Kokoda Track (2. Camp 1900 to Owers' Corner) |
Day 4 - 1900 Campsite to Menari (21km - 770m ascent – 1850m descent) |
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Wheel strut of Mitchell B25 crashed in 1942 |
Heading back into the forest .... |
... amongs the aerial roots of pandani ... |
... and moss-covered trunks of giant trees |
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A small opening in the moss forest |
At last sweeping views ..... southward over the ridges of the Owen Stanley foothills |
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Cloud hangs around the top of Mt Victoria (4038m) |
View across the village gardens to distant ridges |
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Track through the kunai grass |
Descent from Naduri in green and purple |
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Jodie crossing the Efogi River |
Post-climb recovery |
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The barren "square" of Efogi Village (apparently bare earth is easier to clean) |
Plane landing at Efogi |
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Looking back over Efogi from Mission Ridge |
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Day 5 - Menari to Ofi Creek (18km - 910m ascent – 1260m descent) |
We were woken by the gentle sound of guitar and soft singing - it was a pleasant way to start the day and pack up our gear. By the time we finished breakfast and were ready to hit the track, it was 6.45am - another long day of walking lay ahead. Leaving our hut, we strolled through the village vegetable gardens to drop quickly to Emuni Creek. Another log bridge crossing and the ascent of The Wall began immediately. The track was smooth underfoot, but slick with the previous night's rain. Still, we reached the narrow saddle 300m above the river in under an hour, encouraged by the loud clear song of an unseen bird in the canopy above. |
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Jodie picking her way down the muddy slope |
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Early morning mist over Menari |
Morning cloud cloaks the Brown River Valley |
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Out of the swamp and on to an open slope |
Looking back towards The Wall from Nauro | The joy of an open landscape |
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Some village residents join us for lunch |
Lisa leads the way out of Nauro |
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Strangler fig on a false peak of Maguli |
Somewhere between false peaks 5 and 6 |
A rare glimpse of distant ranges |
The trekking trio on the true peak of Maguli |
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Passing an abandoned hut |
Sunlight filtering through the vegetation |
Late afternoon sun on the rain forest |
Boulder-strewn Ofi Creek |
Crossing the creek to Ofi campsite |
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Evening swim at Ofi Creek |
Day 6 - Ofi Creek to Ua'Ule Creek (7km - 280m ascent – 630m descent) |
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Gnarly roots on the climb up Iorobaiwa Ridge |
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Another night in a long hut |
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A massive tree on Iorobaiwa Ridge |
Remnants of the Japanese trenches |
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From the ridge, a set of muddy wooden steps took us quickly down the southern flank to the new Iorobaiwa village, superbly situated in a kunai grass clearing. From this open spot, we could look back at the rugged profile of Iorobaiwa Ridge behind us and cloud-capped Imita Ridge ahead. This was the most southerly point of the Japanese advance, a place where, during those 12 days of waiting, patrols inched their way through thick grass and sudden ambushes were sprung. For us it was a pleasant stop in the sunshine. |
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Arriving at Iorobaiwa village |
Looking back from the village to Iorobaiwa Ridge |
Cloud topping Imita Ridge |
The massive buttress roots of a forest giant |
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Start of our many crossings of Ua'Ule Creek |
A ray of sunshine spot-lights the creek |
Gemma crossing the creek |
A quite sun-dappled pool |
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Fairly succinct message! |
Ua'Ule Creek at the campsite |
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Relaxing in the waterhole |
An underwater shot of the cascade |
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Day 7 - Ua'Ule Creek to Owers' Corner (10km - 870m ascent – 480m descent) |
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Setting off to follow Ua'Ule Creek |
One last “yumigo” and we were off and back into the humid half-light of the Papuan rainforest. We had left our boots off as today was to start as yesterday finished, with a series of wades across the shallow watercourses of the Ua'Ule Creek system, as we picked our way upstream towards Imita Ridge. After the ninth crossing, we booted up – the climb to the ridge had begun. At first, the track took a more gentle ascent as it followed a deep gully upwards, but the price for this was a saturating humidity and within minutes, the perspiration was pouring from forehead and salting up my eyes. It was almost a relief when the track turned steeply upwards to take us to the crest of the spur. I understood why Papuan tracks tend to follow spurs and ridges – at least here there is a bit of air despite the dense forest, unlike the dank stillness of the gullies. I was starting to recognise the patterns and this spur was no different, as we steadily climbed a series of steep pitches separated by flatter terrain. No zig-zagging here – Papuans attack their climbs directly and I was definitely slowing down. |
Back on a ridge-line |
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This was the last significant site of the trek and thought now turned more to finishing the job and getting to Owers' Corner. The last section provided a recap of the trek for us – a steep drop off from the ridge on slick orange-yellow clay (I wonder if this is the origin of the name "Golden Staircase" given by the troops to the notorious muddy and log-stepped climb up the Imita Ridge), brown muddy tracks criss-crossed by tree-roots and sharp blocky rocks, all requiring an intense focus to negotiate, a grassy clearing with campsite to take a break, creeks to wade, and a setting of all-encompassing green - in its many shades and textures that make up a tropical rain forest.
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The wide and fast flowing Goldie River |
Crossing the Goldie |
Start of the final ascent to Owers' Corner |
View back towards the Imita Gap |
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At Owers' Corner - looking back from whence we came |
Arriving at Owers' Corner (photo by kokodatrekking) |
The trekking trio at trail's end |
Jessie with Nick (looking justifiably proud of his efforts) |
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Courage – Endurance – Mateship - Sacrifice |