A Mt Anne Epic

[whynotwalk]

Ascending Mt Eliza: an innocent start

What makes a trip an epic? Does it have to be long? Off-track perhaps? Our recent Mt Anne trip wasn't really either of those, but still ended up fitting my definition of "epic".

The plan was to go towards Mt Anne via the usual Condominium Ck/Eliza Plateau route. Then we'd skirt Mt Anne to the west, and sidle around and onto N-E Ridge. We hoped to camp on Pandani Shelf (carefully, bearing in mind the delicacy of that environment) for a couple of days, before heading back to the Scotts Pk Rd via the Bombardier Track.

Years ago I think I would have found it a challenge, but nothing too difficult. But this time? A few factors turned it into an epic (for me at least). One was the weather, with the first day's climb in mid-30s heat. The others were injuries and illness.

I'm in the process of writing a fuller account. The first part can be found here http://www.naturescribe.com/2015/01/a-mt-anne-epic-1-some-like-it-hot.html

cheers

Peter

[kanangra]

Peter,

I wouldn't be too concerned. I think you just had a bad day. By the look of it you were hauling a fair load up there and the conditions sounded horrendous. I'm sure you bounced back to your best the next day.

K.

[whynotwalk]

Yep - too hot + 20kg pack. As for day 2, stay tuned kanangra

[DanShell]

Looking forward to the rest of it

[tibboh]

And then.......

[naturelover]

I, too, am looking forward to the next instalment

[Tortoise]

+1

[backyard_botanist]

Nightwalk in the snow, across steep rocky drops.... Some people would wake up at night sweating about such things. Crazy!

[whynotwalk]

Man down!

This walk just wasn't meant to be easy. Day 1 heat exhaustion is followed by a day 2 ankle sprain ... and not just anywhere. We were half way between a hard route in and a harder route out. Here's the second part of my write-up of a trip that became a bit epic.

http://www.naturescribe.com/2015/01/a-mt-anne-epic-2-hands-in-pockets.html

cheers

Peter

[Old Fart]

We all have had trips were it goes wrong,heat exhaustion is never nice but the views from the shelf- when you can see it are well worth it. Wondering whats next, but it could always be worse like the mutual friend who put the wrong fuel in the car?????????

[north-north-west]

I have a horrible feeling the the old 'bad things come in threes' rule is going to apply here.

Will we have to wait another week for the next installment? Don't know if I can manage that . . .

[whynotwalk]

You're surely right about the views from the shelf OF! And yes NNW, the "bad things come in threes" rule went through my mind, to be sure. For now let's just say there was a variation to the rule ... but that will be in part 4. Next weekend it's part 3.

Sorry for the long reveal, but my writing time is limited. Besides ... to quote another old rule "patience is a virtue"

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

A giant cushion plant, with Mt Lot behind

Over the years I've become less of a peak-bagger, and am happy to explain why. But having been up Mt Anne a number of times, and carrying a badly sprained ankle, meant that I wasn't even mildly tempted this time. Of course some of our party were tempted, while we explored Pandani Shelf. I know which I'd choose next time!

I take up the next part of our Mt Anne epic here. http://www.naturescribe.com/2015/01/a-mt-anne-epic-3-still-point.html

cheers

Peter

[greyim]

Those cushion plant pics are exquisite, thanks for sharing!

[whynotwalk]

Thanks greyim - very kind.

[whynotwalk]

An HEC bombardier ca 1960s.

Bombardier1.jpg (179.52 KiB) Viewed 22374 times

On the twin-tracked Bombardier Track, January 2015

While preparing for our Mt Anne trip I was intrigued to find how visible the Bombardier Track still was: 45 years after it was created. I wondered exactly what a bombardier was, and what it looked like. I dug up a few old HEC photos, including the one attached.

I also discovered that what's visible on Google Earth isn't necessarily easy to find on the ground. Occasionally the track was as visible as this pic., but often it was tricky to follow. Add to that some injuries and ailments, and our last day's walk ended up making the trip a bit of an epic. I finish off my account here: http://www.naturescribe.com/2015/02/a-mt-anne-epic-4-walking-wounded.html

cheers

Peter

[north-north-west]

An epic indeed. Thanks for taking us along with you.

(Wouldn't have minded, on the last walk, having someone along who could write up the hard work so well.)

[Old Fart]

The Anne region seems to attract many epic adventures, Many years ago while walking we got caught by a nasty blizzard going across eliza, While we were a well prepared and experienced bunch of social misfits, the frozen solid coats suggests things were getting rather epic and starting to enter that no longer safe zone.Another trip in some ordinary weather which caught me and my lovely walking companion on the wrong side of the shelf. - so down the ridge we went- thus I well relate to peters comments about those plains and the track. The road walk back to the car was not fun.

Great report Peter, we do learn from our epic adventures (most of the time) thanks for sharing

[whynotwalk]

Thanks NNW - yep, not much point getting all flowery about the good stuff and ignoring the bad. Funny how you guessed bad things would come in threes! I'm glad to tell you Mick has now regained his lost fluids, and I've just starting walking the 5.5km to work again, albeit with an ankle brace on.

And thanks OF, the 'wrong side' of the mountain might be a good way to put it! Next planned walk in a month. Hoping to have something "hands-in-pockets" and on the right side of some mountain or other,

cheers

Peter

[DanShell]

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed the read.

[ofuros]

I'm worn out just reading about your epic ! Enjoyed it though.

[icefest]

Great read.

I feel sorry for Mick, having been in a situation like that a couple times. Enforced walking while being that sick is definitely type 3 fun. :/

[whynotwalk]

Thanks icefest - yeah, Mick suffered quite a bit that day. On the bright side, it did earn him a new nickname: "Captain Technicolour".

I had similar issues once, 'though "at the other end", so to speak. I had to stop and dig a hole - in open buttongrass - about every 20 minutes for more than half a day. Water filters, anti-bacterial gel, general hygiene are all good. But sometimes your luck runs out ... along with other fluids!

cheers

Peter

[rollingk]

Here is my share of the experience. It was a rainy day and we couldn't make it to the top. It was slippery and the cloud was coming in and we couldn't see anything around us. Such a shame that we didn't get to experience it with our own eyes and we were so close and was already more than half way up the boulders.

Looking back at Lake Pedder.

View of Lake Pedder from Mt. Eliza