Back at work in Australia after a sabbatical spent in the mountains of Japan and Europe, I turned my attention to a few home trips I had been thinking over for a while. Top of the list was Hannel's Spur, reputed to be the biggest vertical climb in Australia at a leg withering 1800m. An old stock route for accessing the lush summer highland areas from Geehi, the track is now an overgrown former track linked together by scraps of fading tape.
I parked my car and slept at Dead Horse Gap, waking early to drink a cup of coffee, roll down a big hill on my old mountain bike, and contemplate just what I was thinking. Some undulating terrain to the Geehi River warmed up the legs, and soon enough I was strolling across the flats behind Dr Forbe's Hut.
Hannel's proper starts fine, but soon enough the track becomes hard to follow. In places I was following my nose rather than the track, and on numerous occasions I had to backtrack and search again. I remember sitting on a log half way up the hill, sweating, scratches on my legs bleeding, when a small bird landed on a branch next to me looking nonchalant. I'd genuinely been wondering if I was in over my head, but for some reason that bird calmed me down and I was off again.
The feeling of coming out of the scrub and into the alpine was sensational. My legs were tired, but I got a second wind that carried me up the peak of Kosci. I drank some water from a cleanish looking creek, took some photos, and quietly cheered inside at the thought that I was on my way back to the car. I managed a job down into Dead Horse Gap, surprising a brumby on the way.
I drove back down to Geehi campground, soaking my legs in the river and eating a delicious home made stew and bread. My legs were sore the next day. GPS track is below.
No comments:
Post a Comment