Injisuthi to Cowl Fork via Shada Ridge
17 Mar 2021 16:08 - 17 Mar 2021 16:14 #76621
by elandman
Injisuthi to Cowl Fork via Shada Ridge was created by elandman
Hi all,
Thought I'd share a recent overnight hike done at Injisuthi on the weekend of the 5th/6th/7th March.
The original plan was to stay at Marble Baths cave overnight Saturday. However on arrival Friday afternoon they messed up my booking and double booked the cave with another group which outnumbered me and the Mrs by triple.
So Friday night over a cold one I cobbled up another plan. That plan being to hike up Van Heynigens, traverse along Shada Ridge and stay overnight at Cowl Fork. Considering I'd never done the route before albeit knowing the greater Monks Cowl/ Injisuthi area blindfolded. The last time too I tented at Cowl Fork was around 10 years ago.
So early morning we set off, finding things have dramatically changed at Injisuthi in recent times.
The bridge is gone which takes you across the river to Van Heynigens. The river being sportily full too, which was fun.
Considering too that it was near a year ago that the area suffered extreme fires, one would never know that it did. The path, on the other side of the river has all but disappeared in overgrowth head height. Right up until the junction which T's off to the old hut to the left, or to the right being the pass. Honestly felt like I needed a jungle knife, haha.
From there things were uneventful. From the split between WonderValley cave path and Shada ridge, the path along Shada Ridge is still remarkably well defined. Clearly still walked often.
The descent into Cowl Fork uneventful too. However, from memory, this is where one could spot the two well-defined campsites slightly to your left if you stood square with the valley. One tent sized campsites, and a bigger one. I've been unaware of any other spots in that valley to tent at. I've tented at both campsites 4 times before and traversed up over through the Monks Cowl gap to Keith bush, and in reverse too. So pretty familiar with both sides of the valleys.
Staring into the valley for near 30 mins, my eyes fall on Diddly squat. At this point, wisdom and experience should have kicked in and turned us around. Wisdom which should have told me not to get into the thick of the thorny jungle of that valley especially in the late afternoon. The next 1.5 hours I spent smashing around through head high thorny jungle till eventually I rage quit. Finding nothing.
On heading out, I think I've spotted where the campsites were, but they are both now peppered with boulders and thorns. You'd need a small army to clear them again.
So we headed out the valley in search of another spot. Considering its now near 4 pm, no caves around and only a tent. The mission is to find a sheltered spot for the tent. Only to remember we had passed a little pond just below the contour path and shade ridge path junction. So headed there
What a lovely spot!! And a killer sunrise the next day above the clouds.
Here is the route if anyone is interested.
Great little overnight spot. Total accent being 730m from Injisuthi car park.
Not sure too about the guidelines/rules of staying in non-demarcated areas, so forgive me this time. We did have no other choice.
Cheers
Thought I'd share a recent overnight hike done at Injisuthi on the weekend of the 5th/6th/7th March.
The original plan was to stay at Marble Baths cave overnight Saturday. However on arrival Friday afternoon they messed up my booking and double booked the cave with another group which outnumbered me and the Mrs by triple.
So Friday night over a cold one I cobbled up another plan. That plan being to hike up Van Heynigens, traverse along Shada Ridge and stay overnight at Cowl Fork. Considering I'd never done the route before albeit knowing the greater Monks Cowl/ Injisuthi area blindfolded. The last time too I tented at Cowl Fork was around 10 years ago.
So early morning we set off, finding things have dramatically changed at Injisuthi in recent times.
The bridge is gone which takes you across the river to Van Heynigens. The river being sportily full too, which was fun.
Considering too that it was near a year ago that the area suffered extreme fires, one would never know that it did. The path, on the other side of the river has all but disappeared in overgrowth head height. Right up until the junction which T's off to the old hut to the left, or to the right being the pass. Honestly felt like I needed a jungle knife, haha.
From there things were uneventful. From the split between WonderValley cave path and Shada ridge, the path along Shada Ridge is still remarkably well defined. Clearly still walked often.
The descent into Cowl Fork uneventful too. However, from memory, this is where one could spot the two well-defined campsites slightly to your left if you stood square with the valley. One tent sized campsites, and a bigger one. I've been unaware of any other spots in that valley to tent at. I've tented at both campsites 4 times before and traversed up over through the Monks Cowl gap to Keith bush, and in reverse too. So pretty familiar with both sides of the valleys.
Staring into the valley for near 30 mins, my eyes fall on Diddly squat. At this point, wisdom and experience should have kicked in and turned us around. Wisdom which should have told me not to get into the thick of the thorny jungle of that valley especially in the late afternoon. The next 1.5 hours I spent smashing around through head high thorny jungle till eventually I rage quit. Finding nothing.
On heading out, I think I've spotted where the campsites were, but they are both now peppered with boulders and thorns. You'd need a small army to clear them again.
So we headed out the valley in search of another spot. Considering its now near 4 pm, no caves around and only a tent. The mission is to find a sheltered spot for the tent. Only to remember we had passed a little pond just below the contour path and shade ridge path junction. So headed there
What a lovely spot!! And a killer sunrise the next day above the clouds.
Here is the route if anyone is interested.
Great little overnight spot. Total accent being 730m from Injisuthi car park.
Not sure too about the guidelines/rules of staying in non-demarcated areas, so forgive me this time. We did have no other choice.
Cheers
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