WITB 2009: The Japanese Death March

This is being written well after the fact, to test the capacity to back-date posts, but here goes with a description of our second Winter in the Budawangs walk in April of 2009.

Our plan was a look: out to Folly Point, then down into valley and looping via Hidden Valley.

The first part went to plan. A long road bash, followed by a bush bash towards folly point rewarded us with this view:



One of our party was Chris, long returned to the US. Hope to walk again with you sometime, Chris!



Then we made it to the point and had a fantastic camp site there, and found the pass down in the morning. By now the weather  was getting threatening.

This made for more great view, though:



As we descended (a great descent) the rain got worse and worse. One of us had the old sketch map with us, which marks a camping cave on the descent. We decided to head for it. What a relief! By the time we got there it would have been far too slippery to keep descending.

Here we are wet and unhappy:



We spend that night, and the whole of the next day in the cave as the weather gets no better. The cave is comfortable though, and it's all rather fun:



The next day dawns much finer, and we can move. But we've now lost too much time to complete the descent, so we have to go back in one day. Doing what took two days in one is tricky, especially as we absolutely must reach the road bash by sunset, as we could not keep moving in the dark through the scrub.


We manage a brief stop on the tops near where we camped:



And on our way out get some great views again:



But we march on at great speed and make it to the road at exactly the point where the sun goes down! Well done Sons!

But then there is a long road bash with sore feet.

The only reward is an impressive thuderstorm in the distance. My headlamp dies in the rain which returns. Thanks, Khatmandhu, never again. But all make it safely to the car! Great trip, and it's become an icon of sorts....