The weather came in again while I set up the tent and I had my third dinner in a row inside the one man tent. I woke the next morning to find a leech on the inside of my tent. Obviously the most useless leech in history having all night to find its mark it failed. It was a great morning though and the sun was in full force. I meandered around the lakes just soaking it up.
- Walled Mt from The Labrynth
I made my way up the lookout and had some great views before starting down to Pine Vally hut. I saw my first person as I was descending. I loved that feeling of isolation in the wilderness and realised that heading to Pine Valley that was about to change. I did however enjoy talking to everyone at the hut as most people out hiking are genuinely pretty easy going and good for a yarn.
That pretty much ended the trip and the walk out was as per the Overland Track. Of course as keeping with tradition I had a nice swim at Narcissus before being ferried back to civilisation.
I have some more photo's of the trip here on Flick if you're interested http://www.flickr.com/photos/taspicsvns/
But the rewards are still with us!