11/11/2018

Gaz, Jodie and meeee

Last time I did the Empress Falls/Grand canyon double, Empress was still better known as Valley of the Waters canyon. We were still amazed that civilisation hadn’t been wiped out by the Y2K bug. The Euro was still brand new. NASAs Mars Odyssey was mapping the red planet and Queen Lizzy was pomping about for her Golden Jubilee…

So when Gaz and Jodie said they were keen to ease back into it I thought why not.

Being anti social, disliking crowds and line ups I like doing Empress early morning or very late afternoon. The light frost on the windscreen when Gaz came to pick me up may have indicated we needn’t have worried too much about that but, anyhoo, we went early and had the place to ourselves .

When Gaz announced he and Jodie had brought 2 sets of wetsuits, spring suits of Empress and Steamers for Grand, it was one of those Why-have-I-never-thought-of-that moments. I mean I had been contemplated doing Empress in with just a thermal top. I had a spring suit hanging in my cupboard…

You Eeeejit Flynny!

Too bad they gave me that epiphany after we left, But anyway.

A quick 15min hike up the tourist track and we are back at the car putting dry clothes on for the drive back to Blackheath.

While we pretty much had Empress to ourselves we struggled to get a spot at the Neates glen car park and a steady stream of walkers filed up and down the track.

 

Despite plenty of walkers up top we had the depths to ourselves

Unfortunately the early start in Empress meant we were in Grand in the harshest mid-day light so the photos are no where near as good as previous trips.

 

 

Party size 3: all experienced

Time: Empress 1hr 40min car to car   Grand 3hr Car to car

Look deep into nature, then you will understand everything better:- Albert Einstein

Previous trips with better light for photos

Empress 10/01/2016  / 05/02/2017

Grand  29/01/2017 / 25/01/2018

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