Day 1
Alice Springs to Redbank Gorge. Min 4.6 degrees, max 21.8 degrees. Sunrise at 7.04am
LTTS picked up at 7.30am and only the Ormiston Gorge food box, with the two other boxes left behind at the Diplomoat- Ellery Creek and Standley Chasm. Chilly morning but wore the walking gear- shoes, gaitors, shorts, walking shirt and buff and hat. 4 Sydney walkers were picked up who would be dropped off at Ellery Creek South. They had completed Alice Springs to Ellery Creek South the year before and were going to complete the rest this year. We stopped at Standley Chasm to pick up some boxes. The shop hours and food menu were noted. Plenty of undercover area and green grass for the tent plus access to electricity.
We drive past the Wes tMacDonald Ranges, consisting of the Chewings, Heavitree and Pacoota Ranges.
10.30am arrival at Redbank,as the only one left on the bus, and dropped off at the top carpark/shelter. Shown the path to a 4wd road lead to the 1st shelter 200m away. I set up past the shelter in the creek bed only 100m away. By 11.00am I started to walk up the creek to the main creek bed where i walked past some tents and the trail to Mt Sonder to the right. The trail to the actual Gorge mostly was on the left hand side but some in the actual bed over the rocks for 1km walk. I brought the foldable backpack with the drone and camera gear. not an attractice water hole but stunning rocks glistening in the sunshine. Plenty of people at the water hole.
So on the way back away from people I set up the drone then nervously flew it straight up then moved it to the gorge on the side hoping it would not be lost or fall out of the sky. All went well despite my poor navigation skills and camera skills.
Back to the tent for lunch, brought from Woolworths then at 1.00pm started the trek up Mt Sonder (710m ascent). Mt Sonder is the fourth highest peak in the Northern Territory. It was named after a German botanist, Dr otto Wilhelm Sonder. The trail commences from the Redbank creek across the plains along the base of the mountain then across the ridge to the highest point.
I brought the backpack plus 2 litres of water, left behind the drone. It took 3 hours to reach the top, just 100m past the 8km signpost. I had the top all to myself then started the descent at 4.00pm. As it took 2 hours with chatting to people on the way down meant I just made cmapsite at dusk having to make dinner in the night under torchlight. I stsrted getting a headache realising 2 litres was not enough plus I didnt drink all the 2 litres.
Sunset at 5.57pm.
Dinner soup and peaches but no time for cup of tea.
I started a podcast after dinner in the tent and asleep by 7.30pm. I dressed in long johns, socks, short sleve thermal and puff jacket. Felt good after the 16km trek but had a restless night and headache. A few ibuprofen for the ankle and now headache helped.
A couple from the shelter I past earlier were planning on seeing the sunset on Mt Sonder, I saw them as I was descending and they walked past the tent around 8.00pm.