That Mad Belgian

[Warin]

Day 37... I feel I'm older than TAS expedition 2006. ...

It's twelve years later. We're ALL older!

I keep telling my body it is not getting older. Just more knowledgeable.

[doogs]

Looks like he's heading straight down into a filthy green nightmare..

[ILUVSWTAS]

Looks like he's heading straight down into a filthy green nightmare..

Hehehe only slightly trumped by the filthy brown nightmare...

[north-north-west]

Looks like he's heading straight down into a filthy green nightmare..

The first bit of the Pleiades ridge isn't fun, but that line has to be ten times worse. And there's nowhere to camp until he hits the flats.

[potato]

This is very interesting to watch - it looks like there might be some small cliffs/rock features in the scrub. That's not going to be fun.

[farefam]

Not a good line there. It will take him most of the day to get through the steep thick scrub there to reach the plain that leads towards Lake Gordon. I'd say that he wants to get to low altitude as quickly as possible and avoid getting caught out on the Pleiades Ridge. Personally I would have taken the Pleiades Ridge instead as that very steep descent would not be a good place to twist an ankle or break a leg.

[jmac]

Yes, although he's actually made better progress down through the scrub than I expected him to make. I messaged him specific advice to stay on the ridge until adjacent to the clear line down (approx 3km from junction peak), so he has chosen to select his own line. From current time, 2:47 PM, it looks like the next 500m will be the trickiest, with potential small cliffs and bluffs in the scrub.

[potato]

His progress is impressive.

[bushwalker zane]

Yes, although he's actually made better progress down through the scrub than I expected him to make. I messaged him specific advice to stay on the ridge until adjacent to the clear line down (approx 3km from junction peak), so he has chosen to select his own line. From current time, 2:47 PM, it looks like the next 500m will be the trickiest, with potential small cliffs and bluffs in the scrub.

I was surprised to see him drop off after you mentioned you'd advised him earlier of taking The Pleiades south a bit before cutting across that unnamed companion ridge to the lake. I also agree that he's making better progress than I would have thought on his current line. He seems to be sticking to the creekline.

[north-north-west]

He seems to be following a minor creekline, which is the best way to go in that sort of gunge. Until you hit the watefalls.

[NickMonk]

That's a mad line. I've not walked out there yet, but surely blind freddy could tell that following that ridgeline around would be best practice, surely? Wouldn't he be at risk of a night unable to set up the tent in there?

[NickMonk]

Maybe it's a water issue and he just had to head for a creek?

[Mountain Rocket]

Interesting line indeed! Surely with all this rain he's been experiencing water availability wouldn't be an issue?

[north-north-west]

There's water at a saddle after the awkward part of the ridge. It was first just yabby holes when we went through, but big ones. And then some small but surprisingly deep pools under rocks when going up on the other side of the saddle. But with the rain we've been having down that way, water shouldn't be an issue. Plus there are a number of spots to pitch along the main ridge and also on the descent ridge jmac advised him to take.
I think he's just desperate to get down and south and isn't thinking too clearly.

It looks like he's reached the cliffy bit now and is having trouble finding a way down.

[NickMonk]

Better keep an eye on him for this bit. He could be in a world of trouble in a couple of hours.

[Azza]

I'm guessing he has probably found himself a spot on that bluff to pitch for the night.

Getting down through that stuff is much easier than getting up.
I ascended Mt Hopetoun earlier in the year and we reached about this point in the day stuck on a steep exposed bluff with fading light where we decided it was time to accept our fate and pitch in any half unreasonable spot.
Its amazing where you can stick a tent if you really have to.
The whole way up we tried to avoid getting pushing into a scrub choked gully with a creek, thinking it was going to be terrible.
On the descent we ended up in that gully against all advice and our intended plans, it the end it was actually quite reasonable going.

As NNW says - he probably just wants to be down heading for the Lake.
He seemed to be going quite well for a while there.

[north-north-west]

I'm guessing he has probably found himself a spot on that bluff to pitch for the night.

Yep. Probably the most sensible decision he's made for a while. And if he can get going early enough tomorrow, he might even make the lakeshore before dusk.

[MrWalker]

I think he couldn't get past a waterfall between those huge rocks where he was stuck from 3:30 to 4 and is still looking for another way down,
He won't stop until it gets dark.

[north-north-west]

I'm guessing he has probably found himself a spot on that bluff to pitch for the night.

Yep. Probably the most sensible decision he's made for a while. And if he can get going early enough tomorrow, he might even make the lakeshore before dusk.

And as soon as I say that he's off again. A bit over an hour of daylight and still a lot of scrub between him and any possible campsite.

[Warin]

And as soon as I say that he's off again.

Yep. Cannot pick his stopping.
Nor can I pick his starting times. Even roughly.

Best to let him do it and see what happens.

[farefam]

Yes, his progress has been pretty good. My descent was down the creek on the southwest side of that ridge he's going along. From memory it took the best part of 3 hours, but that was with a much lighter load. The steep creek was largely scrub free but it was an obstacle course of logs and tree branches that made parts of it a jungle gym. I certainly wouldn't want to go up it! The creek got more scrubby (ti-tree) towards the bottom, so he may find the same. Once onto the plain it should be refreshingly easy going if the upper part of the plain is anything like I found it further to the south.

[Overlandman]

day 38
10 Sept. Up to saddle, great view. Down forest following ck, ok til I reached a 30m waterfall drop. Cliffs all around. Stuck, got out after 80°climb. One mistake meant dead. Now safe. This is hell.

[jmac]

"This is hell"

Ouch. It's been a tough evening in the office. Set up camp at 9:17PM (?) almost out on the plain. Must be wrecked physically and mentally.

Wish he'd taken the Pleaides ridge line.

With weather deteriorating tomorrow for the rest of the week, he's going to need to really look after himself.

[MrWalker]

I think he couldn't get past a waterfall between those huge rocks where he was stuck from 3:30 to 4 and is still looking for another way down,
He won't stop until it gets dark.

Yep, right on both.
I thought that must be a waterfall where he was stuck for around an hour.
And He never stops while there is enough light to pick a good campsite because that means there is enough light to keep moving.

I have done a bit of night orienteering, but I would never walk down wet rocks in a steep creekline with a heavy pack (and no sticks). It's remarkable what some people do for fun.

[stepbystep]

Sticks are a liability in that terrain. Entertaining reading but geeze he could have saved himself some pain! Hopefully he gets on that lake tomorrow.

[doogs]

It's not uncommon to find yourself in such terrain when off track bushwalking. But it was a little silly not to take advice stating how to avoid it! Very happy to see he got through it and I'm sure he will have assessed and reassessed his choices thoroughly during the descent
Onwards, ever onwards Lou-Phi!

[beardless]

Tomorrow it will be 40 days wandering in the wilderness. With no food resupply. Is this a modern record for Tasmania?

[north-north-west]

Maybe 50m of gunge before he hits relatively open ground, although the colour on the sat image makes me think it would be better east of the creek. He'll be paddling this arvo.

[MrWalker]

He'll be paddling this arvo.

Louis had a late night and he has to do his Stress Test this morning. I don't expect he'll be moving before midday.
Then he has to blow up his boat by mouth. So it's more likely he'll get to the lake and camp, ready to start paddling tomorrow.
There is chance he might find the terrain so easy that he is full of vim and gets organised so he can set off down the lake in the dark.

[doogs]

Then he has to blow up his boat by mouth. So it's more likely he'll get to the lake and camp, ready to start paddling tomorrow.

Not an issue. I've inflated my packraft by mouth before and it's only taken a couple of extra minutes.