Day 16: Simpsons Gap to Telegraph Station 21/08/2020

Today’s trail headed up the south slope of Hat Hill and skirted around it just below the junction of the slope and the vertical rock. I’d seen Hat Hill from a previous lookout without realising what it was and that I’d be circumnavigating it.   From there the track was flat or slightly undulating hills to Wallaby Gap. Wallaby Gap was pretty unimpressive compared to the other gaps and waterholes I’ve seen.

From Wallaby Gap, the trail quickly ascended to Euro Ridge, an 800m high ridge and lookout over Alice Springs in the distance and back over some of the mountains I’ve hiked over in preceding days. What a fantastic view!  Even though it was nowhere near as high as the other mountains I’ve climbed,  I really loved it. I imagine if you were travelling from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder, this would be a fantastic first high view.

After descending Euro Ridge the trail was surprisingly hilly. I’d expected it to be mostly flat and it definitely was not. It had much more diversity than yesterday and was really enjoyable to hike. I found myself trying to go fast because I was on the home stretch but struggling a bit with the speed because of the terrain.  I met a guy who’d started the trail today and was loving it even though he was struggling a bit with the weight of his pack. He’s given himself 17 days and will ease his way into it. I would have loved to turn around and hike the trail again!

A few kms from the end the trail crossed the train line.  The sign warning to watch out for trains was full of bullet holes. There was no sign saying watch out for randoms with guns…

The last section of the trail was a shared mountain bike trail which made for very easy hiking. Nice dirt, no big steps up or down,  gently undulating.  Right near the end it ran alongside the original telegraph line. Amazing to think those poles and wires were from the 1870s!  I passed a few old graves and then all of a sudden,  the Larapinta Trail was finished. Hard to believe it’s over. In a heart beat I’d fill my backpack and head back off in the other direction.