mountains

South Bowen, upper

| flynny101

Upper upper. Like, the very top bit.

08-04/2023

Kylie and meeeee

It’s been a while since I’ve organised an obscure trip.

Others take the piss out of my scrub bashes to shit canyons but I get a kick out of checking out places the majority wouldn’t bother with.

So when we were thinking about what to do and South Bowen formed up as the front runner I suggest how about we go in fro the top.

Not that’s it’s overly obscure, for as long as I can remember David Noble has been commenting that people miss 3 or 4 canyon sections by going in the “standard” entry.

Still upper sections tend to be hit and miss so I wasn’t expecting high quality but they are all worth doing once.

The only hitch was the car shuffle. We didn’t have a second car.

Let’s just do the top and scramble out the Cork Screw entrance. Says I. That way it’s only a 2km walk back up the highway and we can do that first.

Deal.

We pick one of the branches below Mt Wilson turn off and make our way in. It was scrubby on the spur and muddy in the creek line.

Like scrubby scrub and muddy mud

But it’s only a short bash to the first canyon section. And it’s surprisingly high quality.

And once we got to the junction with the “standard” entry we reversed back up the Cork Screw section and found a break in the cliffs to scramble up.

Party size:2

Time: 4.5hrs car to car.

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Wayper

| flynny101

17-3-23

Jason, Russ, Madie, Leo and me

It’s late, very late as we find somewhere to pitch tents. There excitement in the air and a bit of a buzz as you get after a long drive for adventure.

We have an early start so it’s pretty up straight to bed to find some sleep.

We’ve come north to the hills inland of Coffs Harbour with grand plans but the weather is fickle. Rain through the week has the creeks pumping.

The big canyons are heavy.

The water is dropping each day but still they are heavy.

With this in mind we opt to start with Wayper. It’s relatively high in the catchment so unlikely to be a handful

We hit the creek a little too high up and begin boulder hopping down stream

Creek walking and boulder hopping become the theme of the day.

The water is fairly tame and there are some nice falls at this level

And lots of creek walking and boulder hopping in between

It reminds me a bit of Dione Dell
with a bit of swimming
At least it had some cool jumps.
But it was stinking hot and there was a lot of creek walking between the gooder bits

I’m not going to mention the abseil where I came last only to realise I’d left my bag up top.

The awkward over hanging start made it challenging to get back up. But a bit of creative thinking and a foot loop got me there.

We do the final abseil and decide to beat a retreat straight up a scree gully to hit an old logging track.

The leaches are tenacious up here. My ankle itches but we haul out.

At one point I liken the trip to Dione Dell with a Danae exit.

But it’s hotter than a Lithgowite is use to and there may be another reason I find the exit a tough slog.

Kylie greats is at the car park and we decide to head to Dorrigo because all we want and all we need is a good a pub feed.

And there’s options to chase a bit more water

To be continued.

Hole in the Wall.

| flynny101

11-03-2023

Russ, Aimee and me

Anyone want to go canyoning?

Sure!

And thus we find ourselves navigating our way around the chemical weapons clean up and start walking out the fire break along Waratah ridge amid banter and laughing.

And before too long we are suiting up and entering the canyon
It’s quiet nice.
I always forget just how spectacular the top section is

And I also forget the length of the walk betwix it and the bottom section …

Aimee entering the bottom section. The log has moved so now it’s a much easier start. That log had been there as long as I can remember. It’s now further down the chamber. Testament to the power of the recent floods
Wrong time of year for a massive glowworm display but still… glowworms!
and if I’m ever not awed by glowworms slap me hard

The cave has silted up again meaning it’s a walk through to the squeeze out again.

It’s pretty choked up. Says Russ. I’m not sure we’ll get through.

Ah, that old chestnut.

Wait. I can see a bit of light. and up he squeezes.

I’m not sure of the sense of leaving the fat guy until last but Aimee follows him and I push my pack through to her and think skinny thoughts as I wiggle my self up and out

Then the hole abseil is awkward and holey again
Hole in the Wall, the sun really does shines out it’s arse
I don’t want to get into the whole bolt debate but for me the problem solving aspect has alway been a big part of the appeal of Blue Mountains canyoning. So needing to think about and improvise anchors was a pleasant change to what has become the norm in the more popular “trade routes”
And far too soon we are swimming up the Bungleboori North branch/*hackspit* Dingo creek.
Excuse me, I’ve been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty…..

Chase your stars, fool. Life is short

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Ranon Brook

| flynny101

14-01-2023

It occurred to me I hadn’t done anything biggish for a bit. Nor had I lead anything I’d not done before for a while. Nor had I done the top of Ranon Brook ever.

Time to amend that.

The track notes said to follow the ridge so of course I headed straight down into the creek, joining it just below the feeder swap.

I don’t think Kylie was that impressed but the walking in the creek was mostly pleasant with occasional bits of cutty scrub

There were some nice bits of crystal clear water.
And soon the creek dropped into a stunning little canyon
Happy smiles
Abseil into a pool, swim across and abseil out is a bit of a theme in Ranon

But it’s only short and a bit more creek walking gets us the the junction with Mistake Ravine and into familiar territory

It was a busy day in The main canyon sections.
These tip top Canberrians let us go throu on their rope and caught back up a couple of times through out the day. oddly were the only other group we saw once we got to Claustral
Kylie in the slot above the Claustral junction
And into Claustral.
Just in time for sunbeams
Mandatory hulks fist
And National Geographic shot
And more sun beams
And standard Claustral gorgeousness

Another great day out with great company, somehow missing the crowds.

It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done: Terry Pratchett

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Yileen

| flynny101

04-04-2022

The Mad One and meeeee

Something weird was happening.

It wasn’t raining..

An after work run through Yileen seemed like just the thing for a Monday afternoon

Probably should have invited the others.

We were pulling into the carpark.

If you run you’ll catch us. Madie messages the group implying I’m slow or sumfink

Blue bird day

We make our way in and nearly step on a Red Belly Black no-bop-noddle just as it canyons up.

Yilleen isn’t that deep as far as canyons go but it always seems to surprise me at how pretty it is. ©Madie
©Madie
©Madie
I’ve still only ever done 2 abseils in Yileen. I know some people abseil this and that’s fair enough but I still don’t know where they get the 4th…. ©Madie
©Madie
©Madie

And then we get to the end with it’s awesome views into the Grose and a 55m abseil to finish.

The anchor looked a little M. E. H. Meh. so we spend time to back it up and then Madie goes.

I jump on rope, work my way down the boulder and do a final check before going over the lip.

Hmmm

That’s my bag up there next to the anchor with the pull cord in it…

I go back up and grab my bag. Then instead of feeding the rope out of the bag on the way down like a normal person I decide to feed it all out now…

What happens next we shall never speak of again but some time slightly longer than it should have taken me I’m down.

©Madie

“If happiness is the goal – and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.” – Richard Branson

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Arethusa, again

| flynny101

02/04/22

Madie, Kylie, Russ and meeeeee

It had been 5 weeks since I have done a canyon!!!

Sure I’d done a heap of other cool stuff in mean time but I was itching to get back out.

Wanna do Arethusa?

Does the pope shit in the woods…. wait, um, that’s not it. I mean, hell yeah

So the top photo is my Bestards, renownly awesome boots for Blue Mtns style canyons. On the bottom are my skeches renownly comfy for old men but super slippery. I had the bestards out ready to go with my wet suit booties. Guess which shoes I put on that morning.

Anyhoo we meet up. Head in and gear up.

So yeah 5 weeks since last canyon but more like 9 since I was last on a rope . I may have been a little excited
and before long we are into it

It’s a big call but Imma call it anyway, Arethusa is the best bang for buck micro adventure in the Blue Mountains.

All thrilla no filla. Beautiful canyon sections with minimum creek walking. Pretty waterfall and cascades. Abseils that can be techie unless it’s supper low water levels. Interesting down climbs with optional jumps. Stunning views at the end. And some easy but adventurous climbing to get out.

Some extra bolts have appeared recently and I would caution people to assess the landingzones. We scrambled/walked past most (all) of them simply because it was quicker and easier (even in the slipperiest-shoes-known-to-man(tm). OK I had a few moments but none of them near the optional abseil bolts) but one anchor in particular looked like it would drop you into recirculating water at the flow level we did it in. At lower levels (and maybe higher levels) it mightn’t be an issue but today we looked and said nope to that.

So make sure you assess things yourself rather than just blindly follow. And that goes for all canyons. We got use to the low water levels during 10years of drought, now they are flowing again reassess things.

but anyhoo I have done write ups of Arethusa before here and here, so enjoy the photos (none of which are mine so ©Madie ©Russ and ©Kylie.)

Madie checking out an alternate rap to avoid the pot hole in the waterfall
The girls wondering if I’ll make it across the gap in the slipperiest-shoes-known-to-man(tm)

https://youtube.com/shorts/A9ExmCQuWqw?feature=share

Same spot a couple of years ago different water level
She’s a pretty canyon

meat anchors are me
Frothy

And then it’s time to climb out, well it’s time for Madie to climb out and haul the rest of us up or sumfink

the crew
it’s best not to ask

Of course I’m sane, when trees start talking to me, I don’t talk back: T Pratchett Well Ok sometimes I do: Flynny

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A Grand afternoon outing

| flynny101

29/10/2020

Madie, Leo, Quinton, Lucie and meeeee

Hey Flynny are you working today?

It wasn’t the first time adventure buddies had asked that question about today. Unfortunately for outdoor opportunities, I was

Oh… Wanna do a canyon when you finish?

Yes indeedelly doodally I do.

A few options were thrown about and we kept and eagle eye on the weather, both in real time outside and on windy.com.

It was a day of misty rain, squalls and sunshine. And storms were brewing across the northern Bluies

With that in mind we opted for a quick stroll through The Grand canyon.

At the right time on a bright sunny day Grand will usually dazzle you with sunbeams, at night it gifts you with glowworms and, in the soft twilight on a misty day its beauty is almost mythical.

Once again we were packing light and I didn’t take a camera so all photo credits to Madie.

Leo is a blur as he fixes the ropes
Me and Quinton making our way down stream
Lucie in the canyon with diamonds, or with Leo or sumfink. The little side waterfalls were magical
Not saying he is Jesus but that pool is knee deep…
We move like cagey tigers…. I mean, It is so wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully pretty
Yabbies and rainbow trout were spotted but no eels this time around
The good sort of isolation

And soon we reach the end and jog back along the top to collect the rope then make our way back up to reality.

Party size: 5

Time ~2hours car to car

It’s the grooviest thing, It’s the perfect dream:- The Cure

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The Eyrie

| flynny101

22-01-2020

After our (my) botched attempt prior to new years we had to go back an do it properly.

For such an easy climb it has a lot of atmosphere

  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie
  • ©Madie

Life is like a box of chocolates: It doesn’t last long if you’re fat: Joe Lycett.

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