Southern Ranges Traverse

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Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby dis » Tue 24 Jan, 2023 3:58 pm

Hello,

I recently completed the Southern Ranges Traverse solo, from Ida Bay through to Cockle Creek in December/January 2023 - https://youtu.be/UdTBL8BJguw

I spent new years day up on Precipitous Bluff - what an amazing place to welcome in the new year! I walked in the entire range in 7 days, walking approximately 96km including over 5000m of ascent.

My itinerary and general notes are as follows:

Day 1: Ida Bay to Pigsty Ponds - approx 7 hours

Day 2: Pigsty Ponds to Pandani Knob - approx 10 hours

Climbed Mt La Perouse and Pindars Peak
Had a fantastic sunset up on Pandani Knob. I carried approx 4 litres of water from Ooze Lake as I knew there was no water at Pandani Knob.


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Southern Ranges from near the top of Mt La Perouse

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Pindars Peak

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Sunset on Pandani Knob


Day 3: Pandani Knob to Wylly Plateau - approx 6 hours, 9 hours including side trips

Climbed Mt Wylly and Mt Victoria Cross
Scrub was thick but it's not too bad if you are prepared for it - gloves and clothing.
Got lost coming out of Leaning Tee Tree saddle. Had to bash through some horizontal scrub to find the track.
There was a small pool on the Wylly Plateau to collect water. Otherwise there was a bigger pool on the way to Mt Victoria Cross.


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Mount Victoria Cross


Day 4: Wylly Plateau to PB High Camp - approx 6 hours
More dense scrub. I really didn't enjoy the boulders and scrub on Kameruka Moraine.
Water was collected from the waterfall on PB.
Incredible views at PB summit. Got smashed by winds after 1am. A group of 3 whom camped up near the summit bailed at 2am.


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PB

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PB


Day 5: PB to Suprise Bay - approx 12 hours

I was originally going to camp at Cavern Camp but the mosquitos put me off so I decided to keep going. The wade was actually really enjoyable minus all the tiger snakes whom decided to setup home on the banks - for this reason I kept mainly in the water.

Day 6: Surpise Bay to South Cape Rivulet - approx 6.5 hours

Day 7: South Cape Rivulet to Cockle Creek - approx 3 hours

I managed to get a lift back to my car from a solo walker on the SCT.

Overall it was an incredible walk and an achievement to complete solo. I got incredible weather (only a bit of rain on one of the nights).

I filmed the entire journey for anyone who wants to watch - https://youtu.be/UdTBL8BJguw
dis
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby CBee » Tue 24 Jan, 2023 4:09 pm

Fantastic photos. The weather has been very good and for sooo long...
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby wander » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 9:02 am

Nice report, what was your start date?
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby dis » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 11:54 am

wander wrote:Nice report, what was your start date?


Thanks! I started on the 29th December.

The 27th was a 32c day and the 28th December had 60-80km winds up on the range. I was pretty flexible on my start date so chose the best weather window.

I met someone whom was returning from Pigsty Ponds that suffered from both heat stroke and hypothermia from the two days prior.
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby wander » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 2:24 pm

OK, you were following us thru.

The hot day we did Sams Saddle to Wylly with an early start to avoid the heat. And spent the rain/windy day on Wylly Plateau in the tent chillin out.

A couple of women trail running the loop went past us later in the arvo of the hot day, they were due to get to Cavern Camp that evening.

I reckon we met the heat/hypo person when they were coming off Wylly and looking for the trail start at the scrub as you leave Wylly, we were a little concerned about them then. We heard a report from others who passed him at Leaning Tree that he had got that far OK.
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby Tortoise » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 2:32 pm

wander wrote:The hot day we did Sams Saddle to Wylly with an early start to avoid the heat.

Which one is Sams Saddle? Wondering if that's what we called bog camp in wet conditions - the first one after Pandani Knob?
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby north-north-west » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 3:26 pm

Don't you mean Smiths Saddle?

There's no official name, but that's what Chapman calls it - the first saddle past Pandani Knob.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby dis » Wed 25 Jan, 2023 3:55 pm

wander wrote:OK, you were following us thru.

The hot day we did Sams Saddle to Wylly with an early start to avoid the heat. And spent the rain/windy day on Wylly Plateau in the tent chillin out.

A couple of women trail running the loop went past us later in the arvo of the hot day, they were due to get to Cavern Camp that evening.

I reckon we met the heat/hypo person when they were coming off Wylly and looking for the trail start at the scrub as you leave Wylly, we were a little concerned about them then. We heard a report from others who passed him at Leaning Tree that he had got that far OK.


Right, you weren't too far in front then at all. I hope you enjoyed the hike as much as I did minus the heat/wind weather you had.

Smiths Saddle I think is often referenced as Bog Saddle - it certainly was a bog through there.
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby wander » Mon 30 Jan, 2023 10:33 am

dis wrote:
Smiths Saddle I think is often referenced as Bog Saddle - it certainly was a bog through there.


Yeah, we probably did not help the bog stepping in a few that went below knee deep. And doing a bit of searching to find the correct trail up the hill from here.
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Re: Southern Ranges Traverse

Postby epiclad25 » Mon 20 Mar, 2023 11:39 am

God that was good new year weather.
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