Bluff Knoll Carpark to First Arrow Camping Cave, Stirling Ridge Walk, Stirling Ranges National Park - December 2011

Tomorrows first objective.

Alright, with the Corona Virus hanging around and pretty well all travel still off the agenda, I've decided to go retro again. This walk was first written up on my Crazy Guy Journal before I even had a blog, now those old journals were my first attempts at writing and publishing anything on the web and they were pretty rudimentary affairs. So whilst I'm sitting home getting fatter and fatter as the virus wrecks it's havoc on the world I figured I might revisit some of those old walks. At the same time I've dug out my photos to see if I've got anything half decent that wasn't in the original posts. Now there is good news and bad news on the photo side of things - I have indeed got a lot of unpublished photos, however to be honest most of them are pretty crap, yes it seems like there is a good reason I left then out initially! Still not to be deterred by mediocrity (it's never stopped me before) I've fixed some of then up a bit to slot them into these retro posts while at the same time I've also fixed up a bit of the writing. Hopefully this will stop me going insane during these interminable Corona lockdowns... and maybe someone else will gain something from them?

 

The night before the walk I stayed in one of these rammed earth cabins at the Stirling Range Retreat - it was pretty cheap and cheerful accommodation but perfect for me.

After checking in I took a drive up to the Bluff Knoll Carpark.

With Christmas coming up back in 2011, I decided to get in a walk in Western Australia before Sam and I headed off for a planned trip to Mauritius. Leading up to the trip all was going good, annual leave had been approved, flights had been organised, and all the logistics were sorted. I'd planned a week on the Cape to Cape Track and in my mind I could already see myself slowly making my way down the coast from beach to beach. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other idea's though and a month before I was due to leave there was a massive fire in the Margaret River area, the bushfire wiping out a large section in the middle of the walk...bugger. So with a month to go I had to find a plan 'B'. The Stirling Ridge Walk had always appealed to me, however I knew from previous experience it can get very hot in the Stirling Ranges in December. Anyway after consulting with the local ranger, I decided that I would head over and if the forecast looked OK, I would go for it.

 

Bluff Knoll from the car park - I was hoping that the weather would be so nice tomorrow morning.

Bluff Knoll from the carpark.

After a fairly quick trans-continental drive I arrived at the Stirling Range Retreat where I had a cabin booked for the night. This place provided not only a comfortable spot for the night but I'd also organised a shuttle up to the Bluff Knoll Car Park with them the next morning. I spent the rest of the afternoon here testing out the swimming pool before heading out into some farm paddocks to watch the sun setting on the Stirling Ranges, my whole ridge walk being laid before me. Next morning I woke up nice and early and stumbled out of my cabin, I was anxious to get a look at the range and make sure the weather looked OK. Luckily it looked fairly clear on top, with a forecast high in the 20˚ today and in the 30˚ tomorrow all was looking promising. So now everything was set, I went back and had a big brekky, finished my orange juice and presented myself at the retreat's office for my lift up to Bluff Knoll carpark.

The Stirling Ridge Walk traverses that ridge line - it all looks pretty easy from down here!

I drove out into the paddock to get the sunset view back to the mountains - looking back I'm not sure on the legalities of this?... I'm thinking that someone must have told me that it was OK however it would probably pay to check with someone at the retreat if this is still OK, as it is on private property.

The Stirling Range Retreat is just inside the tree line. That's Bluff Knoll towering overhead in the late afternoon sun.

The first section of the walk follows an excellent tourist track to the top of Bluff Knoll. Even though it is a very well graded track it still involves a climb of around 700m over 2.5 km so it got the heart started, especially when carrying 9 litres of water (which was the bare minimum that I thought that I needed to survive if I couldn't find water on the ridge). Ironically about 30 minutes into the climb I came across a small waterfall, this was a good sign since normally all watercourses are dry, especially over summer. After having a good drink at the waterfall I ground my way up to the top of Bluff Knoll which at 1094m is the highest mountain in the south of Western Australia and normally sees snow a once or twice a year.

Alright...it's time to head off. I was using my work clothes on this walk as I hoped that they'd handle the scratchy scrub a little better than my more hi tech walking clothes. Similarly I was lugging around my old canvas Macpac pack as it is pretty well bullet proof.

I was lucky that there had been a little rain in the area recently.

Climbing up the tourist track towards the Bluff Knoll summit I was soon out of the trees.

Looking southwest as I climbed Bluff Knoll.

After a stop on top of Bluff Knoll for the obligatory photo it was time to push on to the east. From here to Ellen Peak the track is vague to say the least. I would class most of the route as a bushwalking pad, however there were stretches where the pad disappears altogether. The first aim was East Peak and to get there I had to bypass The Chasm, luckily the scrub was OK and the navigation was easy and I was soon on East Peak taking in another grand stand view, the huge north facing cliffs of Bluff Knoll looking particularly impressive from here. 

Well that's the heart started!

Time for my second breakfast on Bluff Knoll.

Bluff Knoll is the walks high point - so it should be pretty easy from here on, hey.

Heading off from East Peak it was important that I found the correct ridge heading north. From here the route drops down to around 600m and does a big gentle arc to the north before climbing again to Isongerup Peak. Initially the route drops very steeply but after awhile the gradient eases off and my knees stopped screaming. Apart from the patches of scratchy scrub the walking was fairly easy and I soon reached a small clearing in the Mallee trees just before the route starts to climb again towards Moongoongoonderup Hill (I'm not making these names up!). As it was now early afternoon I decided it was time for lunch - salami and cheese, washed down with luke warm water, yum! This spot is also one of the few flat spots along the ridge where it is possible to pitch a few tents, although it was way too early for me to pull the pin today. 

Heading east from Bluff Knoll I passed above The Chasm.

This is a fragile area so practise the leave no trace principles.

The view back towards the cliffs of Bluff Knoll are pretty sweet from East Peak.

Dropping off East Peak the scrub wasn't too bad.

I dropped down this grassy ramp...

... by passing a few of these rocky knobs on the eastern side.

While the scrub wasn't too bad the initial descent from East Peak was steep.

I was dropping down towards that band of Mallee Trees (in the middle of the photo) in the saddle below Moongoongoonderup Hill.

After a bit of a nanna nap under the trees it was time to commence the climb up Isongerup Peak. The route arcs to the south before heading NNE above the cliffs of Isongerup Peak. Apart from small sections of scrub the route was a straight forward grunt. I had the added bonus of finding a small rill of water running beside the pad so I was able to drink to my hearts content. As I had been rationing my water on the assumption that I wouldn't find any on the walk then any extra water that found was a big bonus.

On reaching the saddle below Moongoongoonderup Hill it was time for a break in the shade.

This clearing in the Malle Trees is one of the few big open spaces to camp on along the length of the range.

Isongerup Peak... my next objective.

I take any excuse to stop and get my breath back.

Taking in the view back over my shoulder towards Bluff Knoll as I climbed Isongerup Peak... progress was still being made.

I found a rill of water in that shallow gully to the left of the pad as I climbed Isongerup Peak.

It was probably only in the mid twenties today, although with little in the way of shade on offer up here on the range, combined with the rough walking meant that I was feeling it a bit, so finding a rill of flowing water was a real bonus.

By the time I got to the summit of Isongerup Peak I was getting pretty tired so I decided to head for a cave near the top of First Arrow for the night. The walk across Isongerup Peak towards the She Oak Col before the First Arrow was very pleasant. I was walking through a garden of windflowers and I had a couple of Wedgetail Eagles soaring on the thermals around me. She Oak Col is a beautiful spot where you can rest before tackling the Arrows. From here until Ellen Peak the trail gets pretty rough and scrambly. The ascent of First Arrow is probably the crux of the traverse I guess, I found it OK without a rope but some people may need a rope for pack hauling. The main problem that I had was that of my pack hitting rock above me as I was climbing up ledges, which meant I had to crawl on hands and knees for small sections before staggering to my feet again.

Isongerup Peak also features some fairly formidable cliff lines.

Once on the summit of Isongerup Peak the walking was pretty easy as I dropped into She Oak Col below The First Arrow.

Looking back west towards Bluff Knoll from near Isongerup Peak.

Late afternoon heading towards the First Arrow on the Stirling Ridge Walk.

I'm thinking Spring in the Stirling Ranges must be pretty impressive as far as wild flowers go.

It was with some relief that I reached the small saddle high on the First Arrow, from here it was only a few metres to my cave. The cave had an awesome view north of the farms on the flat plains below, the same plains that I'd been taking in the sunset view of the range yesterday afternoon. After I made myself comfortable in my little cave I enjoyed my usual bushwalking meal of freeze dried while taking in the extensive view. After giving Sam a call to let here know all was well I settled into bed to do a bit of reading although the reading didn't last long as I was fairly well exhausted. My last conscious thought that night was "I hope I don't sleep walk".

The only company that I'd had all day were the Wedgetail Eagles soaring on the thermals around me.

The easy walking is pretty well over for awhile. I'm about to drop into She Oak Col.

First Arrow from the She Oak Col... from here until I dropped off Ellen Peak tomorrow the walking  would be very slow.

My camping cave on the side of the First Arrow. Mr Chapman suggests that up to 6 people could be accommodated here... I'm thinking no more than 3 would be comfortable.

The Dirt.

I walked around 9 kilometres and climbed around 1250 metres on today's hard walk. The stats don't really tell the whole story today though. Once leaving the tourist track on the top of Bluff Knoll the going is pretty rough and slow. While The Stirling Ridge Walk is promoted as an off track walk for the most part today there was a pad, it was only really while scrambling up the First Arrow that there wasn't really a pad to follow, although there were cairns. Speaking of scrambling the ascent of First Arrow will require the use of hands as well as feet. The scrambling itself is fairly strait forward although I found my pack snagging on rocks above me as I scrambled up some of the ledges. Some people may have to pack haul this bit - I find different peoples tolerance for scrambling can vary wildly though. There were camp sites in the Mallee Trees at the saddle below Moongoongoonderup Hill as well as in the She Oak Col below the First Arrow. The cave at First Arrow where I stayed could sleep two or three at a pinch although one was more comfortable. I got water at a small waterfall beside the track on the climb up to Bluff Knoll as well as from a small rill of water just north of the pad on the climb to Isongerup Peak - I wouldn't rely on these sources though.

Relevant Posts.

Toolbrunup Peak & Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range National Park, 2010.

Nancy Peak & Devil's Slide, Porongurup National Park, 2010.

The view north from my cave on the First Arrow.

Looking east along the range from my cave on the First Arrow.

Ellen Peak from First Arrow ... tomorrows objective.

Day 1 is over and it's time for bed.