Mount Warning Conquered!

 We are camped on the lower slopes of Mount Warning, and everywhere we go in this region its distinctive shape can be seen towering over the landscape like a sentinel.  The whole area was once a huge shield volcano, stretching over 100km in diameter and standing twice as high as Mount Warning does today.  Over many years water and weather have worn away a basin known as an erosion caldera, leaving a ring of mountains around its outer rim and the hard basalt core of Mount Warning at its centre.

Yesterday we decided to tackle the challenging climb to the summit!

At the end of the day Esther and Arthur both got a Climbers Certificate  which reads that they have:

conquered Mount Warning

on the 5th of December 2011

Congratulations from Mt Warning Rainforest Park

A footnote goes on to say that in achieving this feat they have endured a strenuous trek of 8.8 km over a period of more than four hours (it took us about six!) with a final vertical chain assault of 150m to stand on the peak, 1157m above sea level. 
The first part of the climb, through lush palm forest, was not particularly challenging but was very tiring consisting of steep tracks and countless stairs.  After the first hour or so the bangalow palms, cedars, strangler figs and other rainforest vegetation  gave way to tall eucalyptus trees and ferns and the path became steeper and rougher.  We had climbed up into the clouds and the trees were dripping with moisture. Trickles of water from mountain springs made parts of the track very soggy and the air got progressively colder. I was glad the children had insisted on wearing jackets!  Higher still, the tea tree and bottlebrush were stunted by the wind and in places we had to scramble over steep rocks.

The clearest view we had all day!

 

Treacherous tree roots- not only ready to trip the unwary traveller, but smooth and slippery as well!

For Philip, Arthur and me the climb was a real test of endurance, but Esther seemed tireless, singing happily to herself as she climbed ahead of us. When we reached the final "chain assault" we hauled ourselves about halfway up the steep, rocky slope, when with only about 50 metres to go, we realised that for Arthur this was as high as he could go.  Apart from being cold and exhausted, his legs weren't quite long enough to reach the next foothold!  Esther, however, had already scrambled to the top like a little mountain goat, leaving us no choice- one of us had to complete the climb!  So, while Philip followed Esther to the actual summit, Arthur and I found a flat ledge and huddled together to keep warm while we watched the mists swirling around us.  On a clear day there would have been spectacular views, but sitting on top of the world surrounded completely by white emptiness was an amazing sensation. Arthur asked if we were right up on the "pointy bit".  I assured him we certainly were and he gave me a big, happy hug.  In spite of not making the actual "tippy top", we felt that we, too, had conquered Mount Warning.

Bush turkeys are everywhere- even at the summit of Mount Warning!

The view from the top!

Today we (the adults) are stiff and sore, but the children don't seem to be feeling any ill effects!  And from now on, every time we see Mount Warning we'll be able to say: "We climbed right to the top!"