February 9, 2016. Day 1
Lake Vera Hut, Tasmania
Woke up before 6 am with the decision to take a bus instead of trying to hitch. It just seemed like it was an added complication with a 6 hour hike at the end. I'd have had to get multiple rides most likely. And that takes time.
Good decision because it was a tough 7 hour hike. It's always hard to jump from biking to hiking. My upper body does nothing all day and then I ask it to work extra hard. Even though my pack is under 10 kilos, my body is not used to carrying weight...and it rebels!
I have to say the bus ride out through country that looks like our west only made me wish I'd had the time to bike it. I'll have to come back to do it. And leaving the large rolling hills, all brown from drought, and entering the forested land was a treat. The green is such a welcome sight. The trees are big and old. When we got to Lake St Clair Lodge for the bus transfer I felt like I was in an Adirondack lodge. Lovely wooded area. Like a mountain retreat. The next bus driver was a maniac! Crossing into the other lane while trying to answer his cell phone...then again trying to read it. He finally pulled off to check it. Then he was barreling around tight curves. I thought the bus was going to tip over. I was riding shotgun to calm my motion sickness. But my fear was worse. I was holding on with both hands and closing my eyes. I was petrified. I'm sure not riding in a car or bus too often played a factor. But he was hauling ass! I want to remember to ask some of the other hiker's that were on the bus what they thought. Maybe it was just me:/
That's Frenchman's Cap in the distance
Building a raised trail bed because usually it's terribly muddy up here, but now there's a drought.
Another method of trail building in muddy areas
And there were lots of boardwalks too
It was so beautiful up here. Granite rocky peaks in the distance. The trail is so well built its practically handicap accessible. Raised trail rd with deep trenches on both sides for good drainage. Lots of boardwalks. We're in a drought now, but usually it's quite wet and muddy on this trail. I went through some open plains and then deep rainforest. All different types of terrain.
I don't have a tent because I planned on using the huts. Wish I'd realized it was warmer than the weather report said. I tried to cowboy camp on the helipad but the dew was already too much. So I'm inside. Top bunk. Sleeping on top of my bag. It's hot up here. Don't think it will be a good night's sleep. And the snoring had begun:/. Where did I pack those earplugs? Keep smiling, BagLady!
Nice hut, huh?!?!
Day 2
Quiet night insidethe hut...except for my very noisy pad. There are very thin mattresses in the bunks so I put my mat on top. It was so loud every time I moved, it woke ME up! I finally just laid on the mattress, but oh my hips. Screw it! Back to my noisy air mattress. Sorry folks!
Notched logs were frequently used to get up in areas. Easy to climb up, but awkward to step down toed in.
And old wooden steps.
Love this shot of birds I was able to catch in focus:). No, I don't know what they are.
I did this hike with a 25 liter pack...Aussies were quite impressed! (Now if I could just get my gear on my bike that low:))
Crossing the Franklin River.
Today's walk was marvelous!! Up! Up! Up! The Mahoosic Arm on steroids!! The Through gorgeous, wet rain forests up onto granite ridges. Overlooking remote mountain lakes. Views that took my breath away. Cloudy today, which was much easier than yesterday's heat, for sure. And a much more rugged route. Hats off to the crew that put in this route. The most amazing craved rock and log steps! Just beautifully done!! Lots of very hard work. The trail is over 100 years old having been first laid out in 1910. Pretty impressive, huh! A philanthropist and Aussie business mogel, Dick Smith, finding his beloved trail falling apart in 2008 negotiated with the government to fund $100,000 annually for 5 years if they put in $50,000. Some of the trail work I saw yesterday was the result of this investment. Today there were many broken log bridges that I had to walk the side rails not to fall in. I'm sure they'll be next.
An added element to today's walk was my footwear. The bottoms of my feet were tender from my Chaco sandals so I opted to were my very comfy Croc sandals. They are a bit of a challenge as they tend to slide around quite a bit. Even more so when they are wet. So I had to watch where every step was placed. That sure slowed my down. Back to my Chacos and socks for tomorrow's climb. They grab my foot so much better!
When the clouds lifted I could look out over this steep wilderness with rolling green mountains in all directions. I hope my photos will do it justice.
I didn't summit Frenchman's Cap today because the clouds never lifted. Hopeful tomorrow's weather will be better. We actually got rain later today that was not in the forecast. I have enough food to stay here a few days if necessary to waIt for good weather. And with a lake at the base of the granite rock, I hope to get a swim in if it warms up.
Tonight it's me and 6 Aussie men in the hut. How lucky am I?!?! I've learned about quite a few good hikes in Tassie as well as the rest of Australia. Lots of hiking to do here yet!
I brought a pretty boring and repetitive food supply having only a quick visit to the grocery store and wanting not to carry much bulk or weight in my small pack that I'm using. Ramen and soup every night. Peanut butter and honey wraps for lunch. Muesli raw for breakfast. And everyone else with huge packs are eating gourmet! Suffer, BagLady!
Tomorrow, Summit Day!!
Day 3
The sun is shining on that rocky granite monster outside my hut window. Up and out early. No breakfast because this is a fasting day. It starts by winding through dense forest with a narrow path cut into the rock going up. Up and up. Quite quickly it breaks out into the open and I'm in a cirque with Lake Tahune at the base. Look! There's a naked guy toweling off after his morning swim.
He doesn't see me up here. And I see the hut too. Rocks. Lots of rocks. Back in my Chacos for this walk. My pack is light with only water and raincoat and camera. Lots of switchbacks. The trail marked only by cairns. Oh my! The view as I get higher us stunning.
I'm running low on words to describe the ethereal feelings im having see such breathtaking wilderness. Green mountains as far as the eye can see. It's getting steeper. Climbing up rock faces using my fingers to grip in crevices. Oh look. That wasn't the trail to this cairn because the trail comes in from the right. Hmmm. More rocks. Using rock climbing tricks to get up these rock faces. This is quite the climb! Oh no! Fog is rolling in. My view is quickly dissipating. After 2 hours, I finally reach the cap only to have no view in any direction:( I've got time. I'll wait.
4 guys come up. Take the requisite pics. Want a moon shot. I'll take it! 4 gorgeous bare butts!! They leave. I wait. A gay couple, Neal and Cliff arrive. I love these guys. The odd couple and quite experienced hikers. Love their stories. I wait. The fog lifts a bit in one direction and I get a glimpse. Such a flirt! Over 2 hours I spend up there and eventually I get a peak at each side. I'm thinking I'll head down and back to Lake Vera hut so I'd getter get going. And sure enough, on the way down it clears. I have some great views then. Oh well. That's my Frenchman's Cap experience. Mystical. "Mist"ical.
When I arrive back to Lake Tahune hut, it's a beautiful day. It's also 1:30. Do I want to stay here, swim, enjoy the day or hike 4-5 hours back to Lake Vera hut? Easy decision. I'll stay. I'm in no rush. So I skinny dipped in the lake and sunbathed on the beach with Frenchman's Cap peaking down at me.
Ramen noodles and soup for dinner. It's getting old. And early to bed cuz there's not much to do after dark up here. Tonight there's 4 guys and me in the hut.
Day 4
Heading back to Lake Vera hut today. I thought this was beautiful fog in the valley until someone told me it was smoke from forest fires quite a distance away.
This should be mostly downhill. And it was. Down and down and down. Now I know why I was so tired getting up this the other day. But I have all day and the rainforest us so cozy. I'm taking my time. Lunch by one small waterfall. Sat and painted by another.
"The woods are cozy, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep..." - Robert Frost
Another American guy is here tonight and we thought we had the hut to ourselves until 3 kids arrived at 8:30 pm. So now we're five in the hut. Some going in. Others going out.
I'm hoping Steve, the American will give me a ride up to Derwent Bridge where either I can get a hitch back to Hobart tomorrow or there'll be a place to stay until Sunday's bus. These are "no horse" towns up here:). We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Day 5
Heading out today and hoping the dry weather holds. Rain would not be fun. The plan is for me to head out early because I suspect Steve hikes faster and I'd rather wait for him than the other way around. On my way out at about 8 am I met a guy hiking in for a day hike up to the Cap...really? 30 miles...tough climb...oh to be young and fit! Can't imagine the wear on your feet.
I took 5 hours to get to the parking lot and decided to try and hitch while I waited for Steve. Ya never know when that best ever hitch going exactly where you want to go will arrive. This was my longest hitch ever. 120 miles! The first car to stop were tourists that were headed to Hobart, but stopping along the way. Thanks for stopping, I'll pass and see if something better comes along. A couple more cars and busses stop but they're just going where Steve was taking me only 18 miles up the road. Pass. Then I began to think maybe I shouldn't be passing up all these rides. And then John stops. He'd hesitated at first. When I can tell a car isn't going to stop I always give them a friendly wave just the same...and sometimes they do stop...and he did. In his 6 cyl BMW...company car! He had to drive across the island and back take his abalone divers back to their cars. I treat my men well! So 6 hour round trip Saturday drive. "I'm going to be driving fast so I don't need a scared passenger in this car. I know this road well and all the good passing spots!" So I said "Lets go!" What a comfy car and smooth ride. Even though the road was quite windy, as mountain roads are, I was fine. Two hours later I was back in Hobart! Sweet!!!
So glad I got to experience a bit of the Tasmanian wilderness!
Livin' the dream!
BagLady
