We will be jointly hosting a big canyoning trip at Mt. Wilson for all skill levels, with attendance from ANUMC, NUCC, SUSS, and UNSW. It will be an opportunity to meet folks from other clubs, share techniques, and just have a good time out canyoning.
The plan is to run a mix of beginner-friendly trips and more advanced trips, with numbers and specific plans pending signups. We will arrive at Cathedral Reserve Camping Grounds on Friday night, and expect everyone to be ready to leave camp at 8am on Saturday and Sunday since the canyons are long and it’s important to have enough daylight.
What to expect for the day:
Most canyons will be 6 or more hours of continual physical exertion and scrambling over about 8km distance, the last part being between 250m and 500m of vertical ascent out of the canyon. Wetsuits are strongly recommended for most canyons, even on warm sunny days as the sun doesn’t reach down into the spectacular slot canyons. There will likely be some horizontal (no abseil) canyon trips run, and some trips without swims, but many canyons in the area require abseil experience and moderate swimming capacity.
What to expect at camp:
The Cathedral Reserve Camping Grounds is free and no bookings are required. There are toilets, tank water (not suitable for drinking but can be boiled or used for other purposes), fireplaces, picnic tables and garbage bins. Remember to bring your own drinking water, warm clothes (it gets cold at night), toilet paper and your own camping gear. Fires may or may not be permitted pending fire season.
Experience:
Please let us know your canyoning experience and whether you’d like to lead a trip, or if there are any specific canyons in that area you’re especially keen on. You must also let us know BEFORE the trip if you can swim, and your swimming capacity. Please also note previous vertical experience, be that climbing, caving, canyoning, abseiling, or something else.