Bush Walk: Grade 4 - Bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may be long, rough and very steep. Directional signage may be limited. Make favourites , rate and review the trails and share your trail photos.
Contact Privacy Policy Disclaimer. The views from the summit are spectacular and worth the effort to get there. View trail map. I met a few people on the way down and stopped to have a chat, wishing them a better view from the summit than I got. The hike back down was a little easier than going up but be careful if you are using momentum to give you a little extra help as it's a sheer drop in certain places and it only takes one rock to send you tumbling.
With a planned trip out to the Porongurups, this would be the perfect warn-up hike and one I haven't done since the fires devastated the eastern Stirling Range in and Setting my alarm for am, the weather forecast wasn't in my favour but you never know and it would at the very least be a different experience and a good workout. Arriving at the car park, it seemed that many others had the same idea and as I got my pack ready, I could see a line of lights leading up the mountain where people's headtorches were shining through the fog and drizzle.
I couldn't see the summit through the fog and darkness so put my head down and began the slog up the stairs that would last the next 3. Parks and Wildlife have done a great job repairing the trail since the last bushfire but it seems that they've added a lot of steps to what was already a step heavy trail.
On the way up I passed a lot of groups, many being families with kids and about m from the summit it wasn't looking good for a clear sunrise. I caught up to a couple of girls close to the summit and we all commented about how gloomy things looked. All up it took me just under an hour to get to the summit but I was motoring along.
If you're not a regular hiker then allow at least 1. We reached the summit and as luck would have it, just as we arrived, the heavens parted and we were treated to the most glorious sights. Looking off towards Toolbrunup and Mount Hassell provided a blanket of white cloud mixed in with a pastel purple colour palette. The real show was looking towards the eastern peaks that form part of the Stirling Ridge Walk with the clouds cascading off the rock faces and creating a mystical scene.
With the morning sun shining through, we snapped away quickly because we weren't sure how long the clear conditions would last. Unfortunately in my haste to get shots in the bag I didn't adjust my ISO on the camera back down to something that matched the conditions and the result was very grainy photos noticeable when you expand them. In the moment though, I was just enjoying the beautiful nature display and just a very happy hiker to be here.
Just as quickly as the clouds had parted, they blanketed the summit once again with the picture of everyone standing around in the grey a mere 14 minutes after the first photo in the below gallery.
Just as the clouds came over again, a group arrived, followed by more and more. We all sat around at the summit waiting for the clouds to clear again but they never did. Heading back down the mountain, the sweat I had worked up on the way up made for a very cold descent but it was worth it. As we got closer to the bottom I started noticing more wildflowers and even some orchids popping up in the bleak landscape.
What a hike and I can highly recommend getting out there to try and catch a sunrise from the summit. Final Thoughts — Bluff Knoll is a popular destination for a reason. A challenging hike, spectacular views and being able to claim you climbed the highest peak in the South West all attract visitors to the area. Wear boots or sturdy footwear, weatherproof clothing and sun protection. Take plenty of food and carry two to three litres of drinking water per person for half to full day walks.
Stay on the path. Be prepared for sudden cold changes that cause the temperature to drop and rain or hail to set in. Tabs Group Welcome. Previous Pause Next. Site Activities: Bushwalking.
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