Day 27 - 19/4/2011 - Alice Springs visits to Standley Chasm and Simpson Gap.

Day 27 – 19/4/2011 Alice Springs (visits to Standley Chasm and Simpson Gap)



Standley Chasm



Awesome day, we had such a good time, up early and away before 10am we headed out to Stanley Chasm.  Stanley Chasm was amazing; there was a gentle walk up to the chasm and then the fabulous chasm. 



The loved up couple in Standley Chasm



On the walk up the kids were fascinated with the small fish in the river but they were amazed by the chasm.  We spent a little while resting and then headed back for morning tea.

After morning tea we (read mum) decided that we would do just a small section of the Larapinta Track.  The Larapinta track runs the full length of the West MacDonald Ranges all 223kms and is separated into 12 walking sections.  So we decided that we would do a small part of section 3 approximately 7kms all up. 

The goat track!!



We headed back up the track that goes to the chasm and then speared off to the left, the track was very steep to start with and I did think that it would smooth out soon…..but alas I was wrong the track continued to wind and weave its way up the side of a hill, it was only one person wide and rather resembled a goat track!!!  Pete and the kids though to their credit continued up the hill!!  Pete was leading the charge and I was in position of being last, by the time I got to the top of the hill it was 30mins after we had started and I have to confess it was a harder climb than the beginning of the Kings Canyon Rim walk!!  By the time I caught up with Pete the first thing Pete said was “I think this walk is beyond us…look” Pete was pointing to the almost 90degree drop off the other side of the plateau that apparently was our track down and then we could see the track back up the other side of the next hill!!!



The view from the big climb!! Well worth it but hard!

We quickly decided that this was not a walk we would continue, but wow the view where we were was amazing, breathe taking and phenomenal, in fact if we gazed over the edge of the cliff top we could see back down into the chasm…..After a well-deserved break we headed slowly back down the goat track, surprisingly enough there was not a lot of traffic.  We did meet one couple heading up as we got close to the bottom, we advised them it was a tough track but that the view was worth it!!.

After the walk we went back and really enjoyed our lunch, the kids and Pete had certainly earned their sandwiches. 



Simpson Gap



We then headed off to Simpson Gap, this too was a gorgeous place, and water, so much in the gap, the kids couldn’t wait to pull off their hiking boots and just wade in the water!! After just sitting and Pete and I decided that it was time to go but the kids well they just refused!!  They then proceeded to play hide and seek – well there were heaps of rocks to hide behind. We eventually convinced them to leave and then headed off.  On the way back we stopped at the Cassia Walk, this was a short stroll up and over a hill just a short 1 ½ km’s.  The fabulous thing about the Cassia Walk was the provided information sheet, Zac is now so excited he can recognise a Witchetty Grubb Tree, he seems to think that if he is ever lost in Central Australia he will be able to survive if he can find this treat and eat witchetty grubbs!! Yuk.

More Simpson Gap - Very beautiful!!

After a fabulous day where we have been treated with some amazing scenery we headed home.  Once again the territory has given us an amazing day and I am stunned by just how beautiful the scenery around Alice Springs is.  The hills are phenomenal, the colours beautiful and it is all so green!!