Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

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Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby HenryVIIII » Tue 15 Nov, 2016 11:36 am

Hi all
Me and a few mates are looking to do an overnight hike in the Flinders Ranges. I was hoping to create a circuit using the hiking trails for a 30-40km 3-day hike. Looking at the map it appears drinking water is a severe issue and only one camping area has it.
Has anyone done a multi-day circuit in Flinders before? What trails did you do?
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby mikethepike » Mon 05 Dec, 2016 6:45 pm

A very good place to go is Mambray Creek (a 2 & a 1/2 hour drive) and which you can access by Stateliner buses and which has water and campsites and great walking in the pound which strangely enough, is unnamed. Mambray Creek gives you access to Alligatotor Gorge and the Narrows which are spectacul in a modest way. If you want a more typical Flinders experience with angled hills in drier country, then the best option is Aroona Vally which has campsites and watertanks, the Heysen trail and walking on the Heysen Range and its gorges in particular and the ABC Range. And of course if you've not walked at Wilpena, walking from the resort and camping in Edeowie Gorge is a great walk.
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby eggs » Mon 05 Dec, 2016 8:37 pm

What time of year Henry?
Summer overnight walking in the Flinders Ranges National Parks is not allowed.
And outside of the parks could be life threatening due to heat and lack of water.

We do overnight walks in the Flinders mostly during winter, but a late autumn or mid spring walk is generally fine.
mike is right about Mambray Creek - it has good options for loop walks.
I have done a late Oct overnighter - camped on the Battery [14.7km] and came back via Alligator Gorge and Hidden Gorge [21.8km] for a 38km loop.
See http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1345

You could break it into 3 days easily enough - or do it over 2 days and camp at Mambray Creek for a night and do Mt Cavan the next day. [11.2km]
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=18689&p=249313&hilit=climbed+Mt+Cavan#p249313
But check out the National Parks pamphlets for other options.

Some have worked out overnight loop walks at Telowie Gorge - you should be able to search for trip reports on this site.

As the Flinders Ranges are a north south linear affair, it is normal for us to use 2 cars and do a through walk along the range.
However, if you are prepared for real wilderness, there are some great loops possible in the Gammons.
See http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4370
I have also done a loop walk off Parachilna Gorge via Blinman pools and Mt Falkland. See http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7740
I would suggest some serious research if you are going into these northern parts of the range though.
There will be very few tracks.
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby HenryVIIII » Thu 22 Dec, 2016 1:05 pm

Thanks for your answers

We are staying at Wilpena Pound on the 27th and the 30th. My initial intention was to do the St Marys Peak hike over 2 days but I found out that's closed. My next thought was to go from Aroona to Trezona and back using both the Aroona-Youngoona track and the Trezona Track.

The forecast is mild with rain at the moment. This is the time of the year we usually go hiking and we are used to hiking up to the mid-30s.

Do you know how good the campsites are at Trezona or Youngoona? The only worry for us is water, heat won't be a problem.
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby eggs » Thu 22 Dec, 2016 3:17 pm

You should plan for mid 40s.
Adelaide is at 40 on the weekend.
But I note some relief after that.

Please take this kind of heat seriously.
It feels like being cooked in an oven.
I know. We climbed Olsen-Bagge at Wilpena on such a day and were glad we were out of it by about 10am
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby HenryVIIII » Fri 23 Dec, 2016 9:48 am

How did you climb it? They said the track was closed in the summer.

And I've already noted the forecast. The highest is 30. The days preceding it even have some rain.

I live in outback NSW I know what mid-40s feels like, and I know what hiking in it feels like. Even worse, I know what playing footy in it feels like.
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Re: Flinders Ranges Multi-Day Hike

Postby eggs » Fri 23 Dec, 2016 5:01 pm

It was a few years ago and it may have been a hot November walk.
But the forecasts are looking ok
PS - ironically summer rains up there can get quite heavy and lead to flooding. That could take out roads.
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