Shhhh, Don’t mention the names

April 7, 2019April 8, 2019 | flynny101

06-04-2019

With a bunch of bike and family commitments throughout March it’s had been nearly 4 weeks since I managed to get a canyon in. Or is that get in a canyon?

Anyhoo, I was tonguing to get out and I had missed some good trips with some good people so when the mad one said she wanted to do a canyon out in the Northern Wollemi on a weekend I finally had free I begged a leave pass and we started to plan.

Invitations were sent and a few people were keen but in the end most were unable to make it.

Briefly we discussed doing it as a day trip but decided that if we camped at the increasingly popular Dunns Swamp we’d have time to squeeze in another little canyon while we were out there.

Let’s go down one and up the other.

Doesn’t the guide say the other has some abseils?

Pffft, It says 1 abseil or a down climb, how hard could it be.

I first visited Dunns Swamp back around 1992 for wild party, now it’s all families and quiet time, lights out at 10pm and stuff. Camp sites were filling up fast and continued to do so well into the night,

I can see why Shrek liked his swamp. What’s that? You want a trip report based on Shrek quotes? Challenge accepted

We set up camp. This is gonna be fun. We can stay up late, swappin’ manly stories and in the morning, I’m making WAFFLES!

In the morning no waffles were made but we make our way out to the forestry gate. For which I have the combination as it’s part of the bicentennial trail, ‘cept they have changed the locks. This would mean a 10km fire trail slog.

Who are you trying to keep out? Just tell me that, Shrek. Who? ©Madie

Luckily we bought bikes to eat up the first bit of fire trail. Now we are getting somewhere!

Before people get their knickers in a knot about mountain biking in a Wilderness area the trail is part of the Bicentennial National trail on which cycling is approved
https://www.bicentennialnationaltrail.com.au/discover-the-bnt/ section 10

Sometime later we ditch the bikes and do the last bit on foot. I’d driven across this fire trail in dads jeep in about 86, it’s a stunning bit of the world.

We had next to zero info on the first canyon but it looked like we needed to get through some complicated clifflines to reach it. In the end with some less than attentive navigation it was fairly simplez, we just walked around until we found it

I just know, before this is over, I’m gonna need a whole lot of serious therapy. Look at my eye twitchin
©Madie

You can’t tell me you’re afraid of heights!

I wasn’t expecting much of a canyon but it had some really nice bits.

Go over there and see if you can find some stairs.

I wish I had a step right here, I could step here and here and here and step all over it. ©Madie

What’s that? It’s hideous?
Well, that’s not very nice! It’s just a d̶o̶n̶k̶e̶y̶ …. I mean broad tailed gecko. I called him Clingey McClingcling

Parfait’s gotta be the tastiest thing on the whole damn planet

Squeezey squeezes was a theme for the day. Just through here the first canyon opened up ©Madie

Then it was down to the main creek for lunch in the dappled sunlight. Now to reverse the next one. Some of you may die, but its a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

We follow the creek up. It may have been easier to head up the nose for a bit. @Madie

Don’t die… And if you see any long tunnels, stay away from the light.

Man, you gotta warn somebody before you crack one like that. ©Madie

Got my stoke on. That’ll do, Donkey. That’ll do ©Madie

Oh and it is LOVELY. You know, you’re really quite a decorator. It’s amazing what you’ve done with such a modest budget.
I like that boulder. That is a NICE boulder.

Look at that. Who’d wanna live in a place like that?

this isn’t right. You’re meant to charge in, sword drawn, banner flying

Wait a minute, I know what’s going on. You’re afraid of the dark.

And then we are at the top looking back down and it’s time to head home

Please. I don’t wanna go back there. You don’t know what it’s like to be considered a freak… Well, maybe you do, but that’s why we gotta stick together. You gotta let me stay!

Female and male golden Orb weavers with plenty of tucker to keep them going, I never realised they spun yellow silk until Madie pointed it out

Party Size: 2

Time: 7hr (and 2 minutes) car to car being fairly quick on the fire trail with few stops but lots of faffing in the canyons themselves

I’m not allowed the mention the canyons by name for fear of the canyon illuminati kid-napping me and beating me senseless. 1 source of info said we wouldn’t need wetsuits but I’m glad we took them as the second canyon was fairly cold and sustained. Good thing we didn’t wait until mid(dle of) winter to do it.

All in all it was another good day in the bush in a beautiful part of the world. After some late summer rain it sure was green up there on the hills

Collect experiences not things

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Glen Davis in the heat

December 31, 2018June 1, 2020 | flynny101

30-12-2018

Madie, Viacheslav, Kents Crew and meeee

This was another one people rave about. The canyon has 4 or 5 branches that all contain good quality canyons. The 2nd branch, or B branch, is one I had wanted to do for a while and one I had built up in my mind so when Kent put it on during a 5 day trip to Glen Davis I jumped on it.

Madie met me at my place early and we drove on down to meet up with the others. A quick meet and greet, ropes sorted packs on and we are away.

For the first part of the walk in we’d traverse the southern cliff line and then up into the bottom of the canyon so had bits of shade in between the baking heat.

The cool shade at the bottom of the canyon was a welcome haven and we took the opportunity for morning tea and a quick dip to cool off. Then it was back into the heat up the other side.

While the scrub was quite thick at times it offered little shade and so it was with a bit of relief, 5hrs after leaving the cars we reach the top of the canyon and wasted no time dropping in for lunch in the cool confines.

Madie, me and Slavr then went ahead to explore the canyon and set ropes while the others followed passing ropes forward as needed.

We soon came to the junction with 1 or A branch and explored up it aways. I failed to get up this little waterfall, Madie decided to show me how easy it was….

Every time you think it’s about to open out… Boom there’s more

The water was a bit odd. It went from black to crystal clear to murcky brown and back in between disappearing for long stretches all together

We must be at the end now….. Nope

And then, just after I began to think the canyon would go forever we round a corner and we are back at the morning tea spot.

What an awesome day full of challenges, wild beauty and great people. A great way to finish off 2018 outdoorsP

Time: 11hr car to car. The fluctuation between heat stroke and hypothermia taking its toll a bit

So what did I think of it? The people I had spoke to about it invariably rated it “Best ever” or “Top 5”. Whether the low water levels affected my views I cant say but too be honest I wouldn’t put it in the same category as Claustral or Rocky Creek as far as jaw dropping beauty nor would I rate it on the bang for buck and out and out fun scale as high as Whungee Wheengee or Danae Brook but for complexity, length of constrictions and true untouched wilderness feel it’s certainly up there.

It’s a true canyoners canyon. Tricky Nav, obstacle after obstacle to figure out in a constriction that just seems to go and go and go and get better as it goes… I’d def do it again but maybe not when it was so hot and maybe I’d wait until just after a bit of rain.

Don’t waste time waiting on sometime. Get out there now.

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*March 2019 I am once again participating in the Wests Cycle Classic to raise money for the Westpac rescue helicopter. If you enjoy my blog or just want to help this great cause think about making a small donation

Glen Davis revisited

June 16, 2018June 19, 2018 | flynny101

16-06-2018

Dick, Madie, Edwin, Ethan, Autal, Marchelle, Slava, and most importantly Ev.

Oh and me.

With tight schedules we managed to get in another trip into the Capertee valley to visit A classic Glen Davis slot. This time we’d forego the climbing route for the quicker “Scrambling” route.

Or atleast that was the plan

The scrambling route has some exposure to it.

Exposure can do funny things to people.

One member of the group, who is a competent climber and who shall remain nameless, got a bit freaked out and we ended up roping up and belaying anyway.

Ev rocketted up the snotty chute of snottness (Where I’d had a BLM, Bowel Liquifying Moment, on a trip to a different canyon) and dropped a rope down to assist every one else.

We all got up safely.

It’s easy scrambling but on flakey rock and you are along way up. Nice views but

Ethan on a narrow, sloping ledge High above the Capertee valley with Point Anderson, Canobla gap and Mt Gundangaroo in the distance

Marchelle on the “Non-Climbing” route ©Madie

Madie about to start a hair raising traverse along a ledge that is at times not much more and 6inches wide.

P6160022-1 (4) — The wider part of the Ledge

The chute. I’m told there is a way around this but I couldn’t see it. I think maybe if we stayed lower and traverse a bit… maybe

Anyhoo we all make it up and in short time are back to doing what we like to do best. Coming back down.

Marchelle belaying Slava on Nivana’s Heart Shaped Rock

She is a little shy but with some coaxing we got her to pose…. Madie

And then we were into the slot proper

I’m becoming a photo nerd and loving the colours

Despite being careful at the top it seems the knot has jammed.

We try backwards and forewardsing it. We try setting a Z line from different angles and it just would not budge

Meat anchored Z-pull to try and get the rope to come down… ©Madie

I stuff around trying to remember how Guy showed me to set up a super quick, efficient way to prusik but failed to remember a key aspect and Ev got sick of my fumbling, pushed me to the side and rigged up the old fashion way. And up she went. 30m of over hanging prusiking , fix the rope and back down in 20min. Top effort.

P6160375-1 (1).jpg — Ev prusiking ©Autal

Ev is everyones hero after rescuing the ropes. Thanks Ev, massive effort.

And then we are out into the open for 1 last impressive abseil

Slava beneath some spectacularly coloured cliflines

Ethan on the final abseil ©Edwin Emmerick Photography

And then it was a simple trudge back down to the camp ground. Another enjoyable day in the bush with great company

The cliffs we had scaled and the slot we had descended

Group size: 8 all experienced

Time: 5hr 45min car to car which is only 40min shorter than when we had the big group and did the climbing route which just goes to show large groups can be quick and efficient….. and, Kent is the consummate ring leader

Don’t be another flower. Picked for your beauty and left to die. Be wild, difficult to find, and impossible to forget: Erin Van Vuren

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I have a bit of video but I haven’t looked at it yet. I have some prusiking to practice

A Glen Davis Adventure

July 31, 2017August 4, 2017 | flynny101

29/07/2017

Kent, Tim and their band of merry adventurers.

Glen Davis is a bit of a canyoners paradise. A quick scan of the clifflines shows slots carving through the sandstone pretty much everywhere you look. Yet being a bit further from Sydney the canyons are less frequented than those in the Blue Mountains or over the hill in the Wolgan. Publicised track notes are also scarce and getting up through the cliff lines takes a good bit of route finding, navigation and rock scrambling (if not outright climbing) skills.

All of this means the canyons here retain a bit more of a wild, explorationy feel. It is an epic location.

When Kent sent out an invitation to do the Coin Slot lets just say I was keen as mustard.

it was going be a large group but the plan was to split into smaller groups and take different routes up. Just about every one was carrying ropes and the first group to get to the canyon would set the ropes and the last group would retrieve them before we all met at the base of the last abseil.

I pick up Peter and Ben and we meet the others at Capertee. I’m so use to pulling into the car park, grabbing packs and heading off. This standing around socialising is a all a bit of a novelty.

We roll down into Glen Davis and regroup. More socialising. This is going to be a relaxing day. or is it?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — The narrow slot in the shadow centre of shot is our goal. First though we somehow need to get up through those cliff lines.

Big groups are often hard to get organised but Kent is the consummate ring master and he gathers everyone together, gives the spiel on how the day is to go and splits us into our group. Climbers here, scramblers there. and we’re off.

The groups soon spread out on the haul up the steep fall zone to the base of the cliffs

We gain a lot of elevation quickly but the clifflines still tower above us and the route is not overly obvious.

We harness up. The first pitch is pretty simple. 1 balancey move as you step across a gap and you’re basically up. Autal makes short work of it and I follow him and set ropes. the rest of the group will be roped up. Ruth joins me to haul packs while I belay the others as they climb up one by one.

With everyone up it’s a traverse along a narrow ledge with stunning views before we wind our way up and onto a sucession of ledges.

coin slot-4.jpg — I think I spent most of my day capturing this view from different vantage points

The zig zagging route takes us through some stunning erosion caves with sands of different colours and textures.

coin slot-6.jpg — Working our way up through zig zagging ledges beneath erosion caves.

I’m caught up in the experience and am snapping photos of the views.

Craig and James we need you guys up this bit next to set ropes on the last pitch. Calls Kent. Apparently we are the “climbers” in the group.

The next pitch is fairly simple as far as technicality goes. Someone has already managed to get up and so the rope is set by the time I get there. Again one or two moves that are difficult more from the exposure than the moves themselves. We are now along way up. Maybe 50 meters above the base of the cliff, which itself is a hundred meters or so above the river so it becomes a head game.

One step out then up and around. Foot holds are solid and plentyiful but at one stage the hand holds are slopers. I get up and replace Kent who has been on top belay. He goed ahead and direct people through the next section.

I take over rope duties to belay others us to a small ledge below the final climbing pitch. Trust your feet, says I more then once.

Over the radios we hear the first group has already made it to the canyon. With a small group of experienced climbers this route would be quick and easy. The size of our group has definitely slowed things down but we are not in a hurry and it’s all part of the experience and the views were breath taking on a stunning winters day.

A bit of a bottle neck is forming on the small ledge between these two pitches. James has managed to free solo the next pitch and drop a rope down and so he starts belaying others up the last pitch as I bring the last of the group up mine.

The last pitch is the longest we’ll do, maybe 6 or 7 meters, it’s only about grade 9 or 10 but again you are a long way up and it seems like there is nothing but air between your feet and the river several hundred meters below. It’s an awe inspiring place to be.

coin slot-9.jpg — The nose always goes: Sometimes.

coin slot-11.jpg — Trust your feet. Nichole on the second of the roped pitches

The last pitch starts on small holds and foot placements are smeers more than anything. But with a bit of assistance on the first meter or two everyone gets over it and from there the climb is pretty simple. As people top out they head off towards the canyon. By the time I’m up and James coils the rope it’s just the two of us.

Sue and Sonya wait for us at one of the turns and Kent waits to lead us through the final bit of scrub. The first group have left ropes set up so all we need to do is head on in and retrieve ropes as we go. So despite the big group we were spread out and you were only ever in groups of two or three with little to no waiting at the abseils. The groups chopped and changed a bit as people waited to help cart ropes out and others went ahead.

coin slot-13.jpg — James dropping into the creek

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Click images to enlarge

The unique heart shaped chock stone is the iconic image of this trip. it’s a nice drop and you don’t notice the shape until you look back up from just down stream.

And then the creek drops down into an stunning dark slot.

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click to enlarge

It was here we struck the only glitch in the smooth running of the day. The rope refused to pull.

Kent scrambled up the bottom drop, throwing himself backward over the lip, legs akimbo. I’ve heard of looking up old friends but that was a bit much. Nichole averted her eyes…

Trying different angles the rope still wouldn’t budge. I climb up to Kent and between our combined weight of mumblemumble kilos and a bit of backwards and forwards on the different rope ends we manage to free it with out needing to resort setting up Z lines or the like.

The biggest hold up of the descent, 15min freeing a jammed rope. Not too shabby.

Just around the corner it looks as though the slot is finished but it wasn’t done with yet and the best was yet to come.

The “Coin slot” abseil it breath taking. A scramblie start then down through a hole and the bottom of the world seems to fall out from under you. It looks and feels far higher than it is. I lock off to try and get a photo looking down but as I take my top hand off the rope I start to swing back…. Um normally on a big drop my pack is pretty much empty. As rope mule this time around I have 2 60m ropes in there. Lesson learnt. I quickly grab the rope as a guide and continue down. Photos can wait.

Oh did you notice the faces in the rock?

faces

And still we weren’t done.

coin slot-29.jpg

coin slot-32.jpg — Sue bridging out to get to the final anchor

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Click images to enbiggen

With the group back together for the first time since we left the cars we dolled out ropes and head off back down the hill.

All in all an enjoyable day with a great bunch of people.

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Group size: Large but spread out with lots of ropes and capable leaders

Time: About 6.5hr car to car with bottle necks on the climbs

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of
changing himself.”
Leo Tolstoy

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	flynny101 on Whungee Wheengee woohoo
	Evan S on Whungee Wheengee woohoo
	Jeanette Learned on Wollangambe Fire trail
	flynny101 on Wollangambe Fire trail
	Jeanette Learned on Wollangambe Fire trail

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blue, mts, canyon, canyoning, mtb, mountain bike, gardens of stone, Lithgow

capertee

Shhhh, Don’t mention the names

Glen Davis in the heat

Glen Davis revisited

A Glen Davis Adventure