Training Log Archive: jools

Hiked from Wilpena Pound into Edeowie Gorge and return. This was a long walk and we pushed the pace on the track through the pound. The gorge walking was quite rough, with no formal tracks, so lots of rock hopping and balance challenges slowed us significantly. What a beautiful place! We disturbed a large wedge tailed eagle drinking from a rock pool in the gorge. No other people past the end of the track.

Walked up onto Acacia Ridge, above Arkaroola in the Gammon Ranges. Great views from there. We just walked up to the summit and returned down, rather than walking the one way length of the ridge, which most people do.

Walked a loop near Arkaroola that went into Barrananna gorge, past Stubbs waterhole. The gorge was a side trip, not signposted, but spectacular, with a large pool totally blocking any further progress. The colours in the rocks and cliffs above were pink, red, orange, and the rock textures were amazing.

Another long walk, this time it was a loop from the Weetootla campground. This took us past theWeetootla spring - very impressive, and then high up onto the range above to the abandoned Monarch mine, with little bits of copper ore on the ground.. Walked back through the large, wide Balcanoona Gorge. We were pretty tired this evening...

Walked through the Italowie Gorge to the Mt McKinlay spring, and around behind it to a much more interesting slot gorge that we explored from both ends by walking up into the next gully and descending into it from above. Couldn't get through because of steep rock walls and water. Walked back out the way we came in. Disturbed an emu with its chick while walking back along the gorge and ended up herding it back almost to the campground where we were staying. The emus joined up with 4 others at the end of the gorge.