Mount Arthur Jan 2019
3 and 6 January 2019
It took two attempts
to locate the SAMA hut on Mount Arthur. All
the cairns and a real maze of pads there didn’t help either.
Spice bush (Ozothamnus ledifolius) Mount Arthur |
On the first trip I though
the hut would be easily found. But right
from the start things didn’t go as expected because I used a pad which I thought
was the one used just a few weeks ago, only to find myself above the Scout Hut
rather than below as before; somehow missed the junction. Then when looking for
SAMA hut pads were followed but none seemed right. Eventually it was decided
that the pad we were on was the one that went below cliffs to Lost world, so didn’t
continue. There were numerous pads and
cairns about often going nowhere.
Eventually we decided to leave and come back armed with coordinates and
a GPS.
Once the map and the
various bits of data were viewed it became quite apparent that SAMA and the pad
to it was further to the east by about 100 metres. On this second visit with
coordinates in the GPS it was quite easy to get to the hut and the it was
virtually a clear track and appeared to match our memory. The hut log showed it
gets plenty of use, including many overnighters. It was also well maintained
inside and the floor swept clean.
SAMA hut |
Rather than returning
the same way, we went cross country to the Lost World track then picked up the
track, sometimes known as yellow dot track to the edge of the cliffs. I remember
on one occasion coming this way with David Hardy and descending to the Lost
World, but on looking at the chimney at track end had me wondering what way we
got down.
Chimney, some bolts are visible |
During the two walks
here we encountered some strange things, at least they were to us. On the first day we heard a loud repetitive
voice and then spotted a person standing on a large rock and as we got closer
it seemed he was chanting with arms raised. Not far away was another person sitting
on a rock with a rug which he pulled over his head. Now it was quite a warm day, so it probably wasn’t
because of cold conditions. To top it off, from another direction we could hear
loud persistent voices making ludicrous sounds, from about where the Lost World
track is located.
Then on this second journey,
whilst we were going cross country, two people were spotted walking up a track
with the second one singing and holding a phone up in front of herself. Was she
taking a video of the walk or a selfie; could have been either.
Love this hut, Aaron Hobart
ReplyDeleteIs it easier to go from the lost world because I usually go to scout hut then bush bash to Sama hut ? I don't know where the turn off is on the list world track but
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