Higgs Track and Lady Lake Hut

[Joe]

Just returned from night at the Lady Lake Hut.

Left home at 0730 arrived at Higgs Track carpark at 0830. Set off with my walking companion Digger (AussieXFox Terrier) in tow. The track is steep once you cross the river and gets even steeper when you get closer to the plateau. After stopping for a lot of rests (Im less fit that I thought...) I popped out on top and wandered the last 200 meters along the flat to the hut. The hut is amazing, Fully lined, clean, brand new looking (which it virtually is) Everything you could possibly need is there, Heater (wasnt working, needs fuel), Metho stove, 7 beds with mattresses and blankets, table chairs and variety of other stuff.

I rested and had a cuppa billy tea and a bit to eat before wandering off to Lake Lucy Long. Got almost there when the dog got bitten by something and started spewing. Erring on the side of caution I turned around and headed back towards the hut. Silly move really. As soon as we got back she had a drink and dropped the stick at my feet...after an hour of stick throwing she still hadnt tired. 2 groups of walkers came through and also threw the stick for her for ages...Why didn't I head on to Lake Nameless again?

Decided I would just explore the Lady lake area seeing as though there was little of the day left. Walked around lady lake and spent rest of day taking photographs of the lake, the plateau and Mother Comings peak.

After some tea back at the hut (the metho stove proved to be an absolute ripper to use...Im going to take better ingredients next time and cook up a storm!) I decided to do some night time star trails photography. Set the camera on its tripod, pointed it just slightly east of south to get a nice ridgeline that is close to the hut into the shot and opened the shutter. Back into the warmth of the hut to wait for a while. about 30 mins later wandered back out in dark and immediately wondered where the green light on the back of camera had gone. Not wanting to use torch in fear of ruining the shot i felt around to find the camera...it had toppled over! How could that happen..the tripod was sturdy as when i left it. Flicked on torch and righted camera. Heared flapping wings and looked up hoping to see an owl or somesuch. Saw nothing. Righted tripod and heared very loud flapping of wings...something hit my torch arm! WT *$&#! it was bats...they were everywhere. Im guessing it was them that knocked the camera over and it was them that sent me back into the hut unable to continue with my star trails photos. While I had the torch on they just kept flying into me! Great experience.

Awoke early and gave the hut a good clean, set off for home. Will return very soon I think and do walk into Ironstone hut. Make it a 3 day affair I think...conquer the initial climb to Lady Lake hut in afternoon of first day then head off early for ironstone the next morning.

Haven't pulled photos off camera yet, will do so soon and post anything good in the gallery!

[Son of a Beach]

This is a good description of the walk, and I loved the pics in your Gallery topic! I'll definitely be visiting that hut some time so I've got some questions for you..

How long was the total walk, from the car to the hut, including breaks? I may even do it with a baby and all the paraphanalia, in which case I'd be going slow.

That built in metho stove looks interesting - I've never seen anything like it. Does that mean I don't need to carry a stove at all, and just bring some metho, if I'm going to be based at the hut?

Last edited by Son of a Beach on Tue 17 Apr, 2007 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Joe]

Metho stove was a ripper. I didnt take a stove with me and I enjoyed many a cuppa tea in the hut.

The walk was about hour and half up and hour back. That was walking very slow up having many breaks. There is a good amount of logs, rocks and whatnot to sit on for a breather, and most are long enough that you can rest your pack on them without taking it off. There is a heater in the hut too which takes some strange form of fuel cartridge. I couldnt get it to light and I have never seen the cartridge type before. Before my next trip up there im going to do some research and take a replacement fuel cell for it, as its gonna be cold by my next visit

[The Caveman]

Pity Lady Lake has no fish... That hut is a cracker.

Good base for a wander around the Eastern end of Chudleigh Lakes, especially for a crew of 4 or more.

I've got itchy feet already...

[Joe]

There is a picture in the Hut of a *&%$#! big rainbow trout which i believe was caught in Lady Lake...and having sat on dusk watching the lake I believe there is a fish or two in there....

[The Caveman]

Could be an unsanctioned release of rainbows in there, but haven't heard of any coming up.... Until now....

[Mowser]

I did a walk up to the Lake on Sunday with a group. Fantastic spot! Absolutely magic. We thought we saw a fish or something jump in the lake while we were there. The fish in the photo in the hut is quite large. All in all, great little day walk.

[Joe]

We thought we saw a fish or something jump in the lake while we were there. The fish in the photo in the hut is quite large.

THis confirms my suspicion...there is a rod in the hut...next trip up there im gonna give it a go.. might see if the missus can be dragged up during the school holidays.

[Son of a Beach]

There is a heater in the hut too which takes some strange form of fuel cartridge. (snip) Before my next trip up there im going to do some research and take a replacement fuel cell for it, as its gonna be cold by my next visit

Anyone know what kind of fuel/cartridge the heater takes and where to get it from?

[Joe]

It was circular, 20cm or so in Diameter and had a foam like interior that was soaked in some form of fuel...thats all i know

I looked around allgoods fuel section with no luck.

[tasadam]

It was circular, 20cm or so in Diameter and had a foam like interior that was soaked in some form of fuel...thats all i know

I looked around allgoods fuel section with no luck.

Perhaps the next person to visit the hut could take photos of the heater in order for the assistance in identifying and hunting down the fuel ??
Cheers!

[Mowser]

The heater uses 'denatured alcohol'. So i suspect metho should work. It states that about a litre of fuel will let it burn for 4 to 6 hours. It contains a non-flammable absorbent fuel cell that you pour the metho onto. That part of it doesn't need replacing. You just need the liquid fuel.
The stove in the hut also uses metho. It has two or three 'O' ring burners like a gas hot plate. Pretty good set up really. So, take a couple of litres of metho and you should be set!

[Joe]

two pics with the heater in them here...its the silver thing that looks like a barrel on a pole.

I thought i remembered reading something that said do not refill with liquid fuel....most likely wrong though.

[Mowser]

Gotta love google. Just found the following link...

http://www.swego.com/mall/heat_pal_5100.asp

I think this is the same heater as in the hut if i'm not mistaken.
NB: Denatured alcohol = metho

[Joe]

nice find....good to confirm it

Metho all around then!

[Son of a Beach]

Well, inspired by this topic, and not having ever been there before, I decided to visit Lady Lake and spent Saturday night there. I took my father with me, and we had a great time. Perfect cloudless and windless winter weather on the first day, with a thin layer of ice completely covering all the lakes and pools, and a bit misty on the second day. We had a great weekend!

Click here to jump to the 'Gallery' topic for the pictures.

I can confirm that the heater in the hut works nicely, and we got about 3 or 4 hours from about 700ml of metho with it turned up full. It doesn't put out a huge amount of heat, but it sure made a difference on a freezing cold evening.

The stove is an absolute ripper. 2 burner method stove built onto the table, and it makes cooking with metho as good as cooking with gas, in terms of controlling the burners.

Comprehensive instructions for the use of the stove and heater are posted on the wall on the hut.

[dee_legg]

Hi guys,

I apologise if this has been covered elsewhere but where does the walk start and how do you get there?

Thanks!

[taswegian]

I'll just add (ask) how has the access road stood up in light of floods please.
That may affect 'where does the walk start' as of now.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hi Dee.
Hope this helps.

Attachments

[ILUVSWTAS]

I'll just add (ask) how has the access road stood up in light of floods please.
That may affect 'where does the walk start' as of now.

I believe there is a hole in the road, but you can still get fairly close.

[Haydynb]

Hi guys,

Was up their late Jan, no issues getting to the car park re damage from the Jan floods, uncertain if the recent rain has had any impact. Only issue was the bridge across the creek..gone but wasnt an issue getting across. Signs pretty much all the way to the car park.

[Robbo]

I was there a few weeks ago. The road to the CP is fine and the track up to Lady Lake OK as well. The bridge was gone but as mentioned no worries getting across by rock-hopping.

TR

[Thomas]

Hey Joe,

Great area ah......i was there with haydynb in January.

Like you, we didn't quite make Ironstone Hut, but plan to return.

Heading off again this weekend to Chapter Lake.....should be fine..!!

Rgds
Thomas

[north-north-west]

Heading off again this weekend to Chapter Lake.....should be fine..!!

Moses Creek track is a little messy in places, but easy enough to follow except at the Junction Lake end.
And if you're going in via Lake Myrtle, the black and grey beanie somewhere in the buttongrass on Blizzard Plain is mine. Be nice to it.

[Thomas]

Hey NNW....

Heading in via Moses Creek Track for a squizz.....thanks for the heads up on the condition of it.

As for your beanie, i had a similar experiance with my hat heading to Lake Nameless in January.....left it on a rock very near the top of Higgs track....& after returning from Nameless to Lady Lake Hut, there it was...on the table..!! Never spotted anyone all day that had come up behind us & no other cars in the CP when we returned........

Hoping to cover Lake Myrtle early spring...maybe that beanie will show up...!!!

Rgds,
Thomas

[Haydynb]

It's the mystery hat mover!

[Thomas]

I'm still baffled by that....so's sleepy..!!!

[Son of a Beach]

If you look through the log book in Lady Lake Hut, there is a local who goes up there very frequently - ie, multiple times per week (I guess it's their regular exercise). They may make it a habit to put such items in "a safe place" if they find them nearby the hut.

[Thomas]

Thx nik....reckon that may be it.....

Rgds
T

[Haydynb]

I'm still baffled by that....so's sleepy..!!!

He awake yet?