Day 33 Glen Helen (Kings Canyon)

Who the hell set the alarm for 0600?!?  Oh wait, we need to start early today.  Damn.  The first thing I noticed about this morning was that it was bloody cold.  I'm not sure how cold, but sleeping bag and quilt was not enough to keep the Rob furnace burning last night.  I later found out that today we were going to peak at an amazing 16 Deg C and last night the Min was 1 Deg C which we can expect again tonight.  The heater will be on.

Breakfast consisted of shake em pancakes cooked using oil because butter is in dangerously short supply.  It was very tasty though, and hit the spot.  Whilst Lisa got the kids ready to go, I went and bought Diesel at a princely $2.16 lt, and some water which was almost as expensive as the diesel.  I don't think I mentioned that the water here is entirely undrinkable, even after it has been triple filtered.  It tastes somewhere between seawater, mud and puke. 

 The custodians of Glen Helen looked at us like we were insane to be thinking about Kings Canyon return today, but we set our mind to the task and set off around 0745.  The road out was sealed much further than the map said, but soon enough we hit the dirt, the corrugations and the pot holes.  This road was probably a bit worse than Tanami Rd, but we made pretty good time along it.  The West MacDonnell Range was spectacular in the morning light, as was Gosse Bluff, another meteorite crater site. 

Me made our way down to the Red Centre Way (Mereenie Loop Road) towards Kings Canyon.  We decided to stop at the lookout approx 30km from Kings Canyon, and soon realised that it was still only 6 Deg C and we looked, shrugged and raced back to the warmth of the car.  Even the kids were quick to return and settle in.

Finally we arrived at Kings Canyon resort (Also known as we have you hostage and will make you pay general store) where we bought 5 chocolate bars for the rim walk to keep our energy up ($16.50)  We found ourselves in the car park at Kings Canyon around 1100am and set off on the Rim Walk (6.5km).  The climb up was challenging which is just a nice way of saying back breakingly difficult, but with a couple of rest stops we got to the top of the canyon and could see for miles.

The next three hours of walking would be some of the most spectacular, frightening and exhausting that I have ever done.  Firstly there was a very stiff gale blowing frigid air through the canyon, and we all felt like our ears were going to fall off.  The kids wanted to look over the edge everywhere and couldn't get the idea of sandstone canyon with fragile rock fall edges into their heads. 

The canyon itself I would estimate at 100-150m tall, and has sheer cliff faces on both sides.  The walk, although sealed with concrete in most places is quite difficult with many climbs and descents over the dome formations.  Everything about this walk is spectacular from the domes, to the rock faces, to the ripples of a sea long dried etched into the rock, to the plant life, the bird life to the view.  Any doubts that we had about coming had been well allayed and Lisa and I were totally awestruck. 

The kids did an amazing job of firstly climbing the canyon steps and then completing the 3 hour walk.  I am super proud of them all, but especially Rowan who managed the entire walk even if he did finish on wobbly legs.  I am sure that they are all going to sleep very well tonight. 

My favourite spots were around Colley's Lookout where you could see the whole South face of the canyon, and some of the North face with it's precarious overhangs that have remained from previous rock falls, and the lookout from the South face from which you could see the North face with its sandstone patterns, and the pool formed at the end of the Garden of Eden.  The view was so spectacular that photos really don't do it justice. 

In the end, we were all exhausted and glad to see the car park in front of us.  We returned to the hostage centre where we bought a cheeseburger, 2 x chicken rolls, a hot dog and a souvlaki, along with bread mild and butter ($62.95).  The cashier actually apologised when she read the total out.  All lessons learnt. 

The drive back was awesome.  We came across our second wild dingo for the trip, as well as a field full of wild brumbies which made Emma squeal with delight.  A short way up the road, we also came across three camels.  Our first glimpse of wild camels for the trip.  I jumped out of the car to take photos, and must have looked strange, because old mate wobbly camel wouldn't take his eyes off me.  I told him it was a Prado and not a Rav4, took my photos and we were on our way. 

 
Back at Glen Helen, Lisa and I went down to Glen Helen gorge to have a look, but not only were we tired, it was still bloody freezing and the wind was howling along the escarpment.  We are working on Yulara tomorrow, but that will take another early start, and some nifty work.  I plan to buy a second jerry can and purchase enough fuel in Alice Springs to make the return journey.  Fuel at Yulara is $2.40 per litre according to the couple I spoke to today.  Diesel is only $1.68 in Alice Springs.