So I found myself with a spare Saturday and my usual crew busy elsewhere so I sent a request through the airways to see if anyone was out who wouldn’t mind a tag along.
Dave responded with an invite on a photo trip to my local canyon, Dargan creek.
Dave’s photos have always been an inspiration to me (if you haven’t checked out his pages have a gander here) and it had been nearly 16 years since our only other trip together so I jumped at the chance.
Dave and Albert busied themselves with the DSLRs while I felt a bit out gunned with my Olympus TG4. I managed some reasonable shots but I can’t wait to see theirs.
In the mean time
Albert setting up the tripod at the start of the constrictionLooking down the canyon
I was expecting them to march out 10 paces, turn and shoot.
Even when I wasn’t canyoning full on we’d do this canyon once a year or so. Being 20min from home I’ve been through it a lot but I haven’t really spent time in there taking photos. It’s a sure way to see things you normally miss.
Dave on the down climb. Fixed hand lines seem to be a relatively new phenomena in Blue mountains canyons. Was certainly always able to get down, and back up here with out a fixed line in the 90s.
Dargan creek has some lovely canyon formation
Dave setting up for a long exposure.This bit gets so dark it is almost cave like. You sometime see glowworms here in the day and big brown eels in the water. Neither today
In the dappled light of the canyon I couldn’t make out the marking on this little fellow. I was 99% sure I knew what it was but that 1% meant I was careful to stay out of strike range
While it looks snakelike a bit of post editing to lighten things up brings out the classic patterns, external ear holes and limb vestages of a legless lizard. The common scaly-foot (Pygopus lepidopodus)
As well as the external ear holes (which snakes lack) legless lizards have a broad fleshy tongue, rather than the forked tongue of a snake, and eye lids so if it blinks or sticks out a wide tongue you know it’s a lizard.
The arrow on the left points to the external ear holes which snakes lack. On the right you can make out the tiny flap which is a remnant of the rear leg.
They also have a long tail. Snakes are all body with a short tail, these guys are 2/3rds tail. That might sound silly and it’s certainly hard to see where this ones tail starts but they can and do drop their tails as a last ditch means to avoid being someones lunch, a bit like a garden skink, and the tail often grows back a slightly different colour. So you get a coppery body and a grey tail.
This is the classic patterning but they come in a range of colour from smooth coppery brown with hardly any pattern to an almost purplish colour with gold highlights in between the black dots which is absolutely stunning.
Sun beams
You’ve probably noticed I shot a lot more in landscape orientation which is unusual for me in canyon settings, but it seemed to work today
And then it’s up the tree and out
Dave asked if I knew the history of the spikes in the tree which are used as a ladder for exiting. I’d always assumed they were placed by Col Oloman who was a bit of a Blue Mountains Canyoning pioneer and Lithgow local but Dave says Col’s notes speak about the spikes already being there.
They look to be railway spikes so perhaps the builders of the 10 tunnels diviation in the early 1900s, or perhaps the original railway prior, were the first white folk to visit this canyon? Seems odd they would be scrambling down here as you can walk in up stream and you can also follow the creek down into Hartley Vale without too much trouble. Maybe surveyors looking at another dam wall lower down?
What we get from this adventure is pure joy.” George Mallory
*Slight detour* in March I am again taking part in the West Cycles Classic to raise money for the Westpac rescue helicopter service. Whether preforming bush rescue, emergency patient transfers, and all the rest no one has ever had to pay to use the helicopter due to public donations. If, like me, you believe this is an invaluable service or if you just enjoy reading my blog think about pitching in with a donation. Large or small every bit counts. follow this link for details 2018 West Cycles
*Slight detour* in March I am again taking part in the West Cycles Classic to raise money for the Westpac rescue helicopter service. Whether preforming bush rescue, emergency patient transfers, and all the rest no one has ever had to pay to use the helicopter due to public donations. If, like me, you believe this is an invaluable service or if you just enjoy reading my blog think about pitching in with a donation. Large or small every bit counts. follow this link for details 2018 West Cycles
*Slight detour* in March I am again taking part in the West Cycles Classic to raise money for the Westpac rescue helicopter service. Whether preforming bush rescue, emergency patient transfers, and all the rest no one has ever had to pay to use the helicopter due to public donations. If, like me, you believe this is an invaluable service or if you just enjoy reading my blog think about pitching in with a donation. Large or small every bit counts. follow this link for details 2018 West Cycles
Anyhoo
I mentioned to the gang I wanted to do Grand at night this year. At some stage me and Ed discussed doing it the Australia day weekend but as he is a new dad I doubted he’d get the leave pass and so I promptly forgot about it.
Then I get a text, Are you doing the Grand Canyon trip tomorrow night? Ethan is keen
I had completely blanked it from my mind. Had no intention of doing it. I thought Ed must have known someone else doing it….
Now I’m keen thou.
A quick text to Mandy and Tal. Tal was a nope. Mandy was keen with a slightly earlier start. We’re in. Then Mandy had to pull out last minute.
Me and Ethan it is.
With dry lightning strikes causing havoc and starting bushfires in a lot of the canyoning belt I was keeping a close eye on both the weather and the Rural Fire Service updates, as well as NP closures but unlike the rest of the canyoning areas Blackheath got a bit of rain out of Thursday’s storm (10mm) and so it was damp and misty in the valley.
The soft afteroon/post-storm light was awesome
We dropped into the canyon around 6:30pm. Thinking by the time we phaff about with photos things would get dark about halfway through
The light was eerie and atmoshperic and awesome
Normally when I try this sort of canyon shot the sky and center is a blaze of washed out over exposure. The light today was something special, very little post editing done hereThe wider bits were still fairly light
The small cascade near the start
Ethan negotiating one of the log jams
Ethan making his way down and the light continues to dropIt really is a stunning slotAgain this shot on a point and click camera would be horibly contrasty in normal light conditions. I could have lightened up the sides a bit but thought why bother, that’s how it looks when you are in there
Ethan contemplating stuff like if snake don’t have eyelids how do they sleep….
In this light it was hard to see with the lights off but even harder with them on as the mist got reflected back in your eyes like driving in fog with high beams
and the moody atmosphere kept getting better. I mean sun beams ar great and all but moonbeams are so chill
Giving the Gand Canyon a Claustral like feel
Um, we are at the last swim…. Depsite the photo phaffing we seem to have come through super quick. We breifly contemplated following the track back to the start and doing it all again but chose the better idea staying in the canyon, reversing it back to the start and coming down again in darkness. Excellent idea Smithers
Side creek near the endback up we go
Darker it gets
It’s like 3 different canyons in the different light traveling different directionsThe glowworms came out to play. they are hard to photo well but the little TG4 does OKA selfie with some glowwormsLooking up through a gap in the canyon walls. What are stars and what are glowworms?
Serveral times we just turned every thing off and sat in silence under the glowworms. It’s a special experienceLeaf tailed gecko spoted by another group who were heading in as we headed out
To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. Lao Tzu
Last time I had done a trip through Ranon canyon Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas were Smooth and Mmmbop was unfortunitely still a thing. A drunken conversation between myself Della and Lerch on the wrong side of 2am saw us up a few hours later working off hangovers in the heat.
It was Lerch’s first big canyon I remember getting to the Junction with Claustral and him asking where the exit was. The look of dejection when I told him it was 2hrs down stream was almost as good as when we got to the top of the camels hump and I pointed out our destination up on Mt Tomah that looked to be separated by another deep chasm and I jokingly said we had come up the wrong ridge…..
Lerch is not a violent man but I think I saw murder in his eyes that day. Luckily he was too stuffed to chase me.
Anyhoo, I had some time off and Kent was out on another one of his multiple day canyon extravaganzas and he happened to be doing Ranon on a day that I could get to. Sweet.
The “normal” entrance to the Claustral system through the Black Hole of Calcutta Falls is spectatualr and all but I always preffered going in via Mistake Ravine and Ranon Canyon. Originally that was probably a snobby thing knowing it was far less visited but it does give you more bang for your buck with some very nice canyon above the junction that gives Claustral a real run for it’s money in terms of greenry. IMO it’s even more fernilicous and still has few signs of visitation.
Anyway there was so much beauty in this trip I think I’ll leave the words to a minimum and let the photos tell the story.
Looking down Mistake Ravine towards the Ranon Brook JunctionTal on a slippry hand over hand into Mistake RavineFerntacious
FerniliciousLike a lost worldSandstone, Sassafras and CoachwoodTal giving Anna some tips on foot placement
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After the junction with Ranon it somehow gets even more ferntacualr
John dropping into RanonFern ceilings are cool
Kent all chilled out and relaxed
Work life ballence or something
Tal resetting after having negociated the deep pool mid abseilAnna on another 2 stage abseil with a deep pool between drops.Kent and James pulling ropesJohn dropping down towards the Claustral junction
James in the slot at the Claustral junctionSun beams in ClaustralLooking out of the Black Hole of Calcutta towards the Ranon Junction. You can make out Anna belaying Kent down the final abseilClaustral CanyonThe Hulks Fist
OK so this location/pose is probably the most snapped shot in any canyon in the Blue Mtns, if not the southern hemisphere. Sure it’s almost getting cliche and is certainly the classic “Claustral photo” but who cares it is such an epic spot. I thought it became “the shot” after it was featured in National Geographic but a quick google informs me that was the next one down which Ed has captured from a slightly different angle for the 2017-18 Ozcanyons banner.
So who first took it? No idea but two of the best comes from Ed and Jake
Anyhoo
Claustral canyon
Claustral is such a great slot, deep and sustained. Unfortunitey in 1982 3 people lost thier lives when they got caught in this section in a severe storm. Between the Black Hole and the Thunder Canyon junction there is little to no refuge in rising water. The Claustral system has a large catchment so it’s important to stay uptodate on weather forcasts and if it looks dicey or you are unsure… Well the canyon will stillbe there next week, next month, next year
Enjoying a bit of sun light
Looking up Thunder canyonMe and Tal go for a quick look up the bottom 100m or so of Thunder. The water is so much colderFrom the Thunder junction down there is a bit of boulder hopping before the canyon closes back in
Tal in the tunnel swim. On my first trip though here it was silted up and was more a shallow wade. Deep and clear todayIn the tunnel swimThe chock stones in the tunnel swim seem so far above you as you swim through but the cliffs above dwarf them
A final swim to the exit spotAnd then it’s up and up and upThough the exit gully, Rainbow Ravine is very pretty itselfLooking across to Mt Banks
in my report on our Claustral trip last year I explained how George Caley thought it would be an easy traverse from Mt Tomah across the “low saddle” to Mt Banks. Without knowledge f the deep canyons, only some of which we had just traversed, it’s easy to see why he had thought that.
Anyway anther great trip with great people, thanks again to Kent of organising.
Anna was pleased that on a canyon trip with 5 blokes no F bombs were dropped. Personally I think she blanked a few out.
Party Size: 6 all experienced
Time:8.5hrs car to car, relaxed pace
Is life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves-Friedrich Nietzsche
Ed, Ethan, Caius, David, Shaz, Tom, Claire, Tillie, Skinny, Dyso and I
For the 3rd year in a row we’ve decided to spend new years day floating down a canyon rather than nursing a hang over (Why can’t we have both? Maybe we do)
Anyhoo this year Tal and Beth both ditched us but Shaz and her kids were back and Skinny and Emily joined us as well.
We opted for the section of the Wollangambe commonly reffered to as the Lower Tourist Section or Wollangambe 2. That’s a little misleading as there are many canyon sections (Including some of the best bits) up stream. It is also reffered to as the Greg section by some of the older bushwalking club stalwarts.
While I’ve done bits and pieces of this section as part of trips to the steeper, narrower, more canyony side canyons I’d never done this bit in it’s entirity on it’s own so I was keen to check it out.
We met at the Fire Shed at the crack of 9:30am. chuck all the gear and most of the people out and then drop cars down at the camp ground in the spirit of being lazy.
The walk in was uneventful, we set a handline on the exposed down climb that had made the news 2 nights before after a seriously under prepared group on a bucks party required rescuing when several members were too worn out/freaked out and couldn’t climb it…. Do your research and go prepaired people
Every one made it down without incident before I told them that story. I reteived the rope and made my way down.
Did I mention the spirit of being lazy? We get to the water and it looks so inviting. People pull out lilos and start huffing and huffing. Me on the other hand had had a brillant idea before leaving that morning. I’d pulled out the soldering iron and rigged a little high volume pump to plug into my MTB light battary.
I had worried it might ruin the serenity of other groups but no one was around and it had most of the lilos up in no time (After some manipulating the cheap pool beds Shaz had got the kids who valves were plastic welded shut). It was certainly less disturbing than listening to a bunch of people hyperventilate trying to blow air into the air beds.
And then we were off
Despite a number of cars at the fire shed and at the camp ground we didn’t see a single group in this section of canyon.
The kids were obviously hating it
I was pleasantly surprised with this bit of the river. There was some nice long pools through some reasonable canyon sections and there seemed to be a bit less boulder scrambling than in the more popular “Upper tourist Section/Wollangambe 1”
Jumping oportunities were propably a bit rarer and harder to get to but that’s OKThe boulder scrambles that were there were generally short and relatively easy, though this one required a precision jump or short hand over hand down a ropeThe cliffs might not be as high but it’s still very niceIt was a crackng dayAnd smaller jumps were available
A narrower canyon sectionThe locals were freindly enoughThe water was divine
The side trip up the bottom end of Whungee Wheengee is well worth braving the colder water for.
Claire wasn’t about to let a bit of cold water deter her from exploringI have no idea why they call this section the “green room”
You can make your way a fair way up Whungee Wheenge but even the first hundred meters or so is worth a look. Walking up it is impressive but when you turn around to come back down the bottom chamber is something else again
Back in the relative warmth of the Wollangambe we sun ourselves a bit then continue down.
By now we’re starting to get a bit peckish but the exit isn’t far down and that’s probably the best lunch beach near here so we keep on going.
Along the way are some fun little chutes
and a bit of portage up the sand dune to the last, and probably most difficult boulder scramble of the tripThe kids handled it with just a little helpAnd a final grand section down past the exit of Waterfall of Moss Canyon
It’s time for a late lunch as we let the floaties deflate, wetsuits dry and bodies warm up
All ready for the haul out
Then it’s a steep climp up through the cliff lines and a longish walk up the ridge, all up gaining about 400m elevation, and back to the camp ground
Party Size: 11 mixed experience
Time: Didn’t really pay attention but I’m guesing around 7hrs relaxed pace
Despite doing the nearby Heart Attack canyon a couple of times for some reason I’d never done Surefire.
Meggsie always said it was his favourite canyon, mind you that was back in the days when you could drop a car on top of the exit ridge and then drive pretty much to the start.
Now there is about a 7km walk in and a 10km walk out.
This is one road closure that frustrates me a bit. I understand closing trails that were becoming rutted out messes but this is a flat ridge top trail with little chance of rutting out. The “End of the World” Lookout at the very end of the trail where Deans Creek Merges with Rocky Creek and they flow into the Wolgan is jaw droppingly awesome. Oh well if you want to see it now it’s a 12km walk each way along a flat dull fire trail so plenty of time to enjoy your wilderness experience i suppose.
Anyhoo.
When Julie asked if I wanted to do Surefire I thought it would be a great way to finish off a big year of canyoning and I jumped at the chance. We met Madie at the Zig Zag, pile gear into her ute and head off for a big day of adventure.
The walk out along the original fire trail is as straight forward as it gets. The 1970 mineral exploration trail that branches off that and leads out to the end of the ridge overlooking the canyon is very overgrown and the start is hard to spot unless you know where to look. We lost the trail a couple of times but the ridge is easy to follow and we’d regain the trail with out too much drama.
At the end of the trail we spend a bit of time looking for the borehole put in by Coalex to confirm mineral reserves in the 70’s. I had driven out here 20+years ago and the stand- pipe at the end of the road was obvious but for some reason we couldn’t find it today.
We did find what I believe is a surveyor’s “Lock Spit” Which would have marked the corner of gridlines on the old map
We scramble down to the cliff line and needed to traverse back and forward a bit to find a ramp that would get us all the way down to the creek. Once down it was a easy stroll down a nice gully until the creek dropped into the dark canyon below.
Looks innocuous enough
We suit up, Madie and I opting to go wetsuits, Julie perhaps smarter in just a shark skin thermal top. It was a tad warm.
Madie on the first abseilJulie happy to be in the canyon
There are 3 or 4 abseils in close succession. Hey Craig get a photo of this. Calls Madie as she turns herself upside down.
I tried a new anti fog cleaner on my camera before I came. Unfortunately it seems to have caused some issues with the focus.
Despite the focusing issues the light in the canyon was superb. I can see why Meggsie liked it so much.
Julie at the top of drop 3
There follows a short walk inter-spaced with some scrambles along a stunning section of canyon.
I guess with the road being closed the long walk in and out has meant the canyon has retained an almost untouched feel to it
And then we came to a section where stick jams create a false floor and there is an anchor set up on a large log wedged across the canyon walls.
Julie on the serene 4th abseilJulie on rope descending into the dark chamberMadie at the top of the 4th abseil
This chamber was dark enough that Madie chose to put her head torch on but just as she began her descent a shaft of light beamed down to illuminate her. It was kinda magical
it had been almost pitch black when me and Julie descendedFluking the light
More glorious canyon continued
Julie in a deep narrow section of canyon
We came to another drop we needed to abseil. Tom’s track notes say it may be able to be downclimbed but we found it very slippery and perhaps the log jammed in the drop had moved… either way we thought it best to rope up.
A short, cold swim through the narrowest bit of canyon followed, the only real swim of the trip.
looking through to Julie on the other end of the swimMadie in the swimMadie emerging from the swim, head torch blazing
from here the canyon opens up slightly but is still high quality
And green
And awesomeAnd grandAnd breath takingAnd stuff
We eventually reach the lunch cave and stop for a well earned bite to eat.
the usual exit is to head back up stream 300m and take and side creek up a gully, perform some dodgy acrobatics to climb out, then wander up through pleasant coachwood forest to regain the ridge top and old fire trail.
I know an easier exit, Julie informs us. 400m downstream is a short steep gully that gives easy access to the top then it’s a short distance up the ridge to the firetrail. We took it 8years ago, much easier.
OK, we make our way down with some boulder hopping and route finding then head up the chosen gully.
The gully wasn’t as quite as simple as promised… Looks like the 8 years since her last visit has filled it with deadfall. Clambering over, through and up it zapped a bit of energy.
Well for me and Julie it did. Madie seems to have an endless supply of energy and positivity so long as there is regular supply of chips and chocolate. That’s pretty… This is fun….Wow, that’s cute….
We come to a short, “interesting” climb up through a hole. I slip up with a little bit of grunting and groaning (It’s been a long time since I considered myself a rock climber) and then drop a rope for the ladies, because that’s the kind of gentleman I am, or sumfink.
Eventually we find ourselves on a wide ledge and Julie leads us back toward the canyon, rather than continuing up the gully.
There’s a old bushwalkers saying around these parts “The Nose always goes… Sometimes.”
We follow Julie back to around the corner to the nose of the ridge past a narrow, steep ramp that might be doable, to a wide ramp with easy walk up access to the top. Works everytime. Occasionally.
The view from the top, down Surefire gully to where it empties into Rocky Creek is top notch and we take a moment to grab a drink and soak in the views.
Now it’s just up this open ridge to the top of the knoll and the old fire trail is just over the other side. Julie explains.
Up we go in high spirits.
Except the knoll has a false summit, and then another, and another…. The higher we go the thicker the scrub gets. I’ve got scratches all over me, Julie is cut to bits, Madie is still smiling and having a great time….
We finally get to the top of the not so grassy knoll and give a sigh of relief at finding the old firetrail.
Now it’s just a 10km boring fire trail slog back to the car.
Let me know when you see the gate. Says Madie at some stage. Oh don’t worry I’ll be whoo-hooing says i
Sometime later, it may have been 1.5hrs it might have been 40 days and 40 nights I kinda lost track of time but eventually I let out a whoohoo.
Madie pushes past me. Race youes to the car. Call she as she breaks into a sprint.
Seriously too much energy… We “let” her win
all in all a big day and a great, if somewhat short, canyon. I’m sure in another week or so I’ll admit the walk in and out was worth it 🙂
Party Size: 3 all experienced
Time:9.5hrs car to car
Doing what you want is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.
Gaz, Lauren, Renee, Jodie, McKennzie, Rob, Sav, Dick, Luke, Swav and me
I think I have mentioned before that Rocky creek canyon is my all time favourite. I’ve no idea how many times I’ve been through but I still get goose bumps every time we get to the spot on the entry track where you start to hear the little waterfall at the start.
Anyhoo
We leave town at sparrows fart and make our way up to the carpark. We are early but there is one other car already there. It looks vaguely familiar but I don’t take a lot of notice as we gear up and swing down the entry track towards Twister (not Sheep dip).
I’m a bit excited.
Wet suits get donned. stuff gets crammed into dry bags. For some reason I always seem to get a lot of go pro footage but not many photos in Twister and the opposite in Rocky but I digress.
Rob double checking where to aim. Yep that big wet bit.
For quiet a few of the group this is their first canyon and despite a few nerves on the jumps the smiles are big
Curro getting into the swing of it.Macca taking the leap with out hesitationSoon she is styling it upLauren was probably the most nervous on the jumps but she didn’t let the nerves get the better of herJump. Slide. Jump. Slide. Repeat. Twister is a hell of a lot of funBut all too soon it’s over and we have a 30min walk down to the Junction where the little stream that the entrance track follows meets with RockyThe soft morning light on the way in promised some thing special once we hit the canyon
Up ahead the waterfall can be heard. My pace quickens. And then Rocky creek comes in on the right and where our little stream meets it it plunges into an inviting slot
I realy can’t describe the feeling I get looking in here. Must be a bit like a coffee addict catching the aroma of the best coffee they have ever smelledIn we goRocky creek never disappoints meIf they thought the water in twister was chilly they are in for a surprise. I feel a bit sorry for curro who was toughing it out in a rash shirt.One of the small drops in the canyonThe swims start short but get longer towards the endAfter a fun constriction the canyon opens up breifly and offers a fun slide or small jump in a sunny poolThe walls soon close in again and up ahead the sun beams look magicalAnd they keep getting betterAnd better
It was about here I walked around the corner and see the light of a camera ahead. Think I might have walkedinto someones carefully composed long exposure shot.
Sorry, calls I, How awesome are these rays.
Is that you Flynny, comes the reply.
Oh Autal. I couldn’t see who it was, how are you mate.
We have a quick chat. He has been in there for a while already and is keen to stay a while longer chasing the changing light. We leave him to his snaps, can’t wait to see them, and continue down.
The soft morning light casts and etherial glow
The lower constriction really is sublimeAnd just before the junction with Budgary( originally Buggery) creek we emerge back into the light.
We do our best to catch a bit of sun to warm ourselves while having a quick snack.
Now it is posible to continue down the creek aways and then climb out via a break in the cliffs then follow the ridges back to the car. I prefer to reverse back up the canyon. In the little time it takes to turn around you can guarantee the light will have changed. Plus you see things you missed on the way down.
We grab packs and head back up the canyon
As I said the light changesAnd you get to experience the canyon from different angles
The sun ray were awesome on the way down but not half and hour later they were on a complete other levelRocky creek canyon dwarfs you, engulfs you and reminds you your troubles aren’t even a blip on the geological time scaleAnd the beams progress from sun to tractorBeam me up, ScottyStep into the lightAlmost need UV protected sunglassesLight behaves both as a wave and a particle and sometimes like a solid bar of awesomeEverytime I turned around I though I have to get a photo of those raysAnd still they got betterI could have stayed here all day. I was wishing I’d set up the camera on a tripod in a time lapse and could just sit and watch it all unfoldThe little TG-4 was pushed to it’s limits with the contrast but did a reasonable jobOk the others are well ahead of me now I tear myself away and continue up the canyon
Renee negotiating on of the little cascades on the way upCurro feeling a tad shivery in his rash shirt by now but not far to goI can see the exit up ahead. I assure himLauren is keen for a swim under the falls
Back where it all began.
All in all a great day out.
With the early start Autal was the only one we saw in the canyon itself. A few groups walking in as we were walking out and a few cars in the car park but much quieter than I thought i would be on such a nice weekend near christmas.
Party Size. 11. 4 experienced 7 beginners though most of them have experince in varying outdoor activities
Time: 4hrs 20min car to car
Rocky creek canyon dwarfs you, engulfs you. Your troubles fade in the face of it’s grandour. They aren’t even a blip on Rockys geological time scale
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.
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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.
Yuri and Chardy on the steep climb up the opposite sideIt’s a short haul up the ridge and before long we are ready to drop into the canyon
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….
One of the awkward overhanging starts made worse by the anchor being faily long and onto small tea tree bushes. Tim warned last tim they had worn through a rope from the anchor bouncing and so Joel and Al rig a bit of a rerouter to make the start easier and save a bit of rope wearAnd while they do that I busy myself snapping pitcures of the arch below meLast time we were here it was later afternoon and the phone photos were very washed out, a still from the go-pro was the best I got. Being here earlier I was hoping for better light but shooting up toward the sky from the small ledge below the arch was still very contrasty. Every now and then the sun would go behind a cloud and I’d click away and hope for the bestMax rappling through the archIt took a bit of editting to knock out the harsh glare but not too shabby considering
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
Looks like you are almost done but 3 or 4 abseils still await
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.
Chardy and Yuri below drop 6 with Tim disappearing down drop 7 in the back groundYuri in the canyon
Tim in the canyonTim the the canyonTim on the Waterfall of MossJoel on the Waterfall of Moss with Al looking onLooking back up the canyon from the junction with the Wollangambe
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.
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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.
Kent, Tim, Ruth, Doug, Sue, Pete, Toby, Scott and Me
When Kent put out the invite for this one I was pretty keen.
The weather forecast improved slightly as the weekend approached and a final check of the radar and 48hr forecast and it looked like we might be missing the deluge that seemed to be about to strike the rest of the state but rain predicted for around 3pm so I headed off nice and early to meet the others who had camped down there.
The usual meet and greet, sorting of ropes and then it was off to pick our way up through the cliff lines.
A Glorious morning looking down the valley from Pearson lookout.
We work our way up towards the base of the cliffs
A weakness in the towering cliff allows us to zigzag up between scrambles as the valley steadily drops away below us
Not quite full on rock climbing, not far off itAnd the views keep getting betterTim on a very exposed step around
A series of ledges guide our way, some ledges wider than others
Sue Negotiates one of the narrower and more exposed ledgesRuth followsToby gets to more solid footingAnd then it’s another tricky verticle scramble
And then we come to the most rock climbesque section. a Scramble up a chute that gets steeper the higher you climb.
It’s easy going except for a couple of moves in the verticle section at the top.
It looks loose so I choose to wait for the others to clear the climb. Tim and Pete get up without issue. However Ruth has a bit of trouble so I scramble up to help her with the foot holds. Tim offers to drop a rope. With a little assistance Ruth gets through the hardest move to where she can sit on a ledge, wedged into a bit of a crack.
ROCK!!!
I look up to see a house brick size rock tumbling toward us. Shit. I tuck in as close to the rockface as I can.
Whack. FUCK! it slams into Ruth’s shoulder and I feel the breese as it tumbles passed.
I’m OK, calls Ruth. My arm’s dead. I need a moment.
ROCK!!!
Fuck I’m on some ballancy footholds. Ruth is wedge into a ledge above. A smaller rock goes whizzing past, thankfully out in space.
No one move up there!!! I call. Just stay still until we are set.
Ruth takes a moment and signals she is fine. Tim drops the rope and she continues up. I scramble up.
Watch your footing, Tim instructs. and if there a loose rocks on the path pick them and put them some where safe.
Thankfully Ruth is OK. Everyone agrees helmets for the walk in are a good idea. The others come up without incident
We continue on. We are at the halfway ledge but from here up the climbing is easier.
Belatedly Toby suggests there is an easier gully just around the corner that bypasses the chute.
Did I mention the viewsMaking our way up the next cliff lineToby and Doug admire the ViewKent does the same for slightly higherKent says he puts a lot of stock into the quality of the lunch spot.
It’s taken us 2hrs to get through the main cliff line. One small line of cliffs to go then we can start to descend into the canyon
Selfie time.Descending a side creek towards the main canyon1 little abseil and some creek walking brings us to the main slotNow that looks worth the effort
Some large, dull coloured yabbiesTim coming into a very pretty tunnel sectionAnd still the long abseils keep coming
SueTim setting up ropesScott
With a bit of a hand some people managed to stay reasonably dry hereAnd still the drops come thick and fast
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And right on cue the heavens openned
Slight drizzle turns is to proper rain and it pisses down. Within a minute what had been barely trickles turn into proper waterfalls.
Geckos make for the safety of higher ground.Out of the constiction and with just one abseil to to go we enjoy the extra beauty the rain bringsTim on the second last abseil
One more spectactular 30m abseil I didn’t manage photo then we make our way down the ridges.
Back to the Capertee
Cycad fruit
Cycad in fruit
Capertee pineapple
And after a 4km trudge up the maintenance trail we are back to camp
Another great day with great people.
Group: All experienced
Timing: 9hrs car to car steady pace.
“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” – Frank Herbert
sleepwhenwearedead 