Bushwalking in the Dark - Spicer's Peak
The Plan
I was looking for a fun way to ring in the new year after the dumpster fire that was 2020, and having not caught wind of any new years parties that took my interest (or perhaps I wasn't invited to any), I suggested to my bushwalking buddy that we do a sunrise hike.
Now, selecting a peak was tricky, nether of us like crowds while hiking and as it turns out sunrise hikes on New Year's Day is a popular activity. So we had to pick something less trafficked and more challenging, but not so challenging that it would be unreasonable to hike in the dark.
It didn't take long for me to suggest Spicer's Peak in the Main Range National Park. Despite rainy weather leading up-to New Year's Eve, the forecast seemed favourable and we decided to go ahead with the plan.
The Event
Waking up before dawn and jumping in the car isn't entirely out of the ordinary for bushwalkers. But doing so shortly after midnight and climbing a mountain in almost total darkness is another matter. Yet, thats exactly what we did.
I showed up at Luke's house just before midnight, I was ready to leave, but it was a little work getting Luke moving at this time. Regardless, we got away before 1AM and made it to the carpark around 2. There were a couple of other cars in the carpark, but we later determined they were there for other reasons or destinations.
Having hiked this trail in the past we were relatively confident (enough to overpower our apprehension after getting lost previously), that we would reach the peak before sunrise with little difficulty. Despite this, we quickly missed a turn in the dark while on the old fire-trail that served as the initial approach. We engaged in some bushbashing to rejoin the trail using GPS with topographic maps.
Shortly, we arrived at the first lookout on the trail which afforded a decent view of lights through the foggy night. To the South we could see the looming silhouette of Spicer's Peak, like a giant rising out of the dark forest it served as a sudden reminder of what lay ahead.
From this point the trail go significantly steeper and more slippery. It was also approaching where we got horribly lost during our last ascent, obviously our hearts were pumping hard. We maintained a relatively swift pace up the steep terrain until we reached the scramble/rock climbing section near the peak. Having a fuzzy memory of our first ascent almost two years ago, we both second guessed ourselves about half way through the climb and descended to try and find a more hospitable route to the top. After about twenty minutes of searching for something familiar I decided the scramble must have been the correct route up (and in retrospect it was the same route we took during the first ascent). I took the lead this time, having more experience on this type of terrain.
This time I pushed through until the terrain levelled out a little and encouraged Luke to make the final push to safer ground. I must admit, the climb was at least a little nerve-racking especially while relying on the limited light of our head torches. Not to mention that by this time we were shrouded in clouds which were quickly making the rocks and vegetation damp.
Now we were directly below the lookout at the peak, but we both remembered that we had to walk west below the ridge line a short distance to find an easier path onto the ridge. This took a few attempts, and by the time we found something familiar the sun had just started to rise; not that we could see it through the blanket of clouds.
After a short push through a patch of rainforest on the ridge we reached the moss covered cairn at the lookout and we both exhaled in relief. The view was totally obscured by clouds and we were concerned about the possibility of rain making our descent difficult and treacherous, so we had a quick snack and a few gulps of coffee from our flasks before beginning our return journey.
Returning was mostly a matter of retracing our steps as best we could, or some places simply picking out way down hill wherever the path seemed forgiving. We were treated to some nice views of Mount Greville and Mt Edwards in the morning sun once we dropped out of the clouds.
By now though, we were both feeling hungry and weary, so after another quick coffee break we picked up the pace. I treated myself to a couple of delicious spinach and feta rolls from Clive's Bakery Cafe in Aratula before making the drive back to Brisbane
What a wonderful way to begin the year, even though we weren't treated to any views of the sunrise at the peak, it was great to be outdoors for hours and do a challenging bush walk. I felt great, if not a little tired, for the rest of the day and had no trouble getting to bed early that night.
Summing up
Would I recommend this experience? Yes and no. Despite what I've seen people say bout this trail online, this trail is not easy in any respect. I know first hand that this trail offers challenging terrain and deceiving navigation. Even when you know which direction to go, walkers need sound path finding skills to read the terrain and find the safest path and you must be comfortable and confident with some rock scrambling towards the peak. It's no exaggeration to say you could fall to your death if you made a mistake in the wrong place.
Having said that though, this hike is a great challenge and offers some nice views at the top and during the ascent, if conditions are right. I wouldn't recommend any one attempt summiting this mountain in the dark, especially for their first ascent, and would ideally be undertaken by experienced bushwalkers only.