Photo Credit with thanks to Grahame Kershaw.
The Western Arthurs
It was an honor to be included in a Pandani Bushwalking Club trip to the Western Arthurs. The Western Arthurs is a place best explored with friends. I faced many fears on this trip. I would not have overcome them without the friendship, guidance, help and encouragement from Simon, Jess, Grahame, Chris and John.
I also thank them all for generously supplying the amazing images you will see scattered through these trip reports. In order to fully appreciate the images instead of placing small images throughout the trip reports, please grab a coffee, sit back and head to the galleries section at the bottom. Immerse yourself in the beauty that is the Western Arthurs as we did - Xing
Western Arthurs Day 1 & 2
It rises steeply, 800+ metres of elevation gain over about 3km, climbing towards the skyline like the beanstalk out of Jack & the Bean Stalk. Well, if we could see anything in front of us, I am sure that is what it would have looked like!
Western Arthurs Day 3
I had - until this moment - thought I was enjoying the views. I was completely wrong. What lay before and below us was Western Arthurs utopia. I can't seem to find the words to describe what we saw - there are not enough superlatives. Grand? Majestic? Wonderous? The sun on our backs and the world at our feet - does it get any better? I think not. Something else also hit me as I sat up there though - that something was a big fat dose of reality.
Western Arthurs Day 4
Such was the level of concentration needed that you could easily forget that all the hard work was a fair exchange for the feast your eyes and soul had. You cannot deny that the Western Arthurs are hard work. Every one of us struggled in some way, at some stage, over the entire trip, and acknowledging that is what makes us human and what makes the memories so good.
Western Arthurs Day 5
Ahead of us, rock formations rose out of the mist like creepy little onlookers. Watching us go up and down, sometimes on our feet, sometimes on our backsides, each bum slide bringing us closer to Tilted Chasm. I was feeling on edge.
It's weird to describe, but whilst I was enjoying the trip and every challenge, those same challenges meant my stress responses were elevated constantly. A perpetually heightened sense of alertness is wearying. Around the creepy rock onlookers we went, and finally we arrived at Tilted Chasm.
Western Arthurs Day 6
Even with a short cut off Morraine K, today promised to be a big walk. Our long day was intensely rewarding though. Standing on Mt. Scorpio before dropping off the range allowed us to see the ridgeline in all its glory. We had come an awful long way, over a lot of pointy things!
Western Arthurs Day 7
Along the way we met several groups of walkers heading into the range. Them fresh-legged and fresh-smelling, us exhausted and probably quite smelly! As we passed them our group would silently smile; "let's see them in a week" we would think, and our grins would widen.
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Grahame Kershaw
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Jess McDonald
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick
Images with thanks to Simon Kendrick