Western/Eastern Arthurs: Difficulty, Fitness, Age [split]

[Son of a Beach]

This topic has been split off from here.

How hard is the [Western Arthurs and Easter Arthurs] walk for your average forty something...?

I've done the Western Arthurs and Eastern Arthurs twice each, with the two combined once (three trips total). My knees hurt for months afterwards each time. The first time you do these or similar walks, it is a real shock to the system. You have to climb up/down cliffs of mud, (as well as steep sections of rock), and it is steep up and steep down alternating all the way, with very little in the way of flat walking in between (except for the plains at the start/end, which are rather muddy). The exposure (walking along tracks which are exposed to dangerous heights and conditions) is a serious shock too, the first time. It's hard to believe that the tracks have been cut is such places, but there's little other choice. The Moss Ridge section also includes a lot of scrambling over/under/between trees and branches.

Having said all that, we did walk parallel with a group for a few days which included a one-handed lady, and although a bit slower on the scrambling/climbing sections, she handled it all OK. There's no real 'rock climbing' involved but most people would need to carry a rope for pack-hauling on a few sections. I think we pack hauled once on the Western and once on the Eastern range.

It's long and hard, but when the weather is good it's just brilliant (although it rained pretty much all of my last trip, we did get good weather for a few days on the first two trips).

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

[Son of a Beach]

Hi Nik

Thanks for that rather sobering report. Either a lot of hard yards to get physically to the point to enjoy the experience or look at the pictures.

Cheers Brett

I don't mean to make it sound impossible, but just want to make sure people don't take it too lightly (it was a shock to me the first time, as it was so totally different, and harder, than anything I had walked before).

Actually, I think nearly anyone could do it, so long as they don't have a significant fear of heights, are moderately fit and moderately experienced, and have adequate equipment. A bit of training in the form of a couple of shorter easier walks in the weeks leading up to it would make just about anyone fit enough, I reckon (this is what I did before my last visit to the range - climbed Ossa with a full pack, and back down again off track).

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

[sthughes]

Brett, have you been up Mt. Murchison? I haven't done the Arthurs but when we were doing Murchison NickS suggested the Arthurs we much like the harder bits of Murchy, except constant for days on end and with a full pack

[Nick S]

Yeah I remember thinking that doing squats all day would be a good simulator for parts of the Western Arthurs, especially walking along the Beggary bumps. Just the steepness of the track as it passes through rocky gullies, it's amazing when you look back at where you've been.
I agree with Nik though regarding the fitness required etc. But no matter what it is still a shock, which is why it's such an incredible walk.

[corvus]

I guess this one walk I have left too late in life and will just have to be content with photographs now
corvus

[norts]

Come on Corvus I met a bloke who was in his 70's, he was spending over 20 days in the WAs. He was that much slower than my party but was spending extra days aty each campsite to climb most of the mountains- your never to old.
Having said that I cant envisage me doing the WAs at 70.
Roger

[corvus]

Norts ,
Ever since a fall whilst doing a simple rock climb any walk requiring any more than basic rock scrambling is a no no for me, that coupled with a persistent heel spur and ongoing arthritis in various body parts has curtailed me just a tad
Its not always age
corvus

[flyfisher]

Norts ,
Ever since a fall whilst doing a simple rock climb any walk requiring any more than basic rock scrambling is a no no for me, that coupled with a persistent heel spur and ongoing arthritis in various body parts has curtailed me just a tad
Its not always age
corvus

Still us old codgers can still put in a reasonable performance from time to time, can't we mate.

ff

[corvus]

Norts ,
Ever since a fall whilst doing a simple rock climb any walk requiring any more than basic rock scrambling is a no no for me, that coupled with a persistent heel spur and ongoing arthritis in various body parts has curtailed me just a tad
Its not always age
corvus

Still us old codgers can still put in a reasonable performance from time to time, can't we mate.

ff

We can and do and have done with our young "Strollers" having taken them into places they had never been and perhaps will Never to do Ever again
corvus

[flyfisher]

We can and do and have done with our young "Strollers" having taken them into places they had never been and perhaps will Never to do Ever again
corvus

Got a few more places if they've got the time.

ff

[Nuts]

Do you old crows need a guide?

BTW ILSWT, I dont think you would be waiting for the groups to pass You.... And huts r for whimps anyhow

[corvus]

We can and do and have done with our young "Strollers" having taken them into places they had never been and perhaps will Never to do Ever again
corvus

Got a few more places if they've got the time.

ff

Yes mate bring them on

[quote="Nuts"]Do you old crows need a guide?

/quote]

Nuts perhaps it is you who needs a guide to those places I know you have not visited
corvus

[flyfisher]

Do you old crows need a guide?

I say Corvus, there are some cheeky young bug%#$@rs about.

Been all over the plateau for over 30 years and not lost yet.

ff

[corvus]

Do you old crows need a guide?

I say Corvus, there are some cheeky young bug%#$@rs about.

Been all over the plateau for over 30 years and lot lost yet.

ff

Some of them do have some experience albeit in a contracted area and during the past short time of their lives
corvus

[Nuts]

Some of them do have some experience albeit in a contracted area and during the past short time of their lives
corvus

Ticked this one off almost 20 years ago....
Can take you there and even get someone to carry your excesses (for a price )

[corvus]

Lets try for the areas you have not done
Us old farts cant still teach (show) you young snoozers some real tricks
corvus

[tasadam]

Lets try for the areas you have not done
Us old farts cant still teach (show) you young snoozers some real tricks
corvus

Corvus I'm not sure I want to learn your tricks...

Ever since a fall whilst doing a simple rock climb...

[corvus]

Adam,
You have not lived till you have "done the fall" that is if you survive
c

[ollster]

My memory of the Western Arthurs is that of being in constant fear, pumped full of adrenaline. That feeling was backed up during the evenings by falling dreams every night (after getting into the serious stuff).

Echoing Nik, it also wrecked my knees (carrying a tad under 30kgs, admittedly). Foolishly we did a pretty quick tour of the range - doing about 4 days in a row of 10-12 hours - which is a shame as we should have spent more time. I wasn't as fit or strong then as I am now, but I was much younger (21-ish)!

Stupidly I am contemplating doing it again... I have never done the Easterns, as I think just the site of Fedder would unman me.

[Son of a Beach]

Yeah, this is one walk I would like to reduce my pack weight for. Partly because it's moderately long, and you have to carry a lot of weight in food to start with. But also because the nature of the track and climbing is incredibly hard on joints, and any extra weight in the pack makes this kind of climbing more difficult and more damaging to the joints.

In particular, there are numerous sections where you have to get one foot (or one toe) up to about the height of your ears, and then transfer your entire weight, and that of your pack, onto this high foot, and then straighten that leg, lifting your entire weight, and that of your pack, up to full standing position, and then repeat the process numerous times with either the same leg or both legs. This is what really kills the knees on this walk.

Nick S' comparison to doing a whole lot of squats is very good, but I'd say that you need to do a whole lot of one legged squats with a full pack on your back.

[Penguin]

My memory of the Western Arthurs is that of being in constant fear, pumped full of adrenaline. That feeling was backed up during the evenings by falling dreams every night (after getting into the serious stuff).

Echoing Nik, it also wrecked my knees (carrying a tad under 30kgs, admittedly). Foolishly we did a pretty quick tour of the range - doing about 4 days in a row of 10-12 hours - which is a shame as we should have spent more time. I wasn't as fit or strong then as I am now, but I was much younger (21-ish)!

Stupidly I am contemplating doing it again... I have never done the Easterns, as I think just the site of Fedder would unman me.

I have only done mouraines a to e. I got the helicotper out. So I have not done the realy airial bits. Fantastic up to e and not super hard. Which are the tricky bits?

P

[ollster]

The bit directly after Oberon up to the end of the Beggary Bumps was particularly challenging, from memory.

In particular I recall the the descent off Capricorn (I think?) left me shaking with fear - my knees were actually trembling uncontrollably.

[Nuts]

Lets try for the areas you have not done
Us old farts cant still teach (show) you young snoozers some real tricks
corvus

There are plenty, only done some of the major ones outside the 'home turf'.
Reading the descriptions TBH makes my knees groan, perhaps I need a porter also?

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

[Nuts]

I did have another post. Must have been eaten by space...

Went for a 'quick' trip around the Dove Canyon Track yesterday. It had been 10yrs and thinking through all the parts of it i was sure it couldnt take more than an hour. As I went parts started to appear where I was thinking 'Oh yer, and then there is this part as well', and this part.... Anyhow after an hour i was getting late for a meeting and ended up jogging the last 500m (on the super walkway...) Took 1/2 longer than i summed, tis amazing how time erases pain and the worst of things...

[Son of a Beach]

I have only done mouraines a to e. I got the helicotper out. So I have not done the realy airial bits. Fantastic up to e and not super hard. Which are the tricky bits?

Short answer... the middle bit.

Seriously, though, either end of the Western Arthurs is not too bad. From memory, the technically hardest parts are all between morraines E and K. There's some fairly hairy sections in the Eastern range too.

The first tricky bit is just south of morraine E. Ie, the final descent to Lake Oberon. I think most experienced people would not find this bit terribly hard, but when a mate and I organised a walk into Oberon with our wives, the two ladies struggled very much with this little section (interestingly, one of the wives was fine on the way down, but struggled on the way up, whereas the other struggled on the way down, but was fine on the way up - there were tears involved from at least one of them).

Actually, the other hard part is morraine A itself. Although not technically difficult, it is such a loooooong slog for a steep uphill section. It is a very demoralising hill!

PS. What happened that you needed a helichopper? An injury?

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

[Penguin]

I have only done mouraines a to e. I got the helicotper out. So I have not done the realy airial bits. Fantastic up to e and not super hard. Which are the tricky bits?

Short answer... the middle bit.

Seriously, though, either end of the Western Arthurs is not too bad. From memory, the technically hardest parts are all between morraines E and K. There's some fairly hairy sections in the Eastern range too.

The first tricky bit is just south of morraine E. Ie, the final descent to Lake Oberon. I think most experienced people would not find this bit terribly hard, but when a mate and I organised a walk into Oberon with our wives, the two ladies struggled very much with this little section (interestingly, one of the wives was fine on the way down, but struggled on the way up, whereas the other struggled on the way down, but was fine on the way up - there were tears involved from at least one of them).

Actually, the other hard part is morraine A itself. Although not technically difficult, it is such a loooooong slog for a steep uphill section. It is a very demoralising hill!

PS. What happened that you needed a helichopper? An injury?

We did morraine a on a 38 degree day - that was a hard slog.

We got the taxi ride because of bush firess - a long story