Early in Kylie’s 50 mountain marathons in 50 weeks project I was privileged to join her for a couple either side of Christmas. Pindars Peak out and back is a neat 42km which fitted the criteria beautifully. What better way to spend Christmas Eve 2023?
Proximity to the solstice meant head torches were dispensed with at Mystery Creek following our 5am start. Beyond the old limestone quarry we ascended the first rise and were well into the tall rainforest beyond the upper extent of historic logging when the rising sun illuminated a handful of magnificent old eucalypts at the upper limit of their range. At the 90-minute mark we topped the tree line and were treated to clear views over the D’Entrecasteaux Channel to a silhouetted Bruny Island beyond.
The next three hours were spent negotiating Bullfrog Tarns, Hills One, Two, Three and Four, scooting by Reservoir Lakes, bypassing Pigsty Ponds, crossing an infantile D’Entrecasteaux River and, finally, ascending Maxwell Ridge. Sidling Knife Mountain featured the most serious patch of scrub for the outward journey after which we were rewarded with Waratahs in full bloom bathed in sunshine around Ooze Lake.
During the gradual climb around Lake Mountain we could see our destination teasing us in a game of peek-a-boo. As the cloud came and went we made steady progress on the climb before attaining the cloud-bound summit just before midday. Sadly the sunny breaks didn’t quite line up with our time on top but we could not claim to be short-changed after the magnificent views we had enjoyed all morning.
After leaving the Pindars summit, cloud flirted with us for much of the return journey while never folly blocking our views to surrounding peaks and the coastline beyond. The downward journey really should be quicker than the up but a combination of challenging terrain and my lack of the distance-fitness that Kylie was rapidly developing meant our down time almost exactly matched the up time. (I’m fairly sure Kylie could have skipped home significantly more swiftly on her own.)
It was great to be back at the car by 7pm. A sub four(teen)-hour marathon!
Here are the links to some previous blog posts from other Southern Ranges missions.
Southern Ranges – Third Time Lucky
A four-day mission doing the classic Southern Ranges loop from Lune River, along the range to Precipitous Bluff, down New River Lagoon and out to Cocle Creek via the South Coast Track.
Southern Ranges – Take Two
An attempt at the classic Southern Ranges loop but turning back at Wylly Plateau meaning we tackled the notorious Leaning Tea Tree Sale scrub twice!
Southern Ranges 2011
A look back to a very naive early attempt on the Southern Ranges.