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| Name | Date | Difficulty | Distance/Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt Bartle Frere - Western Approach (Wooroonooran National Park) |
31 Dec, 2015 |
Very Hard |
16km return 12 hrs |
|
| I'm an athletic and experienced bushwalker (especially in rainforest), so I was looking forward to a challenging hike. I can agree that it is reasonably "difficult" for the average Australian. To those masochistic bushwalkers who enjoy a refreshingly strenuous climb, this is where the "fun" begins - you know who you are. It is mostly an uphill walk (a few relatively flat sections in the beginning and close to the top) with some climbing over massive (impressive, awe-inspiring) granite boulders. It is truly beautiful undisturbed bush; I didn't see any stinging trees along the trail and the wait-a-while was also at bay. At higher elevations, the large grasses along the path do a nice job knocking off blood-engorged leeches and cleaning the blood off of the legs...reminded me of a carwash in a way. So fresh & so clean! National Parks estimates a ~12 hour return, but recommends to do it over 2 days. I left Junction Camp at ~8:30 AM and returned at ~5:30 PM--this due to a ~2ish hour "detour" when I overshot the summit and went over the boulder fields, past the heli-pad, and into the bush on the eastern side. This was all worth it, I tell myself, because I saw the endemic skink species (Techmarscincus jigurru) on the rocky outcrops which I may have otherwise missed. It is only found on Bartle Frere >1400 m! I carried ~5 kg (3 L water + extra layers, food, flashlights, batteries, and emergency chocolate just in case I had to spend the night on the mountain - I hiked alone and wanted to be prepared - ain't no one gonna come rescue after sunset). I barely stopped on the way up except to snap a few photos and hydrate. There's one clearing/campsite a km or so before the 'official' western summit campsite - but no water there! It took me ~3 hours to reach the western summit camp. There is indeed a lovely stream beside it to fill up on water, and I highly doubt you need to treat the water. I've never treated mountain stream water in FNQ or in PNG. That said, it's beside a campsite, and previous hikers have left some garbage on the mountain and might also be irreverent enough to release their waste in the stream, so keep that in mind...it never hurts to walk upstream a bit to refill. I made it to the summit in about 3 hours and 15 minutes. I overshot summit and kept going because the sign of the summit is small, close to the ground, and in the trees - better seen if approaching from the east, and I was coming from the Tablelands. Also, a friend told me that I should have to scramble over a large boulder field. There are definitely boulders to climb up and over from the west, but the expansive, exposed boulder field is on the 'eastern' (actually it might be north) side of the summit. I was also told that you first descend a bit before hitting the summit, so I figured I needed to keep going to find the "steep incline". The final ascent wasn't as steep as I expected based on previous reports. I found the final ascent from the eastern approach more challenging due to the boulders. It was misty, but I didn't expect much visibility this time of year, anyway. I don't know if there's much of a view from the summit on a clear day; I hear the view is better from the exposed boulders and rocky outcrops. If it's cloudy when you hike and approach from the west, then realize the summit is pretty anti-climactic: there were a couple of fire pits made by previous hikers, a couple nice rocks to rest upon, and a small yellow sign. (There are also signs from national parks on the eastern side to let you know you're almost there, but not on the western side.) Of course, I was so high on adrenaline given I let all the leeches bite me (for the first time EVER - and I mean, hundreds of the blood-thirsty buggers) that I kept pushing through. Can't stop. Won't stop. I hiked across and down the massive boulder field. This section slowed me down. I reckon it was the most difficult (and fun!-reminded me of hopping on rocks in rivers as a kid, loved it) part of the hike because it was SLIPPERY and those boulders are well-eroded and somewhat broad making it difficult at times (for those of us who are relatively short) to reach good holds. It will no doubt be easier on a dry, sunny day (and delightfully chock full of sun-basking lizards - a herpetologist's dream). I had to use bouldering skills and slid down a few on my bum (not as technical) to ensure I didn't fall into the DEEP GAPS between the rocks. Seriously - take it easy and be prepared to use all your limbs; it is easy to get hurt in this area, not to mention that the granite can be sharp. For some reason I kept exploring beyond the metal heli pad and emergency hut on the eastern side of the trail, which is just beyond the boulder field, before realizing that I had already summited and turned around and headed back toward the tablelands. Approaching the summit from the east, I clearly saw the little yellow SUMMIT sign. I did bring a GPS and a topo map (got the map from the charts shop in Cairns), but I didn't need to use them as the trail was very well marked by bright orange triangles, orange spray paint, or orange/pink tape - nice work & many thanks, Queensland/Nat'l Parks! I re-summited around 2 PM. There is CELL PHONE SERVICE on the summit (the only place I tried - and I'm using Optus at the moment, so I was even more surprised that I could phone my pick-up as well as my parents in the USA. At 2:15 I headed back toward the trailhead @ Junction Camp. It took 3 hours and 15 minute to return - the same amount of time it took to hike up. I think the return took as long because going down can be much more dangerous as the surfaces are slippery (I estimate that it's reasonably wet up there even during the drier winter months) and because the steepness makes it very hard on the body. I'm conditioned to steep mountain hiking from fieldwork in PNG. Usually I cut a walking stick from a tree branch to use...such a thing would have helped on the descent of BF. It's really not so difficult (if you like climbing)...but expect to use nearby trees to "repel" down the trail and across slippery boulders in a few places. (Have I mentioned yet that the boulders on this mountain are fantastically awesome?!) I'm 28 years old and in good shape, but the hike down was stressful on my knees and hips...it kicked my arse and I'm quite sore today. I guess that is why it is recommended to hike the return over the course of 2 days (also, to take it all in and enjoy yourself rather than curse the rainforest all the way down). So....to summarize: 1. If you hike solo - not recommended (my friend couldn't make it) but definitely possible -have a plan for pick up times/have a buddy system with someone off the mountain in case you are injured and don't make it down by a certain hour. 2. There is cell service at the summit and potentially other spots, but it's a good idea to bring a beacon, spot tracker, or satellite phone. 3. Carry 2-3L water and refill at the stream at western camp. 4. The summit is not far (15-30 min) from western camp - though a bit slippery/sketchy. Look for fire pits and the leftover garbage of bogans. 5. Look for lizards on rocky outcrops! And bright orange slugs on tree branches! 6. It is possible to hike to the summit <4 hours, but don't expect to hike down much faster. 7. The leeches are incessant. Don't bother with chemical repellants. Always check your hands before wiping your face lest you wipe one right into your eye. 8. Expect to get soaked in sweat/rain/mist/water on the foliage. 9. The bush is dense but the track is very well marked - so keep to it! You probably wont need a GPS or topo map because of the markings, but I will always recommend to be as prepared as possible. 10. Carry a flashlight, batteries, and a back-up light when hiking in the rainforest - even if you plan to be back in daylight, you just never know what can happen. 11. Enjoy yourself, the incredibly ancient montane rainforest, and the challenge. |
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