High Sierra Topix

Saturday, 20 June 2009 (day 1 of 2)
Mt Gar (aka Mt Difficult) in Grampians NP, Victoria, Australia

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/86 ... 5983_hh5MM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SnowDude got a cottage at D'Alton Resort, and we were greeted by natives


He thinks of everything!


A friendly kangaroo at the trailhead


Steep stuff starts here, follow the arrows


Traversing below the sandstone cliffs, lots of ups, downs, and boulder hopping


SnowDude on the summit of Mt Gar (aka Mt Difficult)


Cold, but we stayed for an hour


Great day for a hike

Snowy, Thanks for the reminder that its winter down under. My sister and brother-in-law always talk up the Grampians when they visit the U.S.

I love those gigantic survey markers they put up on the Australian peaks; makes you feel like you're really someplace important! Definitely have to get to the Grampains some time.

So that's what they are! We saw one at Yorke Peninsula too, on a little peak we did.

So do you guys know of any good hikes in the Blue Mountains? I'm looking on the internet right now. Leaving for Sydney early Thursday. Today is Monday here.

I'm having trouble getting the Sunday pix up cuz I can't stay focused long enough. I'll try to get it up tonight. :-)

Don't know any good hikes in the Blue Mountains, but the Budawangs, around a hundred km down the coast from Sydney, are fantastic hiking. We only went on one seriously long hike there (and that was just a three-day backpacking trip), but the terrain and vegetation and animals were superb. We did some field work there on some back roads, too. Really a cool area. They're "rain forest" by southeastern Australian standards, and they're neat. If they're in range for your Sydney trip, definitely find out what you can about them. I can give you the e-mail of a friend of ours at ANU who has done extensive hiking there, if you want.

We have a place to stay in the Blue Mtns, so we'll stick to that area. Thanks anyway!

Sunday, 21 June 2009 (day 2 od 2)
Mt Rosea Loop hike in Grampians NP, Victoria, Australia

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/86 ... 2464_CdqnT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lots of cool rock out there


Another heart, formed by moss


Got to a place with views


SnowDude waiting on me, I was still having breathing issues here. Summit is behind on left (small metal fence)


The summit wheel was put up before they switched to the metric system. We did 4.5 km up and 7.5 km down


We went back a different way so the terrain was different, lots of green, and big slippery boulders.


Now we’re in a tree area on a use trail


Lots of different shapes and sizes


Remains of a cabin


The last section was tropical

Thank you Cori.

Fantastic. Keep 'em coming, and keep me jealous.

Cori...Just beautiful pictures! Thank you so much for sharing them..I have been ejoying seeing the different landscapes...flora & of course the wildlife. How fortunate you both are to see and experience such a different part of the world

That summit wheel is the coolest thing

Take care