19.16km +718m -504m
Horses were very close to camp when I woke up. A bit intimidating. I heard them neighing and when I looked, they were about 20 metres away.
A few km into the walk, I decided to detour and check out Tin Mine falls. Rod saw the indistinct track and decided to continue to Cascade Hut, presumably anxious to secure the best campsite and lay claim to the tin of spam he heard was on the shelf there. I saw more horsies.
The track to the falls disappears, or else I lost it. A bit of scrub bashing, and a nice little creek flowing through a gully of tea tree and ferns.
The view of Tin Mine falls is pretty awesome. I can imagine it would be spectacular after heavy rain, though a pain in the arse to get to, since you have to cross the creek that feeds it.
On the way back to the track I did find a trail of faded old pink markers.
I lost the trail again and had to scramble through very thick scrub across the creek, then found the markers again.
Then many kilometres of unremarkable fire trail and fire regrowth.
Cascade creek is really nice. You could bathe in it if it were a bit warmer. I think I’ll hold out for a shower at Thredbo though.
It’s blowing a gale, and the options for trees are slim at this site, so finding somewhere sheltered isn’t really going to happen. I’ve been fine so far with the hammock, though I’m dreading the day I get the combination of cold, wet and windy.
The section after Thredbo is starting to look complicated. The last weather forecast suggests days of rain and possibly storms. There was also word that the brumby shooting, which was supposed to be finished tomorrow for the Main Range, has been extended to the 30th. Rod is going to try and get accommodation in the village, which won’t be too hard, but we’ll have to make a decision about which way to proceed. Missing out on the main range would be a disappointment, though Mount Kosciusko should still be accessible. Still, little point making premature decisions when we don’t even have enough mobile reception for a decent weather update.
There were a couple of tins of tuna in the cabin. The mystery of their not having been eaten by anyone else (unlike the spam, which poses no such mystery) is answered when I realised they require a non-existent can-opener to access.
I opened one with my knife and added it to my pasta for dinner. I’m now out of food and will arrive at Thredbo tomorrow hungry and ready for a pub meal.
