Changing plans
This time I had a mate, Ben, who was going to come along with me. The plan was to drive out from Brisbane in the morning, hike up in the afternoon and spend the night up in the mountains.
Ben and I both have hiking hammocks and were keen to try them out. Sleeping in a hammock on top of a mountain under the Milky Way with no one else around apart from a good mate sounded like an awesome way to spend a few days.
A week out our plans started to unravel. Looking at the weather forecast, storms were predicted. Nah, it is all good I thought to myself. The weather forecast always changes. Then everyone was talking up the first storms of the season would happen on the days we planned to hike.
During that week Ben and I had lots of back and forth. Eventually we had a plan. Then on the day of the hike we stopped at the Aratula bakery for a pie and changed our minds again. There was a break in the weather that would allow us to climb up and down in one day. I really didn’t want to be up 1000m, in a hammock that is attached to trees in a thunderstorm. I love storms, but that is where I draw the line.
With our bellies full of deliciousness, we hit the road. Before long we were on the muddy road to the base of the hike. Given how slippery that road was, I was regretting not having any recovery gear for our 4wds. I was silently hoping that we didn’t get any rain because it could be a ‘fun’ trip out in the 4wds.
Off we set on the hike. The first part is an easy fire trail. Then we turn right off the fire trail and up the hill we go. There are not defined trails from here on in. In parts you could see some paths that others had taken but generally you were knee to waist deep in grasses.
For the next hour I struggled with the climb whilst Ben just bounded up ahead. It pays to be fit. Eventually after what seemed to be an eternity of nauseating climbing, we made it to the base of the rocky outcrops.
Along we walked at the base of rocky outcrops for another while. Up and down. More up than down. One last big scramble and we were on the top. Now just a 15-minute walk to the view.
On this 15-minute section of the trail we found our camp site for next time. What a glorious place it will be to get back to.
And then we make it. What a view.
We take some time to soak in the view. Really, I was just catching my breath and stuffing my face with food to get some energy back.
The clouds looked a little menacing, so I looked at the radar. Yes, there was reception up the very top of the hike. It looked like a storm or two was on the way, so we hit the trail again. It was a lot easier on the way down.
After only a few claps of thunder and a few spots of rain we make it back to the 4wds. As we had lost reception, we decided to hightail it out to the main road before we had a down pour and had to navigate those slippery roads. Thankfully the rain held off.
What an awesome hike. I am already planning when we can do it again next year under the Milky Way.
