Stories Along the Way

Originally written in 2020

This was my fourth time doing Mt Bartle Frere, but my first time camping there.

There was a very good reason I had avoided camping on Bartle Frere before: I don’t like carrying a heavy load while hiking Queensland’s highest peak.

But never say never.

My backpack weighed 11.5 kg — tent, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress, three litres of water, food, change of clothes, a very thick jumper and first-aid kit.

Before we started, I told Andy from Andy Hikes Adventures that I would take it easy. I knew the track, so everyone could go ahead and I would just follow behind.

That sounded like a perfectly sensible plan.

Except I wasn’t exactly walking.

I was practically crawling. 

Most of the time I was on all fours because the weight of the backpack kept pulling me backwards.

My plan was that once I reached the boulder section, I would divide everything between two bags. I had brought a lightweight foldable backpack, so I could carry one bag across the boulders, come back, then get the other one.

Yes. My brilliant solution was apparently to climb the boulders field three times. 

I wasn’t confident scrambling over slippery boulders with 11.5 kg on my back.

Then I suddenly heard Andy calling out.

He had come back for me.

When he saw how I was going, he offered to carry my backpack. He said the boulders were slippery and dangerous because of the rain.

I happily surrendered it. 

Even without the backpack, my legs were already so tired they felt like jelly, and I was nervous scrambling over the wet rocks.

There was really only one option.

Keep going.

Eventually we made it.

And there I was, camping on Mt Bartle Frere for the first time, with heavy rain coming down and the temperature sitting at around 11°C.

At that point, I had only one remaining concern:

Please let my tent be waterproof.