Walking the Larapinta Trail, Australia, December 2016
(Title from poem My Country by Dorothea MacKellar)
The Larapinta Trail in Australia’s Northern Territory is fast becoming one of the world’s iconic walking tracks. We decided to attempt it in the hot summer season.
It started at 2.30 am: pitter patter, pitter patter.. By 5.30 am we gave up and left our sodden tent. Of course we were used to camping in rain, but this was Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, and a summer day in December when dire warnings of 40° plus abound.
We were setting off on our first day on the Larapinta Trail, a 231 km track leading west from Alice through the rugged West MacDonnell range. 4 hours later, on the dramatic rain splattered edge of Euro Ridge (720m), it seemed death by hypothermia was a more likely possibility.
The big shelter at Wallaby Gap provided space to dry out and by 5 the rain faded, leaving only glorious silence. Alice was already far behind us and we were about to enjoy 17 days in splendid isolation in this rough red country.
Early days
Fine sunny skies greeted us the next morning and set the tone for the following days. Meandering tracks led over gravel flats ariot with mulga trees past tiny springs, so small yet vital for supporting life in this arid environment. Ridges gave us elevated views to other distant ranges and Simpson’s Gap awed us with its soaring red sides, a permanent waterhole providing refuge for little black footed wallabies.
Intense heat caused us to stagger our walking, with early starts at 4.30am in the freshness of the dawn, following the brilliance of Orion westwards, spiders eyes gleaming in our torchlight and the warm sunrise colours gradually infusing the sky. We learnt to overlap the sections so we were able to spend the days in the big trailhead shelters with their water tanks, before heading on for another couple of hours in the soft evening light.
This led to our first high level camp on the Pravda Spur on day 4, just below the 1,151 m high point of the optional high route for that section. Sensational sunset views rewarded our efforts, until the light finally died from the fiery mountains. A knee-wrenchingly steep, hidden gully lay below the bluff, its micro climate a lush paradise for prehistoric ferns and cycads, relics from when this area was much wetter.
The trail continued to amaze us with its variety, from rough scrambles up creek beds to a dizzy traverse across the cliff face of a waterfall, luckily all dry at that time or it would have been even more challenging. We heaved a sigh of relief when we emerged at the aboriginal owned Stanley Chasm, such a high narrow gorge that the sun only penetrates for 15 minutes a day. Here we
could briefly enjoy the delights of civilisation again: their home made iced coffee was a real treat. It was also our first food drop, so we would be leaving with heavier backpacks, though the waiting bar of chocolate had given us extra impetus en route.
Back of beyond
‘’You can die out there, it’s remote country – and you two don’t look like ultra fit marathon types!’’ OK, I might be the wrong side of 50, but we had taken the risks into consideration and it is remote country at any time of year. The actual walking is fairly straightforward and pure anger at this man’s words propelled me up to the top of Brinkley Bluff (1209 m) in record time, enjoying sunrise en route and breathtaking views from the cairn topped lookout. One of the best things about the Larapinta is that one can just about camp anywhere, including on all the high points. At each one you will find carefully cleared tent pads with superb views; some even have tidy little walls constructed around them – there is certainly no shortage of the base material.
John McDouall Stuart, the legendary explorer, crossed through this country on three separate expeditions as he sought a south-north crossing of the continent. Stuart’s Pass below the Bluff was his chosen route; he finally succeeded in his quest in 1862, though he was so worn out by then that he had to be carried back strapped to a stretcher on his horses.
It felt as if little had changed since those days as we hiked alone on paths marked only by dingo tracks or the occasional snake slither. At night, lightening flickered soundlessly as if from a distant battlefield. Serrated rocks, laid down millions of years ago, tested our boots on the jagged edges of the aptly named Razorback Ridge. This section of the trail cannot be reached by vehicle and an EPIRB was our only way to summon help if needed. When we reached the two great red bluffs of Hugh Gorge, we were happy to find the water level low enough for us to walk down this long gorge comfortably: at times, people have had to swim.
Ups and downs
The big Territory skies were a luminous backdrop to the changing weather such as the showers which created double rainbows in the wide Alice Valley. They bought us bright blue skies over Ellery Creek, highlighting the intricate strata of its sheer cliffs above a stunningly beautiful swimming hole, then darkened with rain so that the Counts Point views, on a fire scarred area of the Heavitree Range, were lost to us. Instead, we descended through tortured mulga forest, the trees black and dripping and exuding fresh resin smells. Spider webs hung across the trail like subtle trip wires.
Despite the rain, there was no reliable water on the section from Serpentine Chalet Dam to Ormiston Gorge so we had to carry 29 litres of water to get us through two dry camps, making this one of the toughest sections. It included the Inarlanga Pass, a sacred aboriginal route through the Heavitree range, with sheer red rock, lush greenery and waterfalls after the rain. A
happy frog chorus deafened us: they can burrow in the earth and hide until rain brings optimum breeding conditions, an example of how wildlife adapts in this hot environment.
The all embracing Giles Lookout at 1088m overlooked the Alice Valley and the vast natural amphitheatre of Ormiston Pound. Ridges broke like surf on the plains to each side and we were awed by the immensity of this wild country. Ormiston Gorge is the biggest gorge en route and one of the most beautiful. The joys of walking in the off season: a wild swim to ourselves. The flip side was that the warden was just closing the kiosk for the Christmas holidays so no goodies.
Rainy Days
The Finke river is one of the world’s oldest rivers, following an unchanging course for 350 million years. It was dry and sandy,but more unceasing rain in our final days made us hasten to cross the larger creeks before they started flowing. A final climb was a study in grey with excellent views of Mt Sonder on the descent, shyly hiding his head in the clouds as flocks of budgerigars flashed in emerald brilliance against dark skies.
We squelched the last 12 km to Redbank Gorge to find Redbank Creek was indeed flowing. It was actually rather special to see, having crossed so many dry sandy creeks en route, and luckily it was only thigh deep so we able to wade across without danger.
The trail actually has one final section, a day-return climb to a 1379m outlook at the top of Mt Sonder, but sadly that was never going to be feasible in such weather. When someone offered us a lift to Alice the afternoon we finished, with heavy rain continuing to fall, it seemed wise to accept.
Our decision was vindicated the next day when the region enjoyed record rainfall, producing spectacular waterfalls on Uluru and causing the Finke River and Ormiston Creek to flow, cutting the roads. We could easily have been stranded and though Christmas in Alice would prove rather quiet, we were both in agreement that our off season hike of the Larapinta Trail had been the perfect adventure.
Larapinta Trail – Practicalities
Hot season walking
Despite many of the locals telling us we were going to die, walking the Larapinta at the height of summer is perfectly possible: you just have to work with the climate, not against it. The scenery is just as beautiful and you are unlikely to see anyone else out there.
On the hottest days, we finished our morning walk by 8 am, and never later than 10 am, so a certain discipline required for early starts. Likewise, sometimes we delayed our evening walking until 6 pm, though obviously if cooler, one can start earlier. Carry enough water and keep hydrated. Be prepared for long hot hours lying around doing nothing: take some good books and use the waterholes if available. As events proved, it is quite possible to experience heavy rain too.
The Route
Our day to day route is below. It worked for us in the hot summer season, in giving us the maximum use of trail shelters in the heat of the day, as well as breaking up some of the harder climbs. The only thing i would have done differently is to camp at Reveal Saddle (6 km after Stanley Chasm) rather than Stanley Chasm. In cooler seasons, i would recommend actually camping on Brinkley Bluff to fully enjoy the views. We had also intended camping on the Hilltop Lookout before Rocky Bar Gap, but descended to the Gap due to bad weather.
Day 1. Alice Telegraph Station → Wallaby Gap. 13.5 km
Day 2. Wallaby Gap → Simpsons Gap.
10.4 km
Day 3. Simpsons Gap → Mulga Camp
16.4 km
Day 4. Mulga Camp → Jay creek (day camp 10.8 km)
Jay Creek → Pravda Spur (5.9 km)
16.7 km
Day 5. Pravda Spur → Stanley Chasm
8 km
Day 6. Stanley Chasm → Rocky Cleft (day camp 11 km)
Rocky Cleft → Stuarts Pass (3 km)
14 km
Day 7. Stuarts Pass → Birthday Waterhole Junction (day camp
3.8 km)
Birthday Waterhole Junction → Windy Saddle (4.5 km)
8.3 km
Day 8. Windy Saddle → Fringe Lily Creek (day camp 4.8 km)
Fringe Lily Creek → Hugh Gorge Junction (3.9 km)
8.7 km
Day 9. Hugh Gorge Junction → Hugh Gorge Trailhead (day camp
3.4 km)
Hugh Gorge Trailhead → Ghost Gum Flat (7.2 km)
10.6 km
Day 10. Ghost Gum Flat → Rocky Gully (day camp 8.4 km)
Rocky Gully → Flat before Saddle (10 km)
18.4 km
Day 11. Flat before Saddle → Ellery Creek (day camp 4.7 km)
Ellery Creek → Trig Point (6 km)
10.7 km
Day 12. Trig Point → Serpentine Gorge (day camp 6.3 km)
Serpentine Gorge → Counts Point Junction (7.5 km)
13.8 km
Day 13. Counts Point Junction → Serpentine Chalet Dam (day camp
6.3 km)
Serpentine Chalet Dam → Pioneer Creek (6.6 km)
12.9 km
Day 14. Pioneer Creek → Waterfall Gorge (day camp 6.4 km)
Waterfall Gorge → Base of Hill (6.5 km)
12.9
Day 15. Base of Hill → Ormiston Gorge (day camp 8.9)
Ormiston Gorge → Hilltop Lookout (5 km)
13.9 km
Day 16. Hilltop Lookout → Finke River (day camp 4.1 km)
Finke River → Rocky Bar Gap (14.7)
18.8 km
Day 17. Rocky Bar Gap → Redbank Gorge
11.6 km
Food Drops
All the trailheads that have shelters, bar Wallaby Gap, have big (unlocked) cupboards so could be used for food drops, though some need a 4 wheel drive for access. There are secure food drops at Ellery Creek and Ormiston Gorge: there is a $10 charge for the key plus a $50 refundable deposit, available from the Alice Springs tourist office. We hired a 2WD car for a couple of days to do this – about $30 per day.
Trail Info and Maps
The excellent www.larapintatrail.com.au has all the information you need
Guides and maps are available at the Alice Springs tourist office. There is a plastic sleeve containing 6 leaflets of 2 sections each and they are quite sufficient for finding your way ($39). The trail is well marked and we even found the signs were reflective in the dark.
We also purchased the John and Monica Chapman guide ($37) to the trail which served as a complement to the leaflets with a little more information (note his milage incorrect on his section 3 though, it should read 16.4 km, not 13.6 km)
Access
We walked in the recommended east → west direction, which builds up nicely to the harder sections and Mt Sonder. I would recommend hitchhiking out as the local operators charge rip-off prices!