A Perfect Very Long Weekend

[Pedro]

Started on Friday morning, got home Monday night.

The picture says it all:

Mount Anne and surrounds from the NE Ridge

[ILUVSWTAS]

Saw 2 cars at the NE Ridge carpark on our way back from Scotts Peak at 11pm Sat'dy night!!

[Pedro]

One was us (a group of 4) and the other was a group of 3 who spent one night on the Ridge, then headed off across the front of Anne, climbed it by the normal route and then descended the northern route and headed back around to the southern side again to camp somewhere near Eliza. They had missed the turn off on the northern side and wanted to do the high level circuit. A bit younger than us!!

[ILUVSWTAS]

They spent a bit of time wandering around the base of anne by the sounds of it
Was the weather up there as nice as it was on the Arthurs? Obviously judging by your beautiful photo!

[Pedro]

Up a boulder, down a boulder, up a boulder. Standard Dolerite travel.

Weather was fantastic Friday to Sunday. Saturday morning we had mist, which is always a aesthetic treat on the Ridge, the rest as per the pic. Monday started to rain as we hit the fern glade on the way down. If it has got to rain, let it always be on the way out. The whole area was the driest that I have ever seen it in 40 years of visiting it. Even the dreadful teatree swamp on the plains was only knee deep.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Nice! Thats kind of wierd given all the rain we had over spring though!
But im not doubting it, The water supply at High Moor had nearly run dry until we had rain Friday Night

[Nick S]

Yeah that's interesting, after all that rain we had and it's so dry! Mckays track was so much drier than last January..
Rained monday hey. I wonder if we should've kept going and continued the range now swtas But that maccas was so good..

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh I really wish we had of, Still I was missing my Boy. But now ive had my fill of cuddles im wishing we had kept going! But your right those were some of the best fries I've ever had!!

[Pedro]

Ah - fries.

We hit the road at 4pm. Made it to Maydena by 4:30 (took a while to get all the wet gear off and to make ourselves look mildly civilised).

Stopped at the first shop (the Maydena Post Office) and had capps all round and the $5 bag of chips between 4 of us. What ecstasy.

The shop closes at 5pm, so timing is everything.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Nicely timed there Pedro!
The Possum shed (open til 6) is our regular haunt! They do the best coffee ive ever had! And the selection of cake is double serve with cream and ice cream......

[Pedro]

Yeah Possum Shed is excellent, but sometimes you need the caffeine earlier than that, though I must admit that I was asleep in the back seat when we hit the Maydena CDB.

[Steve]

Awesome shot Pedro!

[MJD]

Lovely shot.

Must get back to this one in clear weather and see what the climb is like when you can see more than 50-100m.

[ollster]

Great pano!

MJD - I chickened out on Anne the time I did the circuit, so would be pretty easy to convince to go back... hint hint.

[MJD]

Sounds good to me. Pretty sure that Mark would return as well.

[ollster]

Sounds good to me. Pretty sure that Mark would return as well.

He's such a bushwalking junkie (can't say I blame him). The option of the NE ridge would also entice him I reckon. Maybe pencil it in for the new year sometime, reckon I'll be booked out until then.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yes indeed I am!! And though I have done the NE ridge its definately the nicer way up!! and I need to get back to do LOTS WIFE so i'd probably be keen for a 2 night trip.....

[stu]

Count me in, haven't done the NE ridge yet but done everything else in the area.
Happy to go back in any day of the week (as long as it's not a work day ).

[ILUVSWTAS]

Probably have to be a spur of the moment type thing as Martin and I were both determined to get a nice morning on the Ridge. Last time we had a nice night but awoke in extreme disapointment in heavy mist!
I think he still has Eve peak to pick up, not sure about anymore? MJD, you have any others to do in the circuit?? And how bout you Oll?? you done the rest?? I think they total....

Eve peak
Eliza
Anne
Lot
Lots wife
Sarah Jane

And Schnells is but a short side trip from the lake Judd track...

[ollster]

And how bout you Oll?? you done the rest?? I think they total....

Eve peak = No
Anne = No
Lots wife = No
Schnells = No

Lot =Done
Sarah Jane = Done
Eliza = Done

[ILUVSWTAS]

How did you manage to do lots wife, but not lot??
Well your maybe one thats willing to acompany me around the circuit....

[MJD]

Need to do Eve Peak & Lot.

Sounds like we could get a few takers.

PS: Of course this will just start the debate about which is Lot and which is Lightning Ridge.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I just wanna know how you guys have done lots wife but not lot??
did you go in from the lake judd way??

[ollster]

How did you manage to do lots wife, but not lot??
Well your maybe one thats willing to acompany me around the circuit....

Lol. Missed that... fixed.

[ILUVSWTAS]

How did you manage to do lots wife, but not lot??
Well your maybe one thats willing to acompany me around the circuit....

Lol. Missed that... fixed.

Hahaha Well theres one explained.... Now Martin??

[MJD]

Did the circuit years ago. Apart from climbing down a crack that was 6+m high with my pack on (because I was too lazy to lower it down) I can't really remember much about it. Lot is on the end of the ridge according to the maps and I think the track traversed under it. I could be wrong about this. I'll pull the really old version of Chapman's SW book out that I would have been using at the time and see if that jogs my memory.

Certainly went up Lots Wife before spending a day tent bound with a couple of other solo walkers (one being a ranger).

[ILUVSWTAS]

Ah ok! The track goes pretty much over the top of Lot now Im pretty sure.
I know it has been re-routed many times over the years!

[Nuts]

Great Shot, will get back there one day....

Not so sure about comments like this:

How did you manage to do lots wife, but not lot??
...

What will the mainlanders think

[MJD]

Looks like it went over Lot even in the dark ages. Just leaves me Eve Peak and Schnells Ridge. And Druids Hill on Deception Ridge.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Ive done those 2. not druids tho.....