VK2/MN-120, Brumlow Tops, 20/09/2017 by VK2NU/P
Having recently activated Mount Carson in the Barrington Tops National Park, I was well aware of VK2/MN-120 Brumlow Tops. The lure of a 10 point summit was too much, so the alarm clock was set for 4.00am, weather forecast checked and bag packed. Barrington Tops is a 3hr 20min drive from the home, and I took the route via Gloucester and Barrington to also check out the location of VK2/MN-152, Copeland, as I hoped to activate this later in the day.
I was aware that the Barrington Trail, which I would be going down, was due to open for the summer season a couple of days after my activation. So I was also keen to do my activation whilst I would have the area to 'myself'.
Mistake #1
Having been here before and doing some cycling recently with my youngest son, I came up with a plan of attempting to activate this summit via mountain bike. I knew the trail was pretty good, and google maps showed that it wasn't very steep, so why not!
Ready for the off.
Why not indeed... I'm in my 50s, my bike has seen better days, and whatever my mid-life crisis keeps telling me, I can't do the stuff I used to do in my 20's...
Start of Trail... Photo take in August when activating Mount Carson. This Trail is due to open 22/09/2017 (2 days after my activation)
The first 2km of the trail is mainly down hill, so whilst this was very bumpy and uncomfortable, I made good time. However, half way up the first major climb I decided that this wasn't working and left the bike against a tree (to be collected on the way back) and decided to go the rest of the way on by foot.
I'd describe the Trail as being very good for 4wd vehicles and walkers, but too rocky for 2wd vehicles (and clapped out mountain bikes)
Whilst there were a few junctions, side Trails etc, they are well sign posted. It only took me about an 1hr 20mins to get to spot were I needed to leave the Trail and scale the final 40m or so to the summit. Note that the Barrington Trail is not in the activation zone and some 'bush bashing is required.
There was quite a bit of wild life to be seen on the walk, including multiple Wallabies, a Wild Pig and a Family of Horses. I had assumed that all the horse 'poop' on the Trail was from Pony Trekkers, but I've since been informed (by Google so it must be true), that there are approx 150 wild horses in Barrington Tops NP.
It didn't seem to want to move, and wasn't happy to see me, but eventually ran off when I got closer.
I think this would have to be my first selfie... I'm sure i don't need to explain why!
Poor picture, but my GPS was indicating I had to leave the Trail, and had about 250m to the summit (and about a 40m climb).
This is where I left the Trail, I could find no signs of a path to the summit.
Mistake #2
When leaving a Path/Trail to go bush, get a fix on your location, or in my case, set a Waypoint on the GPS. More of this later....
The final climb to summit was not that steep, but is rough going and covered in ferns, nettles, tree branches and long vine type plants with small sharp thorns. Having said this I navigated it slowly without too much issue, and eventually the slope flattens out, and opens up.
I was set up by about 9.30am, and managed to get a line over a tree branch to have my 12m long EFHW totally vertical.
Mini fishing reel, used with slingshot to get a line over a tree branch.
Ready to go, note my new Palm Paddle which only arrived the day before... I should have spent a bit more time adjusting the tension before taking it in the field.
QSO count was 40m-SSB 9 contacts, with some before 10am (00:00utc), and some after.. and then 5 on 40m-CW. I tried 20m but the band seemed totally dead.
The last QSO was recorded at 00:14utc, and I was all packed up just after 10.30am local time. This left heaps of time to get to the car and head to VK2/MN-152 for the second activation of the day...
So far so good, but lets rewind to ... Mistake #2.
The Trail is only a short 250m decent heading back the way I came, or so I thought. A rookie mistake, but when surrounded by trees with no points of reference it is easy to get disoriented and I obviously didn't head back the way I came! My decent took me through even thicker bush and before I knew it, I was lost, tangled in thorny vines and nettles, and starting to get a bit worried.
I turned on the GPS at this stage, and found I was now about 500m from the summit and I had obviously headed in totally the wrong direction. It was at this stage I learned a major limitation of my GPS. The electronic compass in the unit works fine when you are walking along, but when stationary or turning frequently in thick bush, it is next to useless. After wasting ages try to figure out where I was and how to get to the Trail (at this stage I had no idea where the Trail was), I made the call to go back to the summit, and start again (as I had the summit coordinates already programmed in).
The decent was awful to this point but the 500m back to the summit was even worse. Multiple cuts and nettle stings to arms and legs, a ripped shirt and feeling pretty exhausted, I got back to the summit at 12:10pm (1hr and 40mins after leaving it).
My leg the following morning. The other leg and arms faired no better!
I took 20 minutes to eat, rest and take stock of my situation. I didn't want to repeat the mistake I made previously, so hatched the following plan. I knew the Trail was due West, I had the coordinates of the summit I was sitting on, so I set a Waypoint in the GPS for about 300m West of the location I was at, and headed off. 20 minutes later I stumbled onto the Trail, and have to say I was tempted to emulate the Pope and kiss the ground.
The rest of the walk back was uneventful (thankfully), but it took me about an hour longer than the trip in, which I put down to sore legs, exhaustion, and having to push the bike back to the car, which I collected on the way back through. Getting back to the car at about 3pm, and being totally exhausted by this stage, ruled out any thoughts of a second activation in the day (did I mention a drive home 3hr 20 mins).
Some useful lessons learned, and as they say... 'what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger',
A great read David and some valuable lessons for all of us. I'd be investing in some gaiters to prevent those scratches. Often we know the theory of what to do but sometimes forget. I have a little Etrex but rarely use the compass. I usually plan a track to the summit based on the map and using Ozi Eplorer 3D before going and upload that to the Etrex. Then set off roughly following that track. Of course one needs to make deviations based on what you find on the day but thats fine. When you go to return, you now have two tracks to follow. I did Mt Tipperary down in RI and came back with 3 tracks - all of which were similar but depending on the terrain depended on which way I went.
ReplyDeleteThanks John... Yes some lessons learned... I was thinking about some Gators but to date hadn't really needed them.. This has certainly changed. I will check Ozi Explorer, as relying on Google Maps has let me down several times so far..
ReplyDelete