Wednesday 6/09/2017 Thredbo village – Cascade trail
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
A lovely ski through the trees up along the Thredbo River with the added bonus of wildlife including brumbies and lyrebirds.
Monday 4/09/2017 Cascade Trail Carpark – Teddys Hut
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
This day trip can be done in summer or winter (on skis or snow shoes). It follows the Cascade trail and then the Thredbo River on a scenic trip to an historic Snowy Mountains drovers hut.
Wild brumbies are often seen in this area. The easiest access to the trailhead is to drive past the Thredbo ski resort to the Cascade Trail car park below Dead Horse Gap.
Sunday 28/05/2017 Wattle Ridge – Troys Creek – Emmets Flat
Starlight Trail, Nattai National Park, NSW
Gundungurra country
Participants: Penny Ackery, Mel Ardern (Leader), Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Ron Hutchings, Max McLean
This walk is accessed via Wattle Ridge Road from the small township of Hilltop. It is a circuit partly off track with some scrambling, bushbashing and track negotiation required. There is a picturesque lookout above the valley of Troys Creek and some impressive sandstone cliffs with bellbird songs in the background along the valley floor.
23/03/2017 Martial Glacier
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, ARGENTINA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
The Martial Glacier is only a few kilometres from the city centre of Ushuaia and offers a pleasant half day walk with good views back to the coast and Ushuaia. It is possible to walk from the town but we drove up to the chairlift at the base of the walk. Continue reading
24/3/2017 Lake Lapataia – Lago Roca – Cerro Guanaco
Tierra del Fuego National Park, ARGENTINA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
The Cerro Guanco trail is the longest of the day walks in the Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia, Argentina. The walk promises outstanding views of the Fuegian mountains and peat bogs and on this occasion it did not disappoint. The park is twelve kilometres outside of Ushuaia and we drove our hire car to the trailhead. Bus transport is available from Ushuaia. Continue reading
1/03/2017 – 11/03/2017 The O Circuit
Torres del Paine National Park, CHILE
Distance: 196km Total Ascent: 9100m Total Descent: 9100m Time: 73 hours
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
The Torres del Paine circuit, otherwise known as “The O Circuit”, is considered one of the world’s truly great treks. The route includes the shorter “W” Circuit, side trips to the iconic towers or “Torres”, the beautiful Valle Frances, crossing over the Paso John Gardner and the expansive Grey Glacier. The walk is situated in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, at the southern tip of the South American continent, in the area known as Patagonia. The park sits on the edge of the Southern Patagonian ice field, the largest sheet of ice in the southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica.
The start of the walk can be reached from the southern town of Puerto Natales with regular buses travelling to the park during the walking season from late November to late April. Direct flights to Puerto Natales are available twice weekly from Santiago with Sky Airlines. Continue reading
30/04/2017 Yarramummun Fire Trail – Boolijah Creek
Ettrema Wilderness, NSW
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
Steve and I had decided a return trip to Boolijah Creek was in order as we had really enjoyed it when we did it four years ago. Time seemed to have dulled our memories of how tough it was!
The start of the walk is located on a small side track off the Yarramunmun Fire Trail, which is accessed via the Nerriga road. Apart from a stroll in along the fire trail the walk is completely off track with no defined path. The clamber down the creek gives good views of cascades and waterfalls, the most pleasant being the large pool at the lowest section of the creek reached on the walk. Continue reading
16/03/2017 Viedma Glaciar
Southern Patagonian Ice Field, ARGENTINA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
The Viedma Glaciar is a large glacier in Argentina that is part of the Southern Patagonian ice field. The closest town is El Chalten. This day trip was an incredible adventure that was a highlight of our trip to Patagonia. Continue reading
25/3/2017 Beagle Channel – Martillo Island
Ushuaia, ARGENTINA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
There is only one tour company, Piratour, that offers a tour of the Beagle Channel with a stop on Martillo Island to walk amongst the penguins. This day trip included many and varied wildlife sightings, an informative museum tour and especially close encounters with two species of penguins. Continue reading
26/03/2017 Laguna Esmeralda
Ushuaia, ARGENTINA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
Laguna Esmeralda is an excellent half day walk easily accessible by car about half an hour east of Ushuaia. Bus transport and tours are available from Ushuaia. We were rewarded with stunning views, crystal clear skies and impressive mountain peaks. Definitely not one to miss! Continue reading
17/03/2017 – 20/03/2017 El Chalten – Campamento Agnostini – Campamento Poincenot – Laguna de los Tres – Fitz Roy
Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia, ARGENTINA
Distance: 62km Total Ascent: 2600m Total Descent: 2600m Time: 30 hours
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
The Fitz Roy area of Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, along with Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, are the two most popular trekking areas in Patagonia. This relatively easy four day walk rewarded us with outstanding views, wonderful photos opportunities and the bonus of gorgeous autumn colours. The highlight was a pre-dawn walk up to Laguna de los Tres for sunrise over the incredibly scenic Cerro Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres. However, this walk continued to deliver right up to our walk out to El Chalten on day four.
The walk begins and finishes in the town of El Chalten which can be accessed by regular buses from El Calafate, Argentina .
23/04/2017 – 25/04/2017 Long Gully – Byangee Mountain return
Morton National Park, NSW
Yuin country
Distance: 29km Total Ascent: 1400m Total Descent: 1400m Time: 10 hours
Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Cristina O’Gorman, Darren Masey
The old folks (Steve and Sue) took the young ones (Beth, Cristina and Darren) on an overnight adventure, including Cristina who had never been camping before. We arrived at Long Gully campground on Sunday afternoon and set up camp ahead of the young ones who arrived to the luxury of tents erected, sleeping bags out and dinner ready. The campground was the most crowded we had seen it as after all it was a long weekend. After the day trippers left, however, we had a peaceful evening and enjoyed a campfire on a clear calm warm evening.