A Weekend Walk in the Park?

Off on Friday after work for a walk in the Stirling Ranges National Park. We are doing what is called the Ridge Walk, here’s what one website describes it as;

STIRLING RIDGE WALK

The only alpine walking in Western Australia. The Stirling Ridge Walk involves narrow ledges and very steep assents and descents and much scrambling over jagged rocks and through sharp bush. Violent weather changes including very strong gusty winds, whiteout, sleet or snow can occur with little notice. It usually involves a two night bivouac which may be in these conditions, so walkers must be appropriately equipped. The trail is unmarked and easy to lose, and a compass course may be necessary.

Because it sounds like it needs a little extra fun ‘added’ to it we have decised to walk the first day… in the night! Yes we will start at Bluff car park on Friday night (almost a full moon depending on weather conditions) at about 9pm, ascend Bluff (about 1094.97m) with our head torches, should summit about midnight if we keep up the speed…as in going fast that is 🙂 . We will sleep up there, then continue ontop the ridge the next morning after warm porriage and tea for breaky.

We plan to sleep in a cave on the third arrow after refilling our water from a ‘secret location’. Hidden in a cave somewhere up there is a big 44 gallon plastic drum which collects water.

We will then proceed onto Ellen Peak, (1012m) Ellen Peak is the eastern end of the Stirling Ridge Walk. A compass traverse is sometimes necessary. Very strong gusty winds and/or whiteout conditions sometimes occur at short notice, this end of the park is crazy and at this time of the year it is likely to have some snow around. I was on the Bluff when it snowed once before, quite strange!
We will have a car at the other end of the track waiting for us that we will put there Friday night, we will drive home in time for a good night sleep before work Monday morning.
Hope to see you all again…

5 thoughts on “A Weekend Walk in the Park?”

that description doesn’t match my experience of the full ridge…i dont think it was quite as daunting as that makes it sound. a bit wet, hard in places, but generally just a pleasant hike with a great view if it isnt clouded in….

Hey mate…sounds good…if anything happens…can I have you pink shirt? Just jokes…I wish you good traversing and splendid weather chap.

Roo ya mongrel…It was meant to sound all scary and dangerous, I’m not talking to you anymore. Could you repost about all the times you almost died on the ridge or people have been blown off the mountains or lost or frightened or at least wet themselves …while drinking from their water bottles?!!