16-12-2017
Tim, Kent and their awesome crew.
Waterfall of Moss is a shortish canyon that flows into the Wollangambe just up stream of the usual exit for the Lower Tourist/Wollangambe 2/Greg section.
I visited it for the first time with Ed last year as an addition to a Whungee Wheengee trip. It made sence to us to do it that way as the canyon itself (minus the walk in and out)only takes acouple of hours . That said I was pretty trashed by the time we mae it back to the car park that trip.
When Tim put out the invite to do WoM on it’s own I had to convince myself the walk in and out would be worth it just for that. But it is a nice canyon and I was hell keen on trying to capture better photos of the Arch.
Anyhoo it was off to Mt Wilson for the usual meet and greet at the car park and we are off.
Wild flowers along the ridge added splashes of colour.
It was hot and humid and the walk down to the Gambe went without incident. Almost…
Al was walking along when all of a sudden the sole of his shoe decided it needed time alone. It didn’t start to separate and slowly peel off. One step it was fine the next it had come away from his shoe whollis bollis!
20 steps later the other one did the same thing. His shoes are now little more than protection for the top of his feet. He sets the now useless soles on the side of the trail for collection on the way back and soldiers on
By the time we get to the Gambe we were ready for a swim. Al scoffs at me as I take off my shirt as he dives straight in.
Girls you may want to wait up there for a bit. Calls Kent.
I should point out he did declair his intention of a nudie swim back at the car park.
The girls were already here. Kent was not to be deterred, Oh well you don’t have to look if you dont want and I suggest you dont. he declares or sumfink….
Anyhoo. We cross the warm waters of the Gambe and soon begin the climb up the other side. Thankfully Kent has his clothes back on.
I had a very clumsey day and tripped, slipped and fell over just about everything, including the starts of one of the abseils but somehow stayed uninjured….
Then it was straight into another abseil down a slope then over hung into a pool. Al’s new rope got a run. Coming down last I noticed the sheath damaged were it had been rubbing over a rock edge, the stretch in the rope allowing it to rub back and forth.
I’m not sure if using SRTs makes the rope more prone to this sort of damage, or it was just back luck, or poor rope management but either way Al now has two shorter ropes….
The bottom section of canyon is a very fine constriction. Straightish and narrowish all the way to the Gambe
There were a a couple of abseils in this final section I remember having very tricky starts. Sharp over hangs with anchors set low and a long way back. I was looking forward to the challenge but someone has redone the anchors and replaced them with ones that take a fair bit of the challenge out.
Don’t get me wrong they are well thought out and placed and definately make the starts easier, the pull downs easier and probably the rope wear less but as I was looking forward to the challenge I almost felt dissappointed it had been removed.
Just me being a weirdo, thinks I, but then Kent voices the same thought. I always like taking people here to give thier skills a bit of a test. he says. The trip feels a bit deminished
so that’s two 2 weirdos.
And I suppose if you feel that way there is nothing stopping you rigging the old anchor points to reclaim the challenge.
A short float back down the Gambe to for lunch at the exit point and then the long hot walk up the hill to the car.
There are only two reasons people fail to reach their goals. 1. They didn’t really want it or 2. They haggled over the cost.
Group. All Experienced
Time:6hrs car to car
sleepwhenwearedead 