199508
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199508 [2020/12/20 21:12] – [ROCKY MOUNTAIN SKIING 10th Mountain Division Trails] joan | 199508 [2020/12/20 21:25] – [THE 1995 GAMMON RANGES EXPEDITION] joan | ||
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David always books with Ansett just because he is in their frequent flyer scheme he doesn' | David always books with Ansett just because he is in their frequent flyer scheme he doesn' | ||
- | A little later, the party met at David' | + | A little later, the party met at David' |
We were apprehensive, | We were apprehensive, | ||
- | The (Ansett) plane left Sydney at 06:25 on Saturday the 3rd June and carried the whole party, David Rostron, Spiro Hajinakitis, | + | The (Ansett) plane left Sydney at 06:25 on Saturday the 3rd June and carried the whole party, David Rostron, Spiro Hajinakitis, |
- | The next morning (Sunday 4th) we left the cars and walked up Weetootla Creek. | + | The next morning (Sunday 4th) we left the cars and walked up Weetootla Creek. |
- | NoWwe could see the lie of the land ahead. Ahead, to the north-west, lay the main spine of this part of the Gammons - the Blue Range. the top of this was by repute flattish and extremely scrubby, but this flank was heavily dissected, and it was this dissected, area of gorges and peaks which we would traverse during the next 8 days. | + | |
- | We approached by continuing up Weetootla Creek. As we followed this back towards the range it became an. ever deeper and more imposing gorge, and finally it split into two chasms, the apparent right of which Was B.unyip Chasm. This was a listed water source so, though it was still early afternoon, we choose a campsite, dropped our packs, put nibbles and wine-skins into our day packs and entered. After scrambling and climbing up rocks and dry waterfalls we came to a slot containing a few pools of darkish water. We pushed on until temporarily stopped. by an metre wall presenting oozing water and wet rocks. But our leader ' | + | |
- | On the way back drizzle and consequent fear of wet rock caused us to hurry. But :we had no trouble, and At the lowest rock pool we filled our wine-skins, and then made our way down to our campsite for a lazy late afternoon. Kerry and Geoff went bird-watching and recorded six birds in their log book including a rare pie-eyed tit. | + | |
- | The next day (Monday | + | Now we could see the lie of the land ahead. Ahead, to the north-west, lay the main spine of this part of the Gammons - the Blue Range. The top of this was by repute flattish |
+ | We approached by continuing up Weetootla Creek. As we followed this back towards | ||
- | In the morning (Tuesday the 6th) we set out in the wind south-westward along a ridge and down a steep gully to North Italowie Creek. Here we found the Guide Book's reliable waterhole to be dry. But on. walking upstream until the creek became a gorge we found a good pool, where we dropped | + | On the way back drizzle |
- | Our prograin | + | The next day (Monday the 5th) we planned a summit camp on Mt. John Roberts. We filled our wine-skins and walked back down Weetootla Creek a short distance, before climbing a steep ridge onto the tops and the mountain. Mi. John Roberts is at the end of a narrow divide between Weetootla and North Italowie creeks, and drops abruptly on three sides. To the east we looked over our starting point, Weetootla Gorge and Grindell' |
- | Cleft Creek is indeed a cleft. The ridge on its apparent left leads directly to Cleft Peak; the Guide Book said it Was hairy, and it was David' | + | |
+ | In the morning (Tuesday the 6th) we set out in the wind south-westward along a ridge and down a steep gully to North Italowie Creek. Here we found the Guide Book's reliable waterhole to be dry. But on walking upstream until the creek became a gorge we found a good pool, where we dropped our packs before continuing. The creek became a steep narrow chasm, Shelf chasm, which led almost to the top of the Blue Range. It reputedly contains a formation called 'The Old Man of Italowie', | ||
+ | |||
+ | Our program | ||
+ | Cleft Creek is indeed a cleft. The ridge on its apparent left leads directly to Cleft Peak; the Guide Book said it was hairy, and it was David' | ||
+ | |||
+ | After lunching on the peak, we retraced our steps back to the subsidiary peak and part of the way down the climbing ridge, before descending a westerly side ridge which led to Rover Rockhole Creek. Here we made camp before taking our wine-sacks and climbing the dry waterfall which guards the rockholes. The water was coffee-coloured from dissolved goat knoblets, as usual, and our leader expressed concern that many of the tadpoles were lying belly-up. Some of us walked further up in search of better water. It was a wide deep canyon with horizontal rock strata and shelving steps. We found other pools but not of significantly better quality; anyway by this time we were used to drinking boiled goat knoblet water. In one of these pools, while Wendy vainly tried to locate a protesting frog, David, Bill, and I had a frigid (soapless) bath. We returned to the main rockholes, filled our wine-skins, placed them in string bags, and lowered them by rope to the campsite below. | ||
- | After lunching on the peak, we retraced our steps back to the subsidiary peak and part of the way down the climbing ridge, before descending a westerly side ridge which led to Rover Rockhole Creek.. Here we made camp before taking our wine-sacks and climbing the dry waterfall which guards the rockholes. The Water was coffee- coloured from dissolved goat knoblets, as usual, and our leader expressed concern that many of the tadpoles were lying belly-up. Some of us walked further up in search of better water. It was a wide deep canyon with horizontal rock strata and shelving steps. We found other pools but not of Significantly better quality; anyway by this time we were used to drinking boiled goat knoblet water. In one of these pools, while Wendy vainly tried to locate a protesting frog, David, Bill, and 1 had a frigid (soapless) bath. We returned to the main rockholcs, filled our wine-skins, placed them in string bags, and lowered them by rope to the campsite below. | ||
To be continued in the September SBW. | To be continued in the September SBW. | ||
- | Expressions of Interest | + | **Expressions of Interest**\\ |
- | Do you have a body | + | Do you have a body\\ |
- | and some money | + | and some money\\ |
- | and a yen to do Kakadu? | + | and a yen to do Kakadu?\\ |
- | me too! | + | me too!\\ |
- | I am looking for | + | I am looking for expressions of interest from club members who would like to join me in May 1996 walking in Kakadu National Park.\\ |
- | expressions of interest from club members who would like to join me in May 1996 walking in Kakadu National Park. | + | |
Please phone Lone Dean 9982 9866 | Please phone Lone Dean 9982 9866 | ||
199508.txt · Last modified: 2020/12/20 22:00 by joan