David and Danielle at the end of our walk
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| Day1 to Day 3 | Day 4 and 5 | Day 6 to Day 8 |
David alongthe ridge
east of Blinkley Bluff
Danielle and fine,
vertical rock strata
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Thursday 29 June 2006
Day 6: Blinkley Bluff to Standley Chasm
Today: 10.0km Total: 62.9km
As opposed to the walk up, the trip down was gradual as we walked along the top of the ridgeline topped with vicious jags of vertical, red, cardboard-thin rock layers. Then in a maze of saddles, we descended down into a creek bed until through the trees we spotted the odd sight of a tarmac road. A short walk up the road with tour coach drivers pointing the smelly hikers out to air-conditioned tourists and we were at the kiosk and carpark for Standley Chasm.
A cold soft-drink and meat-pie later we went for a wander up to the Chasm itself and walked casually through the narrow incision. Resembling in neatness a road-cutting, maybe for bicycles (and wouldn’t WE love to see more of them about) it made quite a sight.
Then at 5pm, the day tourists left and there were 8 of us left enjoying the luxuries of green grass to camp on and flushing toilets. Played cards with Emma and Jarred, who completed in 8 hours what we had done over the previous two days! Too fit for us, but very lovely company.
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Danielle descending along the ridge east of Blinkley Bluff |
Rock Strata near Reveal Saddle |
Standley Chasm |
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David on a horizontal tree
at Standley Chasm |
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Friday 30 June 2006
Day 7: Standley Chasm to near Spring Gap
Today: 17.6km Total: 80.5km
After a breakfast of canned fruit thanks to our food drop we headed off, and before we had warmed up, we ascended up a stepped trail over the ridge that the chasm cuts into and then right back down again. We followed a creek down with a few interesting little scrambles in the tight spots until we got to Millers Flat. There we took the soft option and took the lower alternate trail rather than the long, steep climb up to the ridge. Despite taking the cop-out option we were impressed by a lovely climb up through a narrow, red walled gorge with Cycads and Ghost Gums.
Aware of trying to make the last day achievable in order to make the 3pm pick-up time, we pushed on from Jay Creek. Though we could easily have stopped, it was a bit of a dusty hell-hole of cattle tracks, so we refilled our water and camped another 80 minutes along the track on a rise with lovely view of the range. After camping with others the previous couple of nights and with dingo howls through the night, we felt a bit lonely and exposed; an oddly intimidating and thrilling feeling. There is something about being on your own and reliant on yourselves that feels good, though just a little bit scary.
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Danielle in the gorge
on the alternate route
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Danielle climbing up the stairs above Standley Chasm |
David amongst the
Cycad Palms |
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Campsite between Jay Creek and Spring Gap |
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Ghost Gum and the McDonnell Ranges |
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Saturday 1 July 2006
Day 8: Spring Gap to Simpson’s Gap
Today: 18.5km Total: 99km
We made an even earlier start of 5:30 am to give us some leeway at the end, and when we set off we could just barely make out the track safely without torches. Along the way we saw lots of animal tracks, especially around the waterhole at Spring Gap where camping is prohibited to prevent disturbance of the wildlife.
Making quick time with lighter packs and gentle country we were glad to cross onto the shady side of the range and got into Mulga Camp before Emma and Jarred had got up. (They had overtaken us yesterday despite doing the much tougher ridge route.) The walking was then largely a bit of a chore as the quality of the scenery dropped from the outstanding quality we’d been spoilt by. However, we were looking forward to showers and fresh food, so we kept at it, rewarded by jelly beans as we passed each kilometre marker.
And surprisingly quickly we’d made it to our pick-up point at Simpson’s Gap, some 2 hours early. After a change out of our smelliest walking clothes (David had worn the same unwashed clothes every day!) we were delighted to see our lift had come an hour early and before we knew it we were back in the big city of Alice, had picked up the hire car and were giving ourselves indigestion with delightfully disgusting Red Rooster.
A shower in the hotel, clothes in the washer, Aussie Rules on the telly and we were enjoying the trappings of civilisation.
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Danielle's hair without a wash for a week |
Bird drinking out of soaking pots |
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| Day1 to Day 3 | Day 4 and 5 | Day 6 to Day 8 |
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Links:
Google Earth place markers showing key places along our walk.
NT National Parks information on the Larapinta Trail. Includes online maps and basic section notes.
Alice Wanderers, the company we used for transport in and out of the Trail and our food drop at Standley Chasm
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