The Killer Stairs Of Cape Huay 😱
'You know there's like 800 stairs, right?' he asks, worrying that I don't have it in me to walk to Cape Huay, one section of the famous Three Capes walk on the Tasman Peninsula, Australia. I do know it's a hard and long walk, but I want a challenge, and I have heard how stunning it is.
The thing is, no one knows just how hard 800 stairs are until one does them. Later, we will find it's a lot more than that - one estimate is 4500 steps. Yep. Feel the BURN.
The first part of the track is stunning, full of so many different plants - grasses, grevelliea, banksia, pine, gums. It's alive with birds and often rustles with the hope of spying a wombat or any number of marsupials living in Tassie, though you have more hope of seeing them at night.
After an hour, the track starts to descend to the cape. This is the point of no return and the dreaded knowledge that every step you take down, you know you have to take up. We pass people that look like they are nearly dying, breathless with the effort of the ascent, but already the views are so stunning it's impossible not to continue.
We meet a trail guide who tells us some 18,000 helicopter trips to drop materials were needed to make the tracks here. It's mind boggling. It cost about 150 million and draws thousands upon thousands every year. It doesn't appear TOO busy though, and it's nice to share the experience with others anyway who huff and gasp along with us.
I can't begin to explain how incredible the views were. It was a perfect day as well - barely a breath of wind, and perfect sunshine. We were sweating, but it wasn't terrible heat. I did envy those who got up at dawn to do it though - the light would have been amazing. It's a four hour return walk but we know someone who ran it in two. In the end, it took usfour and a half, with many breather stops.
Can you see the needle like rock stack in the image above? It's called the Totem Pole and people actually climb it. There were climbers on the rockface below that had arrived by boat. I had read a book by a climber called Paul Pritchard who, in the 1970s, was hit by a falling rock as he climbed the pole. He wasn't wearing a helmet and his girlfriend had to somehow pull him to a ledge, brain fluid seeping out of his head, secure him and run through the scrub for help. No mobile phones or well paved track then. He become paraplegic and soebt years recovering, only to come and climb the pole many years later.
At this point Jamie's feeling ill - he suffers vertigo and hates heights. In fact he won't see the Totem Pole as you have to walk to the edge of a rock and hang out over the railing to see it. The track at the end is very narrow and you have to see it to believe it.
After that, the long ascent. I had to stop often and felt dizzy, queasy and wobbly. I'm fairly fit but it was hard on every one. Jamie kept wanting to take my pack for me but I refused. I wanted to do it even if it was a slow, slow struggle and people were passing us. Needless to say I made it. The last hour was easier, although I knew my calves and shins would feel it the next day!
At the end we had a dip in the stunning waters of Fortescue Bay. Tassie water is some of the cleanest and clearest in the world, but boy it's getting colder as April moves on. Still, it was good to wash the sweat off and numb the pain in our legs.
Would we walk it again? No freaking way. Three days on my legs are still killing me and I've had to take pain killers just to sleep.
But it was worth every step, and by far one of the most stunning walks I've done in all my days.
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Wow, clearly a very exhilarating adventure. I've done a walk like this but it wasn't too long, just long. It is staired like this too,.it is the road to a river I love to swim in located all the way in my hometown which I visit once in a year or two.
Having a dip in the water when you were done crowns it all 😎😎😎
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STOPHoly crap what a crazy walk! But I get it is worth it because the scenery is indeed really stunning.
On the island of Saba in the Caribbean sea (which is like a high rcok in the ocean) there are hardly any beaches but on of them is reached by 'the devils stairs'. I guess you understand how that feels like. Also made by loads of boats unloading there. Imagine making those stairs...djees..
more tazzie scenes please!
I know what ajob, making stairs in such places! Hardcore! that place sounds cool as well.
Sooo much Tassie.. I'll have another weeks worth of posts I think😂
The weight of the trip really paid off with the very beautiful scenery.
However, once there, it will be very happy if there is a helicopter that picks you up home while laughing.
Is there a porter there?
If not, I just enjoy your beautiful images from here.
Oh I did joke to the husband that he could call me a helicopter once I got there!!!!
Damn that’s an incredible looking place and hike! I would love to do that one day if we could! I’m glad that climber was able to recover and go back, some of those people are crazy and determined lol that rock looks more like a toothpick than something one could climb!
I know and the thing is they had to bash through bush to get there as there was no path or stairs then! And no phones to call for help. Now they boat in. It was a crazy story!!
That’s some serious dedication lol.
I don’t know why but I didn’t really know where Tasmania was until today. I knew it was somewhere related to Australia lol but didn’t know exactly where.
What’s the weather like there? Being a bit further south do you get snow at all? I only know the Tasmanian devil hahaha but not much else! I could just do some web searches to find out if you would rather do that but I do enjoy dialogue :D
Oh that coastline! 💚
I'd love to do that but three days? But I want to do it. But, three days? But I want to. Or, I'll just read this blog and look at the pictures a lot. 🙃
Becca 💗
Oh I know I will never do it again. But I really wanted an epic hike!!! I swear five days later my calves still hurt!
I hope a good hurt though, and I'm sure the amazingness of the epic location makes up for it.
Becca. 💗
Wow!!! Very beautiful
Ahhh, they only forgot to count about 3000 and something \o\o\o\
This story is insane. And even more insane when I read the guy came back there and conquered it. That's what I call resilience.
I loved the trip. The dizziness and soreness sure paid off.
You would love The Totem Pole book .. go readabout Paul Pritchard, Soo inspiring! His whole life was about travelling and climbing - imagine all of a sudden having it taken away from you like that.
Googled him but only found a copy for a whopping 100+ dollars on Amazon =///
I got a tiny tiny tiny tiny version of that when I broke my leg. Even like so I can't imagine what Paul went through. There's another story of Martyn Ashton, a cyclist who became paraplegic -- his TEDx talk is amazing.
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Incredible views in your photos! No wonder you kept at it. But 3 days recovery....whew!
We have a citadel over here where you also have to follow a trail of 800+ stairs to reach it. However, I got used with nature rewarding well those efforts people make along their journeys so after seeing your pictures I'm sure that it's definitely worth going to the Cape Huay :)
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Did you count them ? Each stair ?
Nooooo... I googled laterjnstaed .. though I did count in sections to keep going. If I could make it to 30, I could rest!
There's so much to explore in Tassie. It's definitely a place I'd love to return to and explore further. That track looks amazing.
That looks like a lot of exercise but the view seems like to pay off
@riverflows, you're the second mate this week posting about this same place I'd never heard of before! I !LUV the photos. They're gorgeous! And I'd heard of Totem Pole (because in a past life I was a rock climber) but I never knew where it was! !LOL
I'd definitely like to do that hike but maybe it would be easier to train for it specifically and just run it. What do you think @new.things?
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