Archived trip from old website run by joshbax189
Last time we didn't make it but this time we will!
Expect hair-raising descents, thick scrub and lawyer vine. I've heard the Ruined castle is ok though.
From Katoomba, we'll head out along the firetrail on Narrow Neck peninsula. At Bushwalkers hill we head East and descend down Wall's pass to traverse under the cliff line.
** WARNING **
Wall's pass is a VERY STEEP descent down a 10m chain. It is VERY EXPOSED, you must have a head for heights. For comparison, the climbing wall at the gym is roughly 8m high.
Nevertheless it is possible to do it using only the chain, it is off-vertical with regular ledges that can be used for breaks, it is roughly on par, or easier than the scrambling to get to the Castle in the Budawangs.
As we will have overnight packs we will use a rope to lower the packs separately.
Once below the cliffs we traverse thick scrub to a small, difficult to find gully which leads to a small creek bed. Apparently navigation down this slope is difficult and if pressed for time we may camp near the creek bed
(see Wall's pass track notes for camp cave location). In that case we will walk out via Ruined Castle and the Golden Stairs the following day.
Hopefully though, we will make it to Ruined Castle and can continue from there to find camp on Mt Solitary.
If we have the numbers for a car shuffle we can traverse the valley the next day, otherwise we will follow the tourist track back to the golden stairway and the start point.
Logistics:
We will already be in Katoomba, so you will need to make your own way there, hence this trip will only be possible if a second driver signs up.
Pre-trip will be on Monday night at Coffee Grounds at 5.30pm
Distance: 20km+, Ascent: 1000m+
Map: Jamison 1:25,000
References:
Wall's pass: http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=805
Mt Solitary: http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=237
As above
Last time we didn't make it but this time we will!
Expect hair-raising descents, thick scrub and lawyer vine. I've heard the Ruined castle is ok though.
From Katoomba, we'll head out along the firetrail on Narrow Neck peninsula. At Bushwalkers hill we head East and descend down Wall's pass to traverse under the cliff line.
** WARNING **
Wall's pass is a VERY STEEP descent down a 10m chain. It is VERY EXPOSED, you must have a head for heights. For comparison, the climbing wall at the gym is roughly 8m high.
Nevertheless it is possible to do it using only the chain, it is off-vertical with regular ledges that can be used for breaks, it is roughly on par, or easier than the scrambling to get to the Castle in the Budawangs.
As we will have overnight packs we will use a rope to lower the packs separately.
Once below the cliffs we traverse thick scrub to a small, difficult to find gully which leads to a small creek bed. Apparently navigation down this slope is difficult and if pressed for time we may camp near the creek bed
(see Wall's pass track notes for camp cave location). In that case we will walk out via Ruined Castle and the Golden Stairs the following day.
Hopefully though, we will make it to Ruined Castle and can continue from there to find camp on Mt Solitary.
If we have the numbers for a car shuffle we can traverse the valley the next day, otherwise we will follow the tourist track back to the golden stairway and the start point.
Logistics:
We will already be in Katoomba, so you will need to make your own way there, hence this trip will only be possible if a second driver signs up.
Pre-trip will be on Monday night at Coffee Grounds at 5.30pm
Distance: 20km+, Ascent: 1000m+
Map: Jamison 1:25,000
References:
Wall's pass: http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=805
Mt Solitary: http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk.php?nid=237
As above
Trip category
Bushwalking
Date and Time
—
Estimated Costs
None