Nineteen trampers started off at the crossroads of the Dracophyllum Flat Track and the Broken River ski field road. The initial lovely walk along the track was swiftly interrupted by a plunge into Wall Creek. The water was pretty cold, I have to say.
We followed a mixture of deer and human tracks, either in the riverbed or on the true left of the creek. Alex led the way while I guarded the rear. At one interesting point, my back group followed a track on the slopes, while I heard voices coming from down in the creek. A group from the front had taken the creek, meaning I was suddenly no longer at the back – I was somewhere in the middle. While I was waiting for the creek group to pass so I could resume my place at the back, some people continued along the creek, while others climbed quite high above it. In other words, within two minutes, I had no idea where everyone was. I only knew where David and Jaqui were – on their way back to the cars because David had lost his phone somewhere. But the trampers showed resilience and skill, and we all regrouped at the agreed point.
We climbed out of the creek at the first opportunity, and I suggested we climb the rocky ridge of Mt Cockayne rather than Mt Wall directly, which would have meant jumping back into the cold creek. Nobody protested, so we followed the deadly-looking (but actually quite pleasant) ridge all the way to the top of Mt Cockayne. It’s a very enjoyable scramble, with rockfall being the main hazard. It’s not very exposed, so I think we all enjoyed it. Just below the top, Bryce decided to retreat due to cramps, and the kind Charlotte chose to accompany him. After summiting Mt Cockayne, we continued along the easy-going ridge to point 1834 and then to the base of Mt Wall. Only five members decided to tackle Mt Wall, while nine others and I descended to the Broken River Ski Area via point 1884. We all met up again back at the cars.
It was a pretty chilled day out, and a few people praised the “relaxed pace” I had advertised in the trip description. I think I might organise more trips at an easy-going pace – they’re more inclusive, and it’s nice to spend more time out there while still getting some decent exercise in.
Photos
Stats: 14.1 km, 8 h, 1380 m ascent
Participants: Michal Klajban (leader, scribe, GPX), Kaveh Mazloomi, Carmela Terrobias, Alan Chapman, Monika Bratownik, Xiaoqiu Jiang, Mary Ogburn, Safka Dowding, Sarah Stevenson, Koren Linn, Charlotte Littlewood, Alexander MacDonald, Clare Kiamtia, Bryce Williamson, David Sutton, Jacqui O’Neill, Josh Sokolov Pearson, Kim Milson, Michael Leon
Tramped on 11th May 2025.
Map
Max elevation: 1862 m
Min elevation: 805 m
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