Karijini - Hancock Gorge

This may not be a national park that you have heard of.  I think there are probably a lot of Australians who have not heard of it, and definitely a lot of them that have never been there.  Karijini is a set of gorges that are cut out of the red rock.  The park itself is big and spread out (Australia's second biggest).  The idea is to drive to a gorge, descend into it, then hike along the floor.

Drying our towels on the tents

Up at 5am again.  The storm is gone and the sun is coming out.  The girls desperately try to boil water for coffee and the boys all pray that we don't have to deal with the women without their coffee.  The water does eventually warm enough to make some instant coffee.  Phew, crisis averted...off to the hike.

Monbill On the Ladder

First stop Hancock Gorge.  The trail markers at Karijini really try to emphasize how dangerous it could be.  This trail is rated 4 out of 6 where 6 requires helmets, rappelling gear etc.  It sounds a little daunting, but we decide to take a look.  After about 5 minutes we get to a ladder that we have to climb down.  OK this looks fine.  We continue on and the scenery is beautiful.  The red rocks go straight up to where we camped, but the floor is covered with greenery and even huge trees shooting up.  Everything out here is a "Gum" tree.  A Gum Tree is a Eucalyptus tree.  When we'd walk by a tree, I'd pick some leaves and smell them.  They all smell different; there is a lemon gum, a Tea Gum, Red,White,Blue Gums.  All together a whole set of foliage that I did not know existed.

Gum Trees on the Gorge Floor

Continuing on the trail, it dead ends at a river.  Huh.  I thought this would have been a longer trail.  Turns out that the river is the trail.  Brent, with his adventurous attitude and the best set of shoes for this trip, walks right into the river.  We hesitantly follow.  It's not deep and we can easily walk through it.  After the river we get to another impasse, where there is a deeper river but on the right are some rocks that it looks like we can climb over.  Brent goes ahead.  Annette and I cautiously follow.  Monbill and Heike wait to see if it is worth it.  Turns out it's worth it.  Brent and I go back to get the others.  Just around the corner from the rock wall the gorge opens up to the impressive Amphitheater.

Annette and Dan carefully navigating

Brent and Dan in the Amphitheater 

Again, it looks like the trail ends.  Again, Brent pushes on.  The gorge narrows so much (we're talking 3 feet wide) that you have to put your hands and feet on opposite sides of the gorge to keep yourself over the running water below you.  The rocks are worn smooth from the years of rushing water and it feel surprisingly safe on your bare feet.

The spider walk

A little further we find where the trail actually stops.  They don't have many signs out here.  When there is a sign, they mean it.

Annette can barely contain her excitement.

This hike is the best hike I have ever done and was the highlight of the entire trip for me (achem..besides the wedding).  Again, with the jet lag.  It's only lunch time.  But for the rest of the day, you'll have to check in to the next post.