Thankfully, the rain held off until mid-afternoon which was a bonus, but the constant up-hill was tedious and we were taking lots of stops. From Mt Cloudmaker, head NE on a vague track that traverses the northern flank of the summit ridge to its eastern end, before dropping off to the north down to Dex Creek at MGA401416. The off to Mt Cloudmaker and down to set up camp on Mt Stormbreaker. It offers expansive and majestic views over the Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, which - as its name suggests - is often ensconced in the fog. Towards the end of the day, it was my unquenchable thirst for water which caused me to rush down the slopes of Mount Cloudmaker in order to find the closest stream. Or continue on down a short set of steps to the lookout platform for an even better view. Another challenge of this walk is the descent of Tarros Ladders, which is a cliff face with metal spikes in them which you use as handholds and footholds to descend. Great trip - I thoroughly enjoyed the company and being in the wilderness. 31/5/03 - 1/6/03. This long climb brings you to Mt Strongleg, from where it is still quite a long walk on a stony path that is faint in places to reach the Gangerang Plateau and some beautiful views. The hike itself is a three day circuit starting at Kanangra Walls, down the Gingra Ridge to the Kowmung River, up to 100 Man Cave via Compagnoni Pass and the Ti Willa Plateau before returning to Kanangra Walls via Mount Cloudmaker and Mount Stormmaker. a day walk, we set off to get the car shuffle out of the way. Stop at the top of the steps and peer out over Kanangra Deep to Kanangra Walls, and in the distance, Mount Cloudmaker, which is often circled by mist. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek (13km, 400m ascent), Day 2: Dex Creek to Mt Strongleg to Mobbs Swamp (16km, 650m ascent), Day 3: Mobbs Swamp to Medlow Gap to Katoomba (16km, 300m ascent), For detailed trip notes, visit Bushwalking NSW. RM2B9028G - 'English: Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Boyd National Park, NSW, Australia. [5], About 1,000 flowering plant species occur in the Blue Mountains, in some 40 plant communities. For the fishing enthusiasts, trout can be caught along Kowmung River and, for the adventurous, canyoning is popular during the warmer months. biggest descent of the day, down to Gabes Gap, and from there it was all Then we meandered along the Kilpatrick Causeway to Crafts Wall, Looking forward to more! Generally considered a challenging route. We got there first, but by the time we started collecting a meagre supply Kanangra Walls Craft's Wall Mt Berry Mt High and Mighty Mt Storm Breaker Rip Rack Roar and Rumble Mt Cloudmaker Dex Creek Morilla Marloo Mt Strongleg Cox's River . 100 Man Cave to Kanangra Walls via Mt Cloudmaker Distance: 13km. River flats on the Coxs River. A lovely overnight walk in a beautiful national park, and great company from the welcoming groupof SBW walkers. were about eight tents in five separate groups set up. . If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. Situated to the south of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains and the Kanangra-Boyd National Parks, this folded belt or "Rim Rock" area is markedly different from the Permo-Triassic sandstone dominated landforms which comprise the rest of the Blue Mountains. The southern rim of Crafts Wall is very overgrown and requires bush bashing. Let someone know before you go. The walk is best done in the cooler months, as there are plenty of ups and downs, and limited water options along the way. Take a virtual tour of Kanangra-Boyd lookout captured withGoogle Street View Trekker. The first day is the longest in distance of the entire walk. fell outside. Two of the features most spoken of in the Kanangra-Boyd National park are the Kanangra Falls and Kanangra Walls. The view here is excellent, but is unfortunately marred by the electricity line that runs across Little Cedar Gap. For details on how to get to Kanangra Walls, see the information in the Kanangra Walls region, to the right. Kanangra to Katoomba - Athol Abrahams (SUBW), Kanangra to Katoomba - Australian Plants Online, Kanangra to Katoomba - David Thurstun (SUBW), Kanangra to Katoomba - Shoalhaven Bushwalkers, Kanangra to Katoomba - Horst Bardhof (archive.org). which was clear on the map. Today there would scarcely be a peak, ridge, spur or valley visible from any vantage point along the entire route that I have not personally been to. This is a true wilderness experience that will take you into some of the most spectacular wilderness of NSW. On Day 2 we will do a relaxed day walk over Ti Willa Plateau to 1000 Man Cave. An overnight trip toMt Cloudmaker sleeping in Hundred Man Cave, Kanangra Boyd National Park, in April was the last of myqualifying walks to become a member ofSBW. There are numerous routes that can be taken. way to the top of the ridge. This will be arranged by me as part of my service to you. Cloudmaker and Guouogang are eroded remnants of Ordovician quartzite. Avoid a turn off to the right to Dance Floor Cave and ascend a short climb on to the plateau proper. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. If it is not practicable for you to do training bushwalks prior to this trip then any form of long walk with as much hill climbing and descending as you can practicably manage would place you in good stead for this trip. Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. Learn how your comment data is processed. We reached Mobbs Swamp in the late afternoon, and surprisingly enough Its a good idea to let someone know where youre going and when you plan to return. With such a big group sharing the Cave, positions around the one and only campfire were at a premium. Information submitted on this form, including any personal details, will be a matter of public record and will be stored in the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) records system. I chose day 1 as my favourite day, however I really didn't have a favourite day, I enjoyed each day for what it was and what it gave me. Your email address will not be published. It was this desperate 'rushing' through the dense foliage, coupled with my chaotically negligent state of mind which caused me to lose my GPS. Many ups and downs and some slow and tiring sections of trail, particularly on the last day. I personally enjoy a trip that has some physical and mental challenges, so the difficulties faced from some of the elevations on this trip didn't bother me at all. We reached Roots Ridge just after lunch and we knew that the end was in sight, only another couple of hours to go. Take in the magnificent scenery - the sheer sandstone cliff faces of Kanangra Walls or mist-wreathed Mount Cloudmaker - before walking down forest-lined trails to one of the park's waterfalls. You'll want to make sure you spend some time at Kanangara-Boyd lookout which overlooks Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Waterfall Walk (which only takes about 30 minutes), the Mount Emperor loop (epic for bike riders) and Boyd River campground which is fitted out with vehicle access. The track wound along a knife edge ridge, gently undulating and with fabulous views either side. As this is a hobby and not a business, I don't have the the financial backing that some companies do, so any support you can offer is really appreciated. "First of all a big shout out to our guide Ashley, although 'guide' is an understatement as he fulfilled so many additional roles: chef (wow that home baked banana cake ), tea maker, sherpa, chauffeur, motivator, teacher, water finder, photographer, someone who made us feel safe and made sure I didn't fall off the bottom of Tarro's Ladder . - Dance Floor Cave I would highly recommend his walks and training to anyone and will be looking forward to the next adventure.". It would have been somewhat easier had my shoulder been functional. I have had more than 30 years experience of bushwalking along this route and would welcome you on this trip. Kanangra-Boyd is always open, but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. The plateau slopes gently down from west to east from a height of around 1100m (3610 ft) near Mt. views of the Walls. It was extremely stressful as I had mostly beginners with me and they were relying on me to get them into camp in the dark I wasnt sure I was up to the challenge! While the hike is most commonly done over three days, it can be done in two days by fit parties overnighting somewhere in the vicinity of the Coxs River. Pause
A good idea to follow the map for this one to ensure you stay on track. The best place to soak in this splendour is the Kanangra-Boyd Lookout; a viewpoint that is easy to access. The next section is the longest climb on the walk. My expeditions are always held in a spirit of friendship and respect between all participants. We followed Shane to the Cave and were reunited with the rest of the party, and 20 others from Sydney Bushwalkerswho were also camping in the overhang. You can find out more about how DPE handles the personal information it collects online by reading our privacy policy. Join one of my informally yet professionally led and well organised expeditions in one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in New South Wales. we'd already walked. A useful book with some ideas for extended walks in NSW. This karst topography, created by the Jenolan and its tributaries, is one of the least understood in Australia. Once on Mt Yellow Dog the rest was relatively easy. We can camp here if doing the trip over 4 days, which makes Day 2 a short day with a relaxing afternoon by the river. Police were contacted on the 11th April, and a land and air. Well-worn tracks were present for the entirety of the third day, making navigation simple. I think you are a great guide, and I think the effort you go to is over and above what most stand-alone guides would think of providing. Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker Hike . Come walk with us. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek (13km, 400m ascent) From the car park at Kanangra Walls, follow signs to the Plateau Track. Kanangra Walls > Mt Cloudmaker > TiWilla Plateau > 100 Man Cave > Campagnoni Pass > Willa Butress > Kowmung > Orange Bluff > Brumby Spur > Gingra Track > Kanangra Walls. The park also features a series of karst landforms that can be explored by those with caving experience.[3]. Poles are a good idea if you have questionable knees or ankles. They can then inform police if you dont return on time. the end of the We were obviously not the first to use it as there was a well The Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness - the second largest wilderness in NSW, next to Wollemi - was finally declared in 1997, and covers 111,000 hectares of Kanangra-Boyd and Blue Mountains national parks. The remainder of the trail to Crafts Wall and around the northern rim is moderate. The cost of this is included in the fee for the trip. The word Kanangra is generally held to be a corruption of Gundangura and was called Thurat for some time. You can see for miles at Kanangra-Boyd lookout, an easily accessible viewpoint overlooking Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker. Black Horse Ridge to where the steep descent to Breakfast Creek The next morning, get an early start and navigate carefully on to the ridge leading from Carra Top to Mt Moorilla Maloo. Eventually we retrieved the other car and made it back to the Mt For the more adventurous, it is also the start of the track to Katoomba, via Mt Cloudmaker, Cox's River, the Wild Dog Mountains and Narrow Neck. Altitude: 1164 metres Class: Carlon Creek - were hard on the legs but not too difficult given what unfortunately was making visibility poor and when we finally broke out searching we found a passable but somewhat tricky route climbing down a [2] The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is the most southwesterly of the eight protected areas within the World Heritage Site. Many parties have run into trouble over the years, and walkers need to be competent navigators. My first venture along parts of the Katoomba to Kanangra walk was a day hike from Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker in 1982. They breed from November to January. We spent 15 minutes climbing down to a rock ledge for About 60Km South of Jenolan on dirt road. This out and back route begins and ends from the end of Kangara Walls Road, which is more suited to 4WD vehicles, especially after rain. Whilst most of the walking is along a well defined walking path, both the first day and the last day are rather long (20km and 13km respectively) with lots of ups and downs. like this. Kanangra Wall cliff top walk - one of the most dramatic cliff-top walks in the Blue Mountains, but, due to the unfenced 70 metre drop, unsuitable for children. Hundred Man Cave had a good water supply when we were there, with given recent good rains, dripping from the cave into a gully. We can camp near here on the Coxs River and spend the afternoon relaxing by the river. My toes were absolutely aching by the bottom. Understand[ edit] I didn't have any Steep, tight rockclimbing/bouldering section which seems dangerous & impossible when viewed from the top. These represent some of the iconic and best known landscapes in the southern Blue Mountains. . You can find out more about how DPE handles the personal information it collects online by reading our privacy policy. We follow the fire trail along the top of this plateau on Day 1. Mt Cloudmaker was only a short way past Rumble Knoll, although it was The cave at the end itself isnt as exciting as the dance floor cave you see on the way but it was the journey that did it for me on this one. onto Jenolan Caves Rd from the Great Western Highway, the snow started Easy track for people of moderate fitness levels. The plateau is traversed by the Kanangra Walls Road and can be accessed either from Oberon or Jenolan Caves. Thurat Spires, Kanangra Walls and Mount Cloudmaker provide sandstone scenery on a majestic scale." (sic.) I hope it remains a difficult and raw walking trail for self sufficient hikers. Remember to look up too; if you adjust your gaze skywards you may see some soaring wedge-tail eagles. From Kanangra Walls, we follow the scenic ridgeline to Mt Cloudmaker and on to 100 Man Cave where we will camp for two nights enjoying the ambience of this great spot. Today is a day of sustained climbing. up, and the sun disappeared behind the clouds. Or alternatively, push on to Dex Creek, combining Days 2 and 3 into one. Copyright 2022 | Darren Edwards | All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donation Policy | Disclaimer, Trail Hiking Australia is a not-for-profit community service initiative, Golden Staircase to Mt Solitary via Ruined Castle (11.7km), Katoomba to Wentworth Falls via the Jamison Valley (29.2km), Scenic Railway Ruined Castle Mt Solitary Kedumba River Wentworth Falls (29.3km). "He thought he was already at the foot of Mount Cloudmaker - at Gabes Gap! wilderness walk was the best thing for the June Long Weekend. However, our nice track soon disappeared in a casuarina forest, under a layer of she-oak needles. Every person and every hike is different, so customise your kit according to your needs.Download your free checklists here >>. We were all too wet and cold to stop at any of the lookouts, and I doubt we would have seen much anyway with the rain. Avoid a turn off to the right to Dance Floor Cave and ascend a short climb on to the plateau proper. No chardonnay tour operators, signs or huts please. There are several well known landmarks in the park, such as Mount Cloudmaker, Kanangra Walls and the Thurat Spires. However, you will need to make sure you can meet in the middle to exchange keys. Or continue on down a short set of steps to the lookout platform for an even better view. Kowmung River via Cambage Spire; Kanangra Walls to Mt. By this time it was 4 pm and the light was failing, so, out came the compass and map for what I anticipated was a navigational challenge to find the Cave in the dark (with only an estimated grid reference on my map and not having been there before). Keep this in mind when planning walks in these areas. Mt Cloudmaker is the highest in the Gangerang Range. to find the minor ridge heading for Mount Moorilla. The Boyd Plateau comprises a dome of Devonian granite intruded into Devonian quartzites and sedimentaries. Its fringing fault scarp Kanangra Walls comprises Permian sedimentaries of the Capertee Group which rests unconformably on a Devonian Lambie Group Basement. Still it was nice to finally see the car park at This is a steep climb to start with but eases off, passing through pleasant open forest. Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. Information submitted on this form, including any personal details, will be a matter of public record and will be stored in the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) records system. The walk includes the spectacular Kanangra Walls, the Gangerang Range, the Coxs River valley, the Wild Dog Mountains and the Narrow Neck plateau. Theres nothing glamorous about bushwalking, caving or canyoning, but it sure is fun! There are plenty of good campsites along the way. 13.2km Kanangra Walls to Dexs Creek (via Mt Cloudmaker) . Keep your eyes peeled for echidnas and lyrebirds, particularly during summer. The unfenced lookout is a 10 minute walk down a wheelchair-accessible track from the Kanangra Walls carpark. A short steep scramble is needed down the gully, and follow the track around and up on to Kilpatrick Causeway. Cyclists will want to bring their mountain bikes to explore the parks fire trails. The hike incorporates the summit of Mt Cloudmaker, one of the famous Blue Mountains Three Peaks, and most walkers passing over this summit would sign the logbook there. Presumably this was to try to reduce erosion on the The distances below assume a car at the locked gate. Tom and Jonathan on the Kilpatrick Causeway above Kanangra Deep. Find out more about hiking gear, read the latest blog posts, trip reports and gear reviews, and download my helpful PDF hiking guides. Highlights include: Head left on the fire trail for 700m and cross a locked gate to reach Medlow Gap. again numb on the other side. slog, but I hummed to myself the whole way up and the time passed quickly. It was a bit of a slow process, and not a great deal of fun. if not for another party of walkers going the same way we might have and Nicole headed off to Mt Dingo and Splendour Rock while I lounged with By submitting this form, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this policy. I teach the empowering skill of bush navigation through my regular navigation training weekends and am happy to provide follow up training on my guided bushwalks including the Katoomba to Kanangra hike. The campground provides easy access to the Kanangra-Boyd Lookout walk, which is wheelchair friendly and takes only 10 minutes to complete. Are you planning a bushwalk, going somewhere remote or where the weather is extreme? Rumble. Continuing along the track from Mt Cloudmaker for about 1km brought If you have sufficient water, you can take a short cut about half way down aiming for the bottom of Yellow Pup Ridge. Sign up to a newsletter filled with hiking hacks, ideas and inspiration. The climb is about 8m, but could be difficult for some people with a full pack. K2K in a day: Kanangra Walls - Mt Cloudmaker - Mt Strongleg - Coxs River - Yellow Pup Ridge - Medlow Gap - Narrowneck: Rachel Grindlay, Alex Allchin [L], Vivien de Remy de Courcelles, Adrian Doyle, Naveen [SBW] My photos : Blue Mountains NP, Kanangra-Boyd NP: Bushwalking: 27/08/2017: 1: Pierces Pass - Grose River - Blue Gum Forest - return Was a very wet and misty day so views not their best, but a pretty good walk only medium difficulty. My first complete walk of the entire route in one go was in 1986. In 1984 I walked the section from the Coxs River to Kanangra Walls and by 1985 I had completed the remaining section between Katoomba and the Coxs River. and found There are also intrusive igneous rocks from the Carboniferous period. The track undulated Expect long knee crushing descents and seemingly endless quad screaming climbs, especially on Day 3! Next morning Shane and I poured over the map and chose our route, deciding to take Orange Bluff off the plan; a somewhat easier day if all went to plan to make up for yesterdays challenges across the plateau, visit 1,000 Man Cave and then negotiate a pass through the cliffline and walk along the south-east at the base of the cliff to Compagnoni Pass and then follow a ridge between Little Gingra Creek and Willa Creek to reach the junction of the Kowmung and Little Gingra Creek by mid-afternoon. The Kanangra-Boyd National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Central Tablelands region, west of the Southern Highlands and Macarthur regions, in New South Wales, in eastern Australia. Unfortunately it started to drizzle Please adjust your search criteria and try again. The track out along the plateau crosses a number of rocky clearings, but is fairly wide, obvious and well-maintained. Have only visited here once, but will certainly return, a few of these . Drop down into Little Cedar Gap, and climb on the fire trail, and then on another track, to the bottom of Narrow Neck Peninsula. So, Len abdicated as Leader and passed the baton on to me, Shane and I would lead the group for the rest of the weekend. [4] The Abercrombie River National Park is situated a short distance, further southwest. Time:3 days Distance:36 km Fitness:M Skill:M Ascent:1380 m, A variant on one of the classic Blue Mountains walks - finishing at Carlon's Farm below Blackheath, rather than at Katoomba, Time:5 hrs Distance:11 km Fitness:EM Skill:M Ascent:440 m, An interesting trip exploring of one of the old miners' passes of Narrow Neck, with good views of the Megalong Valley. If it's offered over 4 days next year, that makes it a different experience that I hope I can be a part of :) I think you go out of your way to make sure everyone is comfortable and well taken care off, and well informed, and provided for. Play. I will send you an invoice, you can make a deposit, and then your place on the trip is confirmed. That is a 1000m range in elevation, and there are countless ups and downs during the course of the 3-4 days to add more to the amount of climbing and descending that you need to do! Water can usually be found in the creek below the campsite, or a little further along where the creek crosses the main track. Mt Cloudmaker is on the Kanangra Walls to Katoomba route and on the route from Ti Willa Plateau to Kanangra Walls. - in a day. A challenging walk but well rewarded with the view. Nontrivial #4 - Kanangra to Katoomba (GC3K0DW) was created by jonnosan on 5/9/2012. You'll cross bridges and also see waterfalls on the way. The rock climb down the cliff was an exciting bonus. The track took us up and over Mt Cloudmaker, along the knife-edge line of Rip, Rack Roar and Rumble, Mt Stormbreaker, Mt Berry and eventually back up to Kanangra Walls. These enjoy the view. The trail itself offers incredible views and is not heavily trafficked - the perfect spot to have a picnic and enjoy the view. Total distance of 52km with single day distances of up to 20km. We arrived at the picnic shelter at about 3.30 p.m. and were able to shelter from the rain to get out of our wet clothes and try to warm everyone up. Time:3 days Distance:27 km Fitness:M Skill:MH Ascent:870 m. An excellent walk showing off the great variety of scenery in Kanangra-Boyd NP. Required fields are marked *. The cave has a good flat, sandybase for rolling out our sleeping bags. The Considering our late start we opted for lunch here while we could A pleasant 10 minute stroll along well-formed tracks leads to the first lookout which overlooks the gorges of Kanangra Creek and beyond to the high tops of Mt Cloudmaker and the Blue Mountains escarpment which presents a spectacular vista. Expansive mountain gorges, magnificent lookouts and a series of wild and scenic rivers give a special edge to Kanagra-Boyd's wilderness. Every trip brings new people with new perspectives and new friendships forged. The other car you will need to get to Kanangra Walls. There was also time for a (slightly) longer walk to a point overlooking Kanangra Creek not far from Kanangra Falls. The K2K is a "classic" Blue Mountains walk that goes from the spectacular sandstone walls of Kanangra to the Narrowneck peninsula of Katoomba. In areas of impeded drainage, various swamps occur, dominated by sedges and scrubs such as Leptospermum and Baeckea species. These are in fact a set of climbing spikes fixed into the rock. Crossing two national parks, it takes in some of the best scenery of both, including excellent views from the high plateaux of Narrow Neck and Kanangra Walls. We had some notes and verbal directions to 1,000 Man Cave but after blundering about in thick scrub for half an hour we decided that we would leave the cave for another day and go on to Compagnoni Pass across the plateau. Day 1: Kanangra Walls to Mt Cloudmaker to Dex Creek Saturday morning saw us drive down to the parking lot at what we thought was an early hour, only to find it full already. However, In a few places the path is very faint and you need to push your way through dense and stiff vegetation to finally reach our second night's campsite at Dex Creek. Just 180km from the outskirts of Sydney, Kanangra-Boyd National Park, part of Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, feels like youve crossed an ocean to get there. slippery bottom of a cold river in the fastest time possible. All in all, fantastic day and well worth the drive. It takes in two excellent viewing areas - the first peers over the Kanangra Creek Gorge with Mt Cloudmaker to the north-east and the main ridge of the Blue Mountains beyond; the second takes in Kanangra Falls and the rugged ravines at the head of the gorge. Plateau we ran into our first problem - how to get down. We got to the top and walked about 2km when we came across pink markers, little did we realised they go to cottage rock. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. From the unfenced lookout, an easy 10 minutes walk from the Kanangra Walls carpark, you can peer out over Kanangra Deep to Kanangra Walls and in the distance, Mount Cloudmaker, which is often circled by mist. . Being the June long weekend A unique form of tall open forest occurs in the Kedumba Valley, dominated by Camden white gum, an endangered species limited to these populations. But 'screw that' we thought. points along the way, for the most part it followed the ridge line, Ashley is someone who is willing to share his knowledge, he does this quite naturally, without too much formality and with zero arrogance. A chartered minibus will be waiting for us at Kanangra and will take us back to Katoomba. putting off the 400m climb down for as long as possible. Back to home page. Note there is another track from the top of Mt Cloudmaker that heads generally south east, and then east on to the Ti Willa Tops, so don't just assume any track is the right one. It is strongly recommended that all participants undertake some form of fitness training for at least the 2 months prior to the trip. More Things to do (13) Tours (7) This track was very overgrown and this was when we decided to turn back because we realised our error. Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. From the Walls we followed the well-defined track across the plateau and down the pass which took us to Kilpatrick Causeway and past Craft Walls. Kanangra Boyd National Park is a national park some 180 km west of Sydney and adjacent (south and east) to Jenolan Caves. We will add a further half day at the . adding layer after layer of clothing as we cooled down, the wind picked ", "The trip was great - I have never hiked this part of the Blue Mountains and it proved spectacular!
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