After lunch I was geeing myself up for my first ever use of a Lilo to do some exploring. Someone warned me to be sure that others were there when I went up.
By the number of cars, there were lots of people, but as I proceeded down to Redbank Gorge, all of them were coming back.
So I got to the gorge to find I was on my own.
I had schemed about how I might get a camera up there, but given the situation, I thought I would do a quick trip without it to see what it was like.
My impression had been that the deep water was only a short section and that much of it could then be waded.
Yep - the water was definitely freezing - even on a Lilo. The first deep section was only short, and then it was a scramble over sunlit rocks and a small waterfall.
Then another deep pool. Had trouble mounting the Lilo and was sort of hanging off the side of it on this section.
Out again and now another long deep pool. Now mounted more stably I entered a third section which was completely overhung.
Darker, with sheer rock all around, it narrowed to a point where the Lilo was scraping both sides as I glided through.
But as it then widened out I could see a chock stone above me and could see no way of climbing out and up around it.
So it was turn the Lilo around and head back out.
I had gone a little way into the gorge - but there is a km of this narrow cleft, and I had not seen much of this.
I did not see the rangers again in order to ask them how to get around the obstacle.
There were probably shallow rocks to stand on at that point but I could not see them in the dark water and I was not going to try again.
I got back and decided that would do - time to dry everything out.
A group of 3 rock climbers from Sydney then turned up and proceeded to get some photos into the gorge from high up one side.
That gave me the idea of doing the same just after they had gone.
- Redbank again
- View further in from a high spot on the cliffs
That afternoon I drove to Ormiston Gorge. I had discovered Bowmans Gap on an Alice Springs bushwalking club report.
The parks recommendation is to camp out there, but the constant warnings about the dingoes had spooked me. So I had decided to sleep in the car and just do it as a day walk.
I stayed in the bus parking area for the night, and there was a Larapinta walker there who had injured his arm.
I caught up with him on a few occassions over the next day. He noted a dingo crossing the car park - and later that night another crossed through right next to me.
I was sort of glad I was not solo that night out near a water hole. [Being on a peak should be much safer]
So Day 7 started with careful observance of the sun rising on the cliffs of Ormiston. Initially, the amount of cliff face in shadow made me think I would start by going out via the Pound Lookout.
But a few 100m down the road, the view back was awesome, so I turned around and traversed the gorge instead. A good decision - and well worth anyone doing this if they are up there.
Ormiston Gorge by morning light was magic.
- Morning in Ormiston Gorge