04-03-17

Bob, Dave, Ed, Ethan, Dan and me

So there was a bit of wet weather hanging about. Lithgow hadn’t had the rain the mountains had through the week, a bit of light drizzle and a storm or two through the week. Friday was the first day when we go some decent rain.

Bob had wanted to do Alcatraz and his old canyoning mate, Dave, was up for the weekend so we thought it would be a great opportunity to get out despite the dire weather forecasts.

It was a canyon we were familiar with. It’s really short and we’d get a good look at both the catchment and the short constriction before we had to commit to anything. Plus being so close to the car park we knew if it looked dicey we could just head back to do something drier.

Ed’s cousin inlaw, Dan, hadn’t really abseiled before so we set up the ropes on a couple of small drops behind my place and gave him a crash course. Before heading up to meet Bob and Dave on the plateau. The misty rain was getting heavier…

2 weeks ago the Glowworm tunnel road was as good as it has been in a long while. Obviously the plateau had cope the brunt of the big storm last week and unfortunately its full of pot holes again but as we headed up the drift we seemed to drive out of the weather. It was a little damp up top but not very.

Even the vegetation was dry. I was expecting to get soaked on the walking in just from water on the foliage but it was fine. We could see the water level was up a bit but not not that much more then normal so we roped up and dropped in.

Dave, Bob, Edwin, Daniel and Ethan enjoying the ambience

Definately more flow over the falls than in previous visits

The abseil was a little odd in you Once you went over the lip the main flow of the falls seemed to spiral around you. Getting out on the other hand…

The gang in the hole:-click to enlarge

So car to car in 2hrs, with 1 beginner and 3 guys who haven’t done a great deal in the last 10years, and plenty of time to checkout another.

I knew Ed hadn’t been to the dry canyon and thought if we do get an afternoon storm it might make for some great photos so off we went.

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The optional chimneys on the way in:- click to enlarge

Group size: 6 for Alcatraz, 2 experienced. 2 experienced but not for 10years or so. 1 intermediate. 1 beginner.  4 For The Dry Canyon, AKA Nobles Canyon, AKA Wolgan View canyon

Time: 2hrs Car to Car for Alcatraz. Maybe the same for the Dry Canyon.

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Another trip to Alcatraz when the water was pumping even harder