Thark Ridge Rock Slab Circuit
Monday 22 December 2014
Several years ago while walking on Thark Ridge Sue and I discovered a largish cairn in an unexpected spot and sometime later we went back there to find where it lead. Below the couple of cairns it went down a sloping rock slabs and through some snow gum woodlands to an old overgrowing fire trail. Then on a recent walk coming from a different direction I just could not find the cairn nor could I locate the old fire trail.
A couple of weeks ago whilst walking on Thark we discovered the cairn again and returned for this walk.
Having the cairn in the GPS made it easy to get to that point and from there it was a matter of making use of the several rock slabs before getting to a heathy area without overstory, which was colourful with wildflowers. Part way down a large cairn was spotted that had obviously been there for quite some time. After a couple snowgum woodland spots, made very pleasant to have a spell in by being relatively clear of scrub, we found ourselves on what remains the old fire trail.
As we followed the fire trail it changed from obvious to scrub and back again several times until reaching a quite scrubby section interspersed with boulders and no real sign of a track. A push through for a couple of hundred metres revealed the track to Devils Throne and the fire trail again. The plains over that way was strikingly floristic, with Epacris and Orites heavily loaded.
The remainder of the walk was on the track back over Thark and on to the car up from Big Bend.
The total distance for the walk was 7.7k and the circuit from the main Thark Ridge saddle some 3.3k with that part taking about 2 hours. To reach that point is 1 hour each way, giving 4 hours of actual walking.
Thark Ridge Slab
Several years ago while walking on Thark Ridge Sue and I discovered a largish cairn in an unexpected spot and sometime later we went back there to find where it lead. Below the couple of cairns it went down a sloping rock slabs and through some snow gum woodlands to an old overgrowing fire trail. Then on a recent walk coming from a different direction I just could not find the cairn nor could I locate the old fire trail.
A couple of weeks ago whilst walking on Thark we discovered the cairn again and returned for this walk.
 |
| Old cairn marking route down |
Having the cairn in the GPS made it easy to get to that point and from there it was a matter of making use of the several rock slabs before getting to a heathy area without overstory, which was colourful with wildflowers. Part way down a large cairn was spotted that had obviously been there for quite some time. After a couple snowgum woodland spots, made very pleasant to have a spell in by being relatively clear of scrub, we found ourselves on what remains the old fire trail.
 |
| Old fire trail |
As we followed the fire trail it changed from obvious to scrub and back again several times until reaching a quite scrubby section interspersed with boulders and no real sign of a track. A push through for a couple of hundred metres revealed the track to Devils Throne and the fire trail again. The plains over that way was strikingly floristic, with Epacris and Orites heavily loaded.
 |
| Flora on plain to Devils Throne Epacris and Orites |
The total distance for the walk was 7.7k and the circuit from the main Thark Ridge saddle some 3.3k with that part taking about 2 hours. To reach that point is 1 hour each way, giving 4 hours of actual walking.
Click the image below to view the photo album
Thark Ridge Slab
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