We woke up before 7am and started getting ready. We were out the door around
8:35am. We just happened to leave at almost the same time as the group of 6,
who we'd play leapfrog again with on the way to Pelion Gap.
Pelion Hut
As we started off on the wooden planks, I noticed a lump of caterpillars (I
think). I took a couple pictures before the group of 6 caught up to me.
I think I missed a few photo opportunities as we continued through open forest,
but when I saw a huge field of flowers to our left, I stopped and let them
pass as I took some pictures.
Caterpillars
Duckboard
Field of flowers
Field of flowers
After the flowers, we entered denser forest. We passed the guided group, who
were taking a rest break. The path was uphill through the forest,
then broke out into the open. The planks took us past more flowering plants
and then to a couple of large platforms at Pelion Gap, which is about 900 feet
higher in elevation than Pelion Hut. Some hikers had already
been here, ditching their packs and heading up to Mt. Ossa (to the right) or
Mt. Pelion East (left). If we were just going to Kia Ora, we could have hiked
to one or the other, but we had a long day ahead of us to Windy Ridge, so we
decided not to.
Trees near Pelion Gap
Flowering scoparia at Pelion Gap
Flowering scoparia at Pelion Gap
Flowering scoparia at Pelion Gap
While we took a break and enjoyed the views from here, the guided group came
and started off to Mount Ossa. The group of 6 were preparing to leave their
packs, as well, I'm assuming to go to Mount Ossa as well. It's the highest
point in Tasmania. I'm sure the views are great. Though there were some lingering
clouds, and it was a bit chilly at the moment, it looked like it was starting to
clear up.
The path to Mount Ossa
Probably the Du Cane Range
The path to Mount Ossa
Mount Pelion East from the path to Mount Ossa
Mount Pelion East
After our break, we continued down the other side of Pelion Gap. It's pretty
much open fields on much of the downhill. We had reached Pelion Gap around 10:30am and
left at 11am. We reached Kia Ora hut around 12:30pm. There was one hiker in the hut,
but this was someone who had stayed in our hut last night. He was just taking a
break like we were. The hut itself doesn't look like much. It's similar to the
Waterfall Valley hut, but in a setting that's not as scenic. There are also tent
platforms here.
Double planking down from Pelion Gap
Mountains ahead
More mountain views
Looking back at Mount Pelion East
Mountain view
Buttongrass and mountains
While I was at the hut, I looked at the log book. I counted 37 to 41 people headed
toward Windy Ridge from here today. And they all had a big head start on us. That
made me a little worried. But I did a little calculation and decided it was almost
impossible for us to catch any of them (since they probably had a 4 hour head start), even if
they took the short side trips to the waterfalls.
After a 10 minute break, we left the hut and continued on the trail. Around 1:50pm, we reached
Du Cane Hut, which is very old and for emergency use only. It's not much to look at,
but it is in a nice setting, a little clearing in the forest.
Du Cane Hut
Du Cane Hut
We now walked in the forest for a long time, first downhill. We passed the two waterfall
side trips. Interestingly, we did see two backpacks at the second one, so we actually did
pass 2 hikers. 2 down, 39 to go. Then the trail heads uphill. It eventually breaks out
of the forest, and you think you're almost there and the downhill will start soon - but it
doesn't.
Path through the forest
We now walked slightly uphill, mostly on planks, through dense brush. I regretted wearing
short sleeves, as my arms kept getting poked (more annoying than anything else). And it
was getting hot. And I kept wondering when it was going to end. Finally, the trail
crested Du Cane Gap, then started descending into the forest - steeply.
Duckboard at Du Cane Gap
The descent was so fast that before we knew it, we saw two unused tent platforms to our
left, and then the group platform, and then the Ben Nichols Hut at Windy Ridge. We'd
made it. Now we went inside the hut to see if there was any space. Most of the spaces
were full, but we managed to find 4 spots in the last room (but we had to split up, 3 on
top and 1 on the bottom). There are 3 sleeping rooms with two big platforms in each. The
platforms can sleep 4-5 each.
Relieved we had found a spot, we settled in. The hut is quite large, with a drying
room near the entrance (with cords running across the top so you can hang wet
clothes). There's a dinner table down the stairs from there, and then a door leads to
a large dining area with a high ceiling and several tables.
All of the other tent sites were full, even the one right next to the path to the
toilet. This place seemed really crowded with people. It felt like we were outsiders
in a sense since most of these people had hiked together or seen each other for the
past several days, while we had left most of our "group" behind. Also, most of them
were looking forward to hiking to Narcissus and taking the ferry tomorrow, while we still
had another night after that. I looked at the log book and saw that was the case, though
it said 2 people were headed to Echo Point tomorrow, like we were. Also, the JMT
couple we'd seen earlier were headed to Pine Valley today. Maybe we'd see them tomorrow
if they hiked to Narcissus the same time we were there.
Du Cane Range and Bert Nichols rainwater tank
Du Cane Range
The hut warden came by and posted signs stating that there would be no fires outside huts
starting at midnight tomorrow, because of the fire danger (high temperatures and high
winds were expected).
A crowd of people gathered on a platform next to the hut, looking out at the sunset
over the Du Cane Range. Unfortunately we were staring almost directly at the sun,
and there were lots of tall eucalyptus trees, so it wasn't the best viewpoint.
Preparing to watch the sunset over the Du Cane Range
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