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+===== Who'd Be A Walker - Part 2. =====
+=== Wandering 'round in mist and rain. ===
+Jim Brown.
+"Grandpa - you know that song you're always singing?"
-NHO'D BE A NALHER - PART 2.
-WANDERING 'R.OUND IN TEST AND RAIN -  Jim Brown.
- "Grandpa you know that sorgyou're always singing?"
 "Which one is that son -? The Catalogue Aria?"
-"No, that one about being a walker, There's one part that goes 'wandering round in mist and fog'. At least, that's what it sounds like when you've got your teeth in, and you haven't been to a smoko."
-"Ah, yes - Who'd be a walkeri
+"No, that one about being a walker. There's one part that goes 'wandering round in mist and fog'. At least, that's what it sounds like when you've got your teeth in, and you haven't been to a smoko."
-Scrambling for a train
+"Ah, yes - Who'd be a walker,\\
+Scrambling for a train\\
 Wandering round in mist and fog."
-"That's it, Grandpa. Well, did you ever wander round in mist and fog?" "Did I ever? ----- look son - have you got six or seven hours? Well ----
-I started off as a freelance walker and never had any fog trouble worth
+"That's it, Grandpa. Well, did you ever wander round in mist and fog?"
-mentioning, But I'd only been about three months with the Walkers when I first
-ran into it That doesn't necessarily signify that you must be a member of an affiliated Club to have mist, though,
+"Did I ever? ----- look son - have you got six or seven hours? Well ----
-"Anyway it was Easter '471 and a party of us was coming over the Gangerang
-Range from Kanangra. Easter Saturday night we were going to can on Dex Cteek,
+I started off as a freelance walker and never had any fog trouble worth mentioning. But I'd only been about three months with the Walkers when I first ran into it. That doesn't necessarily signify that you must be a member of an affiliated Club to have mist, though.
-but all that afternoon while we scrambled up from Gabes Gap on to Cloudmaker, the mist thickened, and at the top we had a view of 30 yards of weeping scrub.
-. "We knew flex Creek was about north we dropped off the summit on that side
+"Anyway it was Easter '47, and a party of us was coming over the Gangerang Range from Kanangra. Easter Saturday night we were going to camp on Dex Cteek, but all that afternoon while we scrambled up from Gabes Gap on to Cloudmaker, the mist thickened, and at the top we had a view of 30 yards of weeping scrub.
-and an hour later we were tossing aside fallen trees and uprooting vegetation
- to clear space for a tvt, It wasn't flex Creek, of course, but it would have to
+"We knew flex Creek was about north, so we dropped off the summit on that side and an hour later we were tossing aside fallen trees and uprooting vegetation to clear space for a tent. It wasn't Dex Creek, of course, but it would have to do.
-do.
-"Next morning was still murky, but we climbed over a low stony ridge to the
+"Next morning was still murky, but we climbed over a low stony ridge to the east, and came out on the clearing along Dex Creek. This all seemed extra grouse until we discovered two of the party were astray, We halloo'ed, and they answered back in the forest and we waited. After a bit, when they didn't show up through the haze, we yelled again and this time there was no answer.
-east, and came out on the clearing along flex Creek, This all seemed extra grouse
-until we discovered two of the party were astray, Wehr...11oo'ed, and they answered back in the forest and we waited, After a bits when they didn't show up through the haze, we yelled again and this time there was no answer.
+"Alarm, panic! We downed packs and leaving a couple to mark our place, fanned out into the creeping fog. After a short while we got answers to our calls, this time far away; and a good deal latar, having shouted to them to stay put and yell, we picked 'em up. They were both people wearing hearing aids, which apparently give "one-side" reception and had been steadily following a course parallel to our calls.
-"Alarm, panicl. downed packs and leaving a couple to mark our place, fanned
-out into the creeping fog. After a short while we got answers to our calls,
+"All in all it was about an hour before we were all assembled again, and almost immediately the cloud began to blow away.
-this time far away; and a good deal latar, having shouted to them to stay put and
-. yell, we picked 'em up. They were both people wearing hearing aids, which
+"I suppose it was because that wasn't "my" trip, but I wasn't overly impressed with the problems that roll up enveloped in mist. Two years later, same place, same holiday weekend, I was.
-apparently give "one-side" reception and had been steadily following a course parallel to our calls.
-"All in all it was about an hour before we were all assembled again, and almost immediately the cloud began to blow away,
+"Once again the clouds rolled up as we clambered over Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble. Because we had a sloppy party with fast breakaways up front, and a slow rearguard, including one sick man, I scarcely noticed, being too fully occupied running up and down the line checking the leaders and coaxing the tail.
-  The Sydney Bushwalker August 1962 "I suppose it was because that wasn't
- t114 but I wasn't overly
+"The view from Cloudmaker was exactly the same as at Easter '47, but warned by that occasion, I led off slightly east of north - and almost ran the party into Ti-Willa Canyon. Finally, after some groping around in wet scrub we got on to the Dex Creek clearings in the last glimmers of daylight.
-impressed with the problems that roll up enveloped in mist. Two years later, same nlace, same holiday weekend, I was.
-"Once again the clouds rolled up as we clambered over Rip, Rack, Roar
+"Next moyning was still closed down. Cautiously we edged up from Dex Creek, with once a sight of a ghostly hump of Bolworra Mt. over to our right. The plan was to take the west branch of Lower Gangerang, down past Noorilla and over Strongleg, and presently I paused to make observations.
-and Rumble. Because we had a sloppy party with fast breakaways up front, and a slow rearguard, including one sick man, I scarcely noticed, being too fully
-occupied running up and down the line'checking the leaders and coaxing the tail.
+"I can still remember the crawling clouds, the damp chill air, the occasional glimpses of straggly trees lining the edge of Kanangra Creek Valley. The highest ground (and so the most obvious) led away just a shade east of north. A compass sight on to some vaguely seen trees something west of north gave me fresh heart and I looked around - to see our runaways, already almost out of recall, bettling off on the NE ridge.
-"The view from Cloudmaker was exactly the same as at Easter '47, but warned
-by that occasion, I led off slightly east of north - and almost ran the party into Ti- Nina Canyon. Finally, after some groping around in wet scrub we got
+"Of course, I should have let the slobs stew in their own juice, and taken the rest off to Noorilla: instead I followed weakly, and an hour later, when the cloud began to rise, it was all too obvious we were on our way to Gentle's Pass.  At least I had the perverse satisfaction of refusing to go back with a sick member in the party, and we finished up reaching the Cox via Narcott's Ridge.
-on to the Dex Creek clearings in the last glimmers of daylight.
-"Next moyning was still closed down. Cautiously we edged up from Dex
+"Don't think I'll ever forget the infuriating helplessness of that moment on the fork of the Gangerang - that feeling of oh-dear-oh-dear - if only I could see something! You can get the same feeling sometimes in dense scrub, but never quite so badly as in a good pea-soup mountain mist.
-Creek; with' Ohce a sight of a ghostly hump of Bolworra Et. over to our' right. The plan was to take the west branch of Lower Gangerang, down past Noorilla and
-over Strongleg, and prwatEly I paused to make observations.
+"Well, I had a pretty good trot after that for a few years: plenty of rain, a fair share of winds, but not really lousy fogs. Until I was doing a Victorian Alps trip with three other folk in '55 -- just a tick, now, I've got it in an old magazine here, and if Editors won't reprint me, I can at least quote myself. Here it is -
- "I can still remember the crawling clouds, the damp chill air, the
-occasional glimpses of straggly trees lining the edge of Kanangra Creek Valley. The highest ground (and so the most obvious) led away just a shade east of north. A compass sight on to some vaguely seen trees something west of north gave me
+'In the notes given me by Stuart Brookes (not the slob who was Editor back in '62, but a very pleasant cover in the Vic. Mountain Tramping Club) was a caution. "By the way, on the section from Mt. Wellington to Mt. Howitt, it's not uncommon to run into misty weather - it is best to stay put until the weather improves."
-fresh heart and I looked around - to see our runaways, already almost out of recall, bettling off on the NE ridge.
-"Of course, I Should have let the slobs- stew in their own juice, and taken the rest off to Noorilla: instead I followed weakly, and an hour later, when the
+Well, I ask you, who would stay put while the track is six feet wide, striding away before you? Then, if there were a real change brewing, we hoped to take shelter in Guy's Hut on Bryce's Plain.
-cloud began to rise, it was all too obvious we were on our way to Gentle's Pass.  At least I had the perverse satisfaction of refusing to go back with a sick member in the party, and we finished up reaching the Cax via Narcott's Ridge.
-"Don't think I'll ever forget the infuriating helplessness of that moment on the fork of the Gangerang - that feeling of ch-dear-oh-dear - if only I could
+'The mist thickened, but the approach landmarks to the Plain all tallied with the map - a little stream running west, fences and sliprails. Time 5 p.m. and ahead was the vagueness of a snow plain. Bearing to hut across plain NW. Distance 500 yards. Below is a picture of what we saw in the next hour.
-see something! You can get the same feeling sometimes in dense scrub, but never
-quite so badly as in a good pea-soup mountain mist.
+'Some time past 6 p.m. we groped back and settled thankfully under a couple of large trees, fairly close to our original entry to the Plain. There was water below in the creek. We had written off the Hut - look for it in the morning.
-"Well, I had a pretty good trot after that for a few years: plenty of rain, a fair share of winds, but not really lousy fogs. Until I was doing a Victorian
-Alps trip with three other folk in '55 -- just a tick, now, I've got it in an old magazine here, and if Editors won't reprint me, I can at least quote myself.
+'Once or twice during the night I aroused enough to look out at the mist; and it was still there at first light. Voices in the other tents fetched me back to life again at 5.50, and through the rift at the foot of the tent I could see a gray light - and trees across the plain. I stuck my head out. Guy's Hut was 5 minutes walk away, at the edge of the forest opposite. (Last night we couldn't even find the forest.)
-Here it is -
-'In the notes given me by Stuart Brookes (not the slob who was Editor back in '62, but alery pleasant cover in the Vic. Mountain Tramping Club) was a caution.
-"By the way; on the section from Et. Wellington to Et. Howitt, it's not uncommon to run into misty weather -- it is best to stay put until the weather improves."
-August 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 9
-Well, I ask you, who would stay put -while the track is six feet wide, striding away before you? Then, if there were a real change brewing, we hoped to take shelter in Guy's' Hut on Bryce's Plain.
-'The mist thickened, but the approach landmarks to the Plain all tallied with the map - a little stream running west, fences and sliprails. Time 5 p m. and ahead was the vagueness of a snow plain. Bearing to hut across plain NW. Distance 500 yards. Below is a picture of what we saw in the next hour.
-'Some time past 6 p m, we groped back and settled thankfully under a couple of large trees, fairly close to our original entry to the Plain. There was water below in the creek. We had written off the Hut - look for it in the morning.
-'Once or twice during the night I aroused enough to look out at the mist, and it was still there at first light. Voices in the other tents fetched me back to life again at 5.50, and through the rift at the foot of the tent I could see a gray light - and trees across the plain. I stuck my head out. Guy's Hut was 5 minutes walk away, at the edge of the forest opposite. (Last night we couldn't even find the forest.)
 "Of the following afternoon I wrote -
-'We saw the bald dome of Mt. Howett a few times before mist closed in again, and crossed a series of pocket-handkerchief snow plains. Each time the path ,disappeared in the grass, but popped up again, clear as a highway amongst the
-timber.
-'Towards 4.0 o'clock a couple of miles short of Nacalister Springs, we crossed another clearing, and saected a good trail, sidling the east face of the range. Presently we came back to the top, after outflanking the highest point. The track became rather obscure in some burnt scrub, and we halted - the mist blew apart for a moment to reveal a timbered ridge where the bare top of Howett should be. I dragged out a compass, all suspicious-like. Our north-bound
-ridge was now bearing 80 degrees.
-'There was, I considered, only one place where we could have erred - back
-at our sidling we must have taken a side-ridge, -which gradually veered east, while the track vent on north along the highest ground. Back, we went, along the crown of the ridge till we came to an extensive open top, the sort of place that
-usually marks a junction of spurs. We swung west, the tension becoming unbearable - and in 3 minutes intersected (obviously) the main trail, The moisture I rubbed
-from my forehead was not entirely due to the mist or my exertions ----.
-"For the next day, when we crossed the serrated Narrow Neck of The Cross
-Cut Saw, I reported. 'Rarely we glimpsed the Thurat-like spires which from the
-shoulders rising fromWonongatta (Terrible Hollow) but mostly we were stumbling, mind-tossed, in moist fleeting cloud.
-  The Sydney Bushmalker August 1962
-'We traversed the narrow, rocky, middle section, climbed Mount Buggary,
-and dropped below the mist for the first time into a 4,600 ft. saddle. We could see the terraced slope of Et. Speculation looming ahead, it's upper
-ft.. spiking the racing clouds.
-'Nearing sweaters for the 1000 ft ascent, we beat up into it. There
-was almost an Everest-ish touch as one paused, bent against the gale, peering,
-into obscurity. At 2 o'clock we assembled on the summit cairn, and for the
-first time it occurred to me it would be fun and games to find the small camp
-site below the mountain - considering our battle to pick up Guy's Hut and Macalister Springs with a fair trail to follow.
-'Well, the valley is NE of the mountain, so out with the compass again.
-Try to steady oneself against the wind so that the needle settles: pick 'a ghostly snow gum in the right direction and march to it then again
-We walked almost right onto the camping spot, with the next stage of track
-leading north towards Mount Koonika.'
-"After all that, I had another good spell, if you except a couple of -
-occasions when I was trying to pick the right ridge down from MeMahon's Lookout
-onto the Cox. You had to strike the ridge or you finished up over a cliff. Each
-time the cloud began to disperse as the crucial part of the descent was reached. NO one mill worry about that place again, I fancy, since the valley floor is now
-flooded 'by Warragamba.
-- "But.Huey turned it on again for me on my holiday in March '62 when I went out from the Sassafras Rd past Tianjara Trig, target Mount Talaterang.
-"You know, Paddy Pallin once went to Mount Talaterang coming in from Milton and reported 'The view from Talaterang should not be mist. I wouldn't know: I didn't get that far. The morning was fine and bright, but --
-"About foUr hours from the Sassafras Rd, and maybe 2i - 3 hours short of Talaterang I was groping along with the SE mind on my left Shoulder blade', 'a .scraggy forestaine on myright. Visibility 50 yards - I t'alkecl righteround
-the north and then the west Slope of Mount Bushwalker without seeing it. Finally, at 4 p m. I Was at Gadara Point - l miles north of Talaterang, with a connecting saddle.
-"Finding a saddle seemed a faintly dirty joke, so.I camped in a patch of
-dense scrub just back from the point, and spent thp night wondering (a) was I really' at Gadara Point? (b) assuming the morning was, fine, could I reach Talaterang
- and still be back on the road the same evening? In between pondering this,' I dislodged a. few hundred little golden ants which emerged from' their nest Under my pack,-pillow; fortunately a non-biting species.
-"Morning resolved it all - still closed in Pnd raining. I decided to cut my losses, get out and go on with a part of the trip that needed less visibility
-August 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 11
-So long. as T could find my way out After all, I still didn't know for sure I was*.ctiLG-adara.
-".'.11*11? I. 'Was (ori.Gadata) and I did (find my. may). The process was rather like a billiard ball doing a series of cannons: I bounced from the Cliff-line overlooking the Clyde River to tile Cliff on the east of the plateau and by
+'We saw the bald dome of Mt. Howett a few times before mist closed in again, and crossed a series of pocket-handkerchief snow plains. Each time the path disappeared in the grass, but popped up again, clear as a highway amongst the timber.
-di/it 'of."going.NE and-N1AT, then NE again, I managed to go generally north, find the two vital saddles, and presently, taking far too long, the end of the Army road near Tiangara Trig.
-.
+'Towards 4.0 o'clock a couple of miles short of Macalister Springs, we crossed another clearing, and selected a good trail, sidling the east face of the range. Presently we came back to the top, __after__ outflanking the highest point. The track became rather obscure in some burnt scrub, and we halted - the mist blew apart for a moment to reveal a timbered ridge where the bare top of Howett should be. I dragged out a compass, all suspicious-like. Our north-bound ridge was now bearing 80 degrees.
--"All the while it rained - sometimes heavily, and once I stood on a soaked hillside, watching the clouds eddy past; and-yelled at the top of my voice, "Huey you turn it oft". The profanity helped my spirits, but
-Huey took no heed.
+'There was, I considered, only one place where we could have erred - back at our sidling we must have taken a side-ridge, which gradually veered east, while the track went on north along the highest ground. Back we went, along the crown of the ridge till we came to an extensive open top, the sort of place that usually marks a junction of spurs. We swung west, the tension becoming unbearable - and in 3 minutes intersected (obviously) the main trail. The moisture I rubbed from my forehead was not entirely due to the mist or my exertions ----.
-Fiale last leg. of my holiday trip - five days later - was a day jaunt up
-to Currockbilly from the Mongarlowe Rd. I just managed tobeat the clouds to the top - me from tha vest, the mist from the east. I bent over to look at the map -.and Bingo: - the whole landscape was snapped up with whirling cloud wraith..
+"For the next day, when we crossed the serrated Narrow Neck of The Cross Cut Saw, I reported. 'Rarely we glimpsed the Thurat-like spires which from the shoulders rising from Wonongatta (Terrible Hollow) but mostly we were stumbling, wind-tossed, in moist fleeting cloud.
-"Just to have the satisfaction, I groped through the murk for a couple of hundred yards to reach the Trig point then went down very thankful that I had spiked pieces of paper on the shrubs as I climbed just in case -
-"Well now, after that ----- I I
+'We traversed the narrow, rocky, middle section, climbed Mount Buggary, and dropped below the mist for the first time into a 4,600 ft. saddle. We could see the terraced slope of Mt. Speculation looming ahead, it's upper 700 ft. spiking the racing clouds.
-"But Grandpa - from all your experience mtnt do you think one should do if a mist comes up?"
-"Well son, I would say sit,domn and let it clear."
+'Wearing sweaters for the 1000 ft ascent, we beat up into it. There was almost an Everest-ish touch as one paused, bent against the gale, peering into obscurity. At 2 o'clock we assembled on the summit cairn, and for the first time it occurred to me it would be fun and games to find the small camp site below the mountain - considering our battle to pick up Guy's Hut and Macalister Springs with a fair trail to follow.
-"But Grandpa, you didn't do that did you? Not at Guy's Hut, or at Cloud-
- maker or Talaterang?"
+'Well, the valley is NE of the mountain, so out with the compass again. Try to steady oneself against the wind so that the needle settles: pick a ghostly snow gum in the right direction and march to it then again ----- We walked almost right onto the camping spot, with the next stage of track leading north towards Mount Koonika.'
+"After all that, I had another good spell, if you except a couple of occasions when I was trying to pick the right ridge down from McMahon's Lookout onto the Cox. You had to strike the ridge or you finished up over a cliff. Each time the cloud began to disperse as the crucial part of the descent was reached. No one will worry about that place again, I fancy, since the valley floor is now flooded by Warragamba.
+"But Huey turned it on again for me on my holiday in March '62 when I went out from the Sassafras Rd past Tianjara Trig, target Mount Talaterang.
+"You know, Paddy Pallin once went to Mount Talaterang coming in from Milton and reported 'The view from Talaterang should not be mist. I wouldn't know. I didn't get that far. The morning was fine and bright, but --
+"About four hours from the Sassafras Rd, and maybe 2½ - 3 hours short of Talaterang I was groping along with the SE wind on my left shoulder blade, a scraggy forest line on my right. Visibility 50 yards - I walked right around the north and then the west slope of Mount Bushwalker without seeing it. Finally, at 4 p.m. I sas at Gadara Point - l½ miles north of Talaterang, with a connecting saddle.
+"Finding a saddle seemed a faintly dirty joke, so I camped in a patch of dense scrub just back from the point, and spent the night wondering (a) was I really at Gadara Point? (b) assuming the morning was, fine, could I reach Talaterang and still be back on the road the same evening? In between pondering this, I dislodged a few hundred little golden ants which emerged from their nest under my pack-pillow; fortunately a non-biting species.
+"Morning resolved it all - still closed in and raining. I decided to cut my losses, get out and go on with a part of the trip that needed less visibility. So long as I __could__ find my way out. After all, I still didn't know for sure I was on Gadara Point.
+"Well I was (on Gadara) and I did (find my may). The process was rather like a billiard ball doing a series of cannons: I bounced from the cliff-line overlooking the Clyde River to the cliff on the east of the plateau and by dint of going NE and NW, then NE again, I managed to go generally north, find the two vital saddles, and presently, taking far too long, the end of the Army road near Tiangara Trig.
+"All the while it rained - sometimes heavily, and once I stood on a soaked hillside, watching the clouds eddy past; and-yelled at the top of my voice, "Huey you ..... turn it off". The profanity helped my spirits, but Huey took no heed.
+The last leg of my holiday trip - five days later - was a day jaunt up to Currockbilly from the Mongarlowe Rd. I just managed tobeat the clouds to the top - me from the west, the mist from the east. I bent over to look at the map - and Bingo! - the whole landscape was snapped up with whirling cloud wraiths.
+"Just to have the satisfaction, I groped through the murk for a couple of hundred yards to reach the Trig point then went down - very thankful that I had spiked pieces of paper on the shrubs as I climbed just in case -
+"Well now, after that ----- "
+"But Grandpa - from all your experience what do you think one should do if a mist comes up?"
+"Well son, I would say sit down and let it clear."
+"But Grandpa, you didn't do that did you? Not at Guy's Hut, or at Cloudmaker or Talaterang?"
 "Look, son, you do what I say, not what I do."
 "But Grandpa, what if the mist sticks around for days. You can't wait, can you?"
-"Here, off to bed you young varmint. -- These kids - no respect for the wisdom of their elders at all:"
-Ron Kennealey departed for Queensland a week ago. 'He hopes to start
+"Here, off to bed you young varmint. -- These kids - no respect for the wisdom of their elders at all!"
-a refrigeration business in his old home town, Grenslopes, so if all goes well, it may be some time before we see, and hear, Ron again. Best of Luck, Ron.
+----
-The Sydney Bushwalker August 1962 The Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia.
+Ron Kennealey departed for Queensland a week ago. He hopes to start a refrigeration business in his old home town, Greenslopes, so if all goes well, it may be some time before we see, and hear, Ron again. Best of Luck, Ron.
+----
+The Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia.
 Now here's a gang that really deserves your support. Cheap too! Just compare these rates for value.
 Individuals 15/- per annum. Husband and wife 25/- per annum, students 2/6 per annum. Life membership is 7.