Larapinta 3. How to Freeze a Family

 

 

As I was writing about the howling, lone dingo last night my pen ran out of ink. A slight inconvenience in the life of a small-time writer. The Latvian lady came to the rescue and she gave me hers. She was leaving the track in a couple of hours anyway and I was just about to set off. I thanked her and told her that giving was good Karma. She told me how grateful she felt when a stranger made her a coffee at Ormiston Gorge. Some people are just really nice.

 



One of the many creeks I crossed

 

Tuesday 12 July 2016

 

Section 11: Finke River to Redbank Gorge

 

Section 11 is a 26km section of the trail. You will need to camp overnight to finish the section. The first part of the trail goes across spinifex-covered hills with the spectacular backdrop of Mt Sonder, then crosses the Davenport River and climbs to a hilltop lookout.

 

It descends to shady and peaceful Rocky Bar Gap at the base of Mt Sonder. It passes through this gap and travels along the southern side of Mt Sonder to Redbank Creek.  

 

Information from the NT Government website

 

 

 

I never took my jacket off that day. Mount Sonder looked gloomy and, wait for it, sombre, under an overcast sky. The track, mainly flat and gravelly ,alternating with flat, red dusty area. This land is surprisingly dry with only the toughest scrubs and trees surviving here even in the midst of winter. I crossed many waterless creek beds and spinifex was growing plentiful along the track in places similar to arranged manicured gardens.

 

 

The spinifex garden

 

Despite the arid atmosphere, I could not believe the multitude of flowers growing in the bush. I stopped many times to take photos. This task has become way more arduous with a heavy backpack.

 

Pack off - get camera - take a breath - shoot - put away camera - lift pack on (swear!).

 

 

Gloomy skies overhead

 

 

I had a huge lunch/morning tea at the Rocky Bar Gap Campsite.  Any thought I entertained to stay overnight was blown away by the intrusive 24 hour surveillance camera mounted on a pole overlooking the water tanks. Why have a camera in this desolate place? Who would have been out here to abuse this pristine spot? Isn’t it funny,  I have been recorded millions of times by CCTV cameras in many places of our fast moving world - yet this one made me feel uncomfortable.  I battled the urge to drop my dacks and moon whoever is watching the screen on the other side.

 

 

A Desert Rose

 

I filled every spare bottle I possessed with water and cussed under my breath when I hoiked the beast over my shoulders. After walking carefully through the dry creek bed aptly named Rocky Gap and traversed over a relatively flat area I came to a hill - a big hill - with the most obvious yet uninspiring name, Big Hill.

 

 

Flowers growing at the foot of Big Hill

 

It took me a while to get to the top as it was BIG. Underway I heard somebody yell out a cooooie!!! from the top which I answered. I also found some flowers that were picked on the ground. There must be kids here somewhere I thought.

 

At the top I decided to stay and tried to find a place to camp with a little shelter from the piercing wind. A glorious brief snooze was in order after which I ventured out of my tent wearing all my clothes, including thermal underwear and a beanie. Six post meridiem and it was bitter. 

 

I met the only other adventurers that were crazy enough to stay up here. Unbelievably, a family of six were braving the icy conditions. Mum and Dad (John and Lara) were passionate hikers and have always taken their kids hiking from an early age. The family including the kids Hannah, Sancha, Finn and little Eddie were spread out in three tents across the top of Big Hill.




Rugged up for dinner

The enthusiastic and definitely driving force behind it all, John, told me he carried his six year old daughter most of the way up only to have to return to his massive pack to haul it to where he had left the six year old Edie - pronounced Ee dee. He said he got to know Edie very well as she chatted to him the whoooooole day long.



Edie not scared of a chat

A cheeky Edie appeared to take a bit of a shine to me and accidently slapped my arm on many occasions as she happened to walk past. I was included in sharing some of the families chocolate and John loaned me his phone to call Julie to arrange our meeting in two days time. I was on the good side of Karma up there.

 

 

Sisters in front of Mount Sonder

 

The view from Big Hill was great, but the cloud cover was smothering the sunset. Just before the sun was about to disappear behind the horizon it peaked through an ever so slight opening lighting up the veil hanging over sombre Sonder. We gathered at the edge of Big Hill and stood there for quite some time. “Will you look at that” said John several times.

 

“This has made it all worth it”.
 



'It was'



 

 

Grey Bits

 
Do you want to become a guest blogger, write your own story and publish on my blog? I would love to hear from you. Email me at storiesfrommars@gmail.com

Expect cold weather when hiking the Larapinta in winter. Day time temperatures on the day I walked to Big Hill barely went over ten degrees, but average out to around 20 degrees for the months of May to August. Night time temperatures during these months average around 5 degrees but I was told they can wildly fluctuate. Read more about the current conditions on the Larapinta at https://nt.gov.au/leisure/recreation/bushwalking-hiking/larapinta-trail/larapinta-trail-current-conditions

There is barely any phone reception on the whole of the Larapinta trail. In certain high spots and closer to Alice Springs people who are with Telstra are able to get some bars.

I say lose the phone!!!