The Overland Track day 1 - Cradle Mountain to Windermere

Not knowing what to expect really and whether I am capable of completing such a venture, the minimum plan was the 83 KM. Full self sufficiency and a survival test.
But I was injured already before even starting. I had a bad knee from an unfortunate fall on icy path back home. It happened three days before my departing flight. It was a middle of winter and obviously Poland at this time can be covered in ice and snow ;). I slipped just outside the gate to my place and immediately I knew I was going to suffer... Next day was not looking more optimistic at all, the knee was swollen and hurt badly. I needed to see a doctor.
The sentence was: nothing really bad happened but it will take 4-6 weeks to heal. Long distance flying could cause complications, further swelling was the least he told me...of course no exercising and keeping it nice and cool for the time period. Anyway, as I heard that it was not that bad, there was nothing stopping me from going. I had few days before the trek and I knew I was going to do it this way or another.


Getting off the final transfer bus, just in front of the Overland Trek "gate" with 10 other companions. Me with a bandage and elastic bands around my knee and ankle. Taking a photo all together and them laughing that it is unusual to see someone injured before they even started. It is normal to see people with injuries at the end but no one with common sense would attempt to complete the trek without 100% of their capabilities and power. That wasn't reassuring, was it?

Fast and furious?
On the trail with my backpack and a small camera. The pic was taken 2-3 hrs into first days trek. I was counting the hours of my trek to make sure I get to the camp site before the dawn. Keeping in mind that the starting point was 1:15 PM the commong knowledge was that the sunset is at 7:20 PM. Plenty of time for 10,6 KM trek, right?

I began the trek at exactly 1:15 PM, signing my name in the log book at the start. It started off nicely with an easy boardwalk taking me through a valley up to the steep climb that was continuing for ever..and ever...and then a bit more....I did not feel anything other than excitement and hunger for adventure. Will I be able to come out on the other side? Will I make it? I quickly picked up my pace and soon I was the only one on the trail, leaving the others far behind.
First day was going to be "easy" according to my planning. Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley, 11 KM 4-6 hrs. I would get to the first camp early enough to enjoy the sunset!

On the way to Marion's lookout, passing Crater Lake.

 

Adrenaline rush made me almost run the track, wanting to see all of it, not to miss any detail. Like the air was going to expire or the soil was going to evaporate. Exposed to the warmth of full mid-day sun, already covered in sweat, I got to the very first stopover - the Marion's Lookout at 1223 m, the highest point on the track. I did it in 1 hour, bypassing a group of tourists and some other single hikers. It was not even a half way through the daily distance but I knew it was the most challenging hike from all days. The route was far to busy for me towards the top, I was hoping for quiet and piece and here I was surrounded with crowds of people going up and down. Some people were on guided tours, some other wanted to follow the full trail but this first day was already too much for them so they were heading back. I did not feel any hesitation for a single moment. The steeper the trail was becoming the more enjoyable the journey was for me. Crazy adrenaline junk I was ;).

 

When I arrived at the top of Marion's Lookout there was a small crowd of people taking rest, a bunch of young blokes amongst them, looking like on some kind of a bonding trip. Full of laughter and chat, sweating a lot and debating whether they would be able to keep up the pace and continue. I stood next to them, not wanting to sit as sitting is the worst thing you could do after a climb like that. So here I was, a single female backpacker smiling at them and cheering for them to continue. I was not complaining and not sweating like them (to be honest white t-shirt was doing me a favour!). They even got to check my backpack if it was the same heavy. It had to be for all the things I needed to carry... 

 

I had my look around and decided to continue. After such a spectacular start I could not wait to see more. They were also getting ready to go. I let them pass me thinking there was no way I could keep up with them. I did not feel like competing maybe. Or maybe I was just polite to let them go so they didn't have to pass me in the coming minutes. What a surprise it was when after some minutes it turned out they were not all that fit! I was running the trail faster than them - it was a challenge they could not refuse of course. Some of them at least. Finally a common sense won and they all stayed together, not to break the group.  And so I got baptised with my new Overland nick name "the Hiker Chick". What I did not realize was that I was not going to see them for the next 6 days.

Crater Lake with bare grey rocks and shrubby slopes of tea-tree provided the first of many superb views on my walk.

I met a man bird-feeding on the side of the Crater Lake. I stopped trying not to scare the bird off and the man said: no worries they are used to people and you cannot scare them. On the contrary you should be aware that they will take your food away and dismantle your backpack in no time, if you live it unattended or unsecured. What a weird place I thought, I would never ever foresee I that I have to protect by belongings from birds there...The birds are called Currawongs and they are known as unzippers of backpacks :). Now I know!

 

I have never seen a view like this before. No civilization as far as you can see. Only me and the Wilderness.

 

 

Ronny Creek to Marion's Lookout is pretty much an open walk. Disposed to sun, wind, rain, snow. You need to be ready for it all as the weather is really unpredictable. It is said that at Marion's Lookout sun shines only 37 days a year. I was the lucky one to get blue skies and hot weather, all in one.

I love the tea-trees. They look so majestic and beautiful in the full sun.

Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff. Kitchen Hut is down there hardly visible. At this stage there were not too many walkers on the trail. Most tourists were headed back to Ronny Creek, scared after having climbed Marion's Lookout.

The walls of Cradle Mountain

I felt so good that I started considering what side walk I could take on that day. My knee was (relatively) fine, I was not tired, I felt good. Time management? It would still be alright for 2-3 hrs side walk. I would still get to the Waterfall Valley in time and camp safely. Cradle Mountain was on my list, it was looking interesting, another challenge! As I was coming closer, passing historical Kitchen Hut, a big group of tourists attempted the climb. No way I was going to suffer from crowds there. I passed on it.

Borrowed from http://adventureseekers.smugmug.com/

The huts were built by snarers and miners.You would be surprised hearing that the primary purpose of the Overland Track, in a contrary to today's highly advertised "great wilderness walks", was a hotchpotch of miners’ and snarers’ tracks, Aboriginal trade routes and parts of a never-built railway line. It was certainly never conceived as a walking track (after www.wildsight.com.au). After first Aboriginal people moving around Lake St. Clair most the central plateau was left unnoticed up until 19th century. The first European to climb Cradle Mountain was probably Henry Hellyer in 1828, looking for grazing land on behalf of the Van Diemens Land Company. The first commercialized part of the today's track was between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair. It was build in 1928 by a snarer, Bert Nicholls, who was paid 15 pounds to build the track utilizing huts system.  It were Lake Windermere, Pelion and Du Cane, which were conveniently spaced 13 miles (21km) apart. Today the Queensland Government is spending $10 million on seven great walks...Visitors are asked to pay 120$ entry fee to book a spot on the track. That is some development huh!

Barn Bluff from a distance

 







to be continued...