chamber but I didn’ t feel the cold anymore for some reason.
Several months previously, Peter McCafferty and I were very keen to explore the remote park in Western Australia way north of Perth so we meticulously planned an ecoadventure in remote outback Australia that proved to be an incredible experience that also allowed many photo opportunities.
We were now on the well-marked trail that had started at a relatively easy Class 2 and after descending down into the gorge that included two very steep and long ladders, the degree of difficulty increased dramatically to Class 4. Where we had just walked was a Class 5, representing the most difficult without specialized climbing equipment. At the end of Kermit’ s Pool was a clearly marked warning sign at the top of a waterfall that took qualified rock climbers deeper into the gorge and I could see another spectacular cavern down below. The return hike allowed me to photograph a small waterfall and we ran into several other hikers, many with their cameras, who were not prepared to walk through the deeper water to get to see the true highlights of the trail. I was glad that I had properly researched this hike and was well prepared with my camera gear.
We were in the beautiful Karijini National Park located 900 miles( 1,400 kilometers) north of Perth Western Australia in the Pilbara region. Iron rich rock formations in many gorges have been carved out for more than 2,500 million years. The numerous hiking trails allow adventurers to see first hand the spectacular pools, waterfalls, steep cliffs, caverns and the polished tiered banded layers of rock.
Hancock Gorge, Karijini National Park, Western Australia Photo by Barry Epstein
Small Stream Panorama, Hancock Gorge, Karijini National Park, Western Australia Photo by Barry Epstein
We stayed in the Karijini Eco Retreat for 6 nights, which is a centrally located, well-organized and equipped up market facility, including an alfresco and fully licensed restaurant, with extremely friendly and hiking savvy staff. The retreat was a winner of the Eco Tourism Western Australia. We used our own tents, however there are eco tents that are available for use that varied in price. I noticed many young couples and elderly groups who were eager to share their experiences.
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