Punurrunha Summit, Karijini National Park

The trail starts with a short stroll to Marandoo view, where you can get a good look at the iron ore mining operations in action. From this point on the trail becomes a steady climb along the ridge to the summit.

At about 2.3km into the walk you will navigate an incline littered with large slabs of rock. The trail becomes steeper and forms a series of switchbacks before being faced with a nearly vertical climb up the red rock. A chain attached to the rock face provides some assistance along a narrow ledge and the naturally forming rectangular iron formations provide hand and footholds.

After some challenging rock scrambling sections, you reach the summit, with panoramic views of the surrounding Hamersley Ranges. This mountain range is known to the Banjima people as Karijini, and this is where the national park gets its name. The Banjima and their ancestors have occupied this area for over 30,000 years, they named the mountain "Punurrunha", and this is how it has been known for most of history. Punurrunha is the second highest peak in Western Australia, at 1249 metres high.

June to August are the best times of year to tackle this climb when the daytime temperatures are in the low to mid 20s. Avoid climbing during the hotter months when temperatures soar to 40 degrees or more. Remember your sun hat, carry plenty of water and bring a camera to capture the amazing scenery and views from the summit.