Day 3: Cascade Hut to Tin Mine Hut via Cascade Trail

After a restless night at Cascade Hut, we woke up feeling motivated and ready to go for an odd 17km hike.

We started packing up our gear, which always takes longer than expected, and for some reason, my packing efficiency varies greatly and I get annoyed about my puffy sleeping back or not being able to roll my sleeping mat as tightly as the day before.

Our washed clothes didn’t dry overnight, so we hung them on the outside of our bags. We didn’t encounter any people or have phone service but we have two satellite emergency beacons and that is reassuring given the remote area.

The hike was tough and hilly, and we're still adjusting to the elevation. Oddly enough, we didn’t see any wildlife between the start of the hike and the Tin Mine Hut.

Since the tracks were filled with gravel, I found myself looking down a lot, careful not to trip. I’m worried about injuring myself before my big row, so I focused on treading carefully while also being mindful of my posture under the weight of my pack. I wanted to reiterate that whilst we have a food drop on day 10, we are doing this trip solo without any sherpas!

The huts weren’t signposted, but luckily, my navigator helped us find them.

We reached Tin Mine Hut, and also discovered a smaller one nearby called Carters Hut. Again, we found a creek, our highlight of the day as we had gone through our water and needed water for cooking and drinking. We use a gravity filter system to filter creek water for drinking purposes.

We had our dinner (dehydrated food which is lighter to carry) but I must say, the combination of river water and dehydrated flood does not play well with my stomach. I feel constantly hungry!

We set up our sleeping pads on the dirt floor in the hut, and as Cy quickly fell asleep, I began to hear rustling noises in the hut. I spotted two mice scurrying around without any fear of us. I couldn’t help but imagine our food being reduced to crumbs and maybe even my face getting nibbled on, so around midnight, I decided to set up our tent inside the hut and much to the bemusement of Cy and stashed all our food in there for safety. The tent ended up providing a lot of warmth, and I slept well through the night.

Cy missed home and the comforts he was used to. The constant hiking and carrying a 20kg pack were still taking their toll on us.

We talked about the difference between discomfort and pain, and we discussed what he was hoping to achieve on this trip. We agreed that resilience is about having the strength to make decisions in life, even when fear tries to hold you back. I reminded him of all the progress he’s made so far—he has a strong backbone—and we mapped out the next few days of the hike for perspective.

The next day, Cy and I were ready to take on a new challenge - Cowombat Trail and the source of the Murray!