Classic Blue Mountains Walks - 3 to 5 day loop suggestions?

[PedroArvy]

I am trying to put together a 3-5 day walk which is a loop. The idea is to fly up from Melbourne, hire a car at the airport, do a "wilderness style" walk and come back to the start point. I know there are a lot of non loop hikes which make it tough for me with my limited transport. Buses are also an option but I have no idea on options. I don't mind any off track routes but I am not a technical rock climber (scrambles OK).

This David Noble book looks like it may help. Does anyone know where I can buy it Classic Blue Mountains Walks (Wild Guide)



Other books or routes are appreciated.

[Xplora]

Train to Katoomba, bus to the scenic skyway, walk down the stairs or get the train to the bottom, ruined castle via landslide, camp Mt. Solitary day 1 (about 5 hours if you walk easy), over Solitary to Kedumba Valley then to Jameson river day 2 camp and loop it back to scenic railway. Some navigation and some track/firetrail. You should be back in time to get the train up or you can climb the stairs. Stay a night in the nearby caravan park and have a shower then bus and train to the airport. It is up to you if you want to hire a car and pay for it to sit around while you walk. I have left my car in the carpark at the Scenic skyway for a number of days and have only had the Police track down my daughter once to see if I was alright. Treat all water. Water is sometimes available on Solitary from a small creek but ask the question before you go to see if someone has been there recently.

[jonnosan]

If you have a car and 3 or more days, I think your best bet will be something starting and finishing at Kanangra walls.

I suggest you get a copy of the Dunphy sketch maps of the area ( https://www.colongwilderness.org.au/wil ... lking-maps - or you may find a copy in your state library ) . An example of a loop you may put together based on that:
day 1 - start at Kanangra Walls, take the Gingra track down to the Kowmung River (rough footpad most of the way)
day 2 - stockyard spur/ ti willa ridge / compagnoni pass (a scramble assisted by metal spikes) / ti willa plateau / 100 man cave
day 3 - mt cloudmaker - back to kanangra walls (rough track - patchy in places)

[jonnosan]

Here's a trip report (with video and photos) from a party doing the route I suggested above http://lotsafreshair.com/2013/05/07/adv ... ilderness/ which should give you a flavour

[PedroArvy]

Thanks for that. Is the Kanangra Walls area more scenic than the Katoomba area? If I can get to Katoomba by plane/train it makes things easier but given this is a once off trip and I may never return again I want the "Western Arthurs" of the area and will compromise to get it.

[DaveNoble]

The Greater Blue Mountains is a huge area with a lot of bushwalking opportunities. In winter it is good to camp high on great vantage points and experience amazing sunsets and sunrises. In summer it is better to stick to the main gorges and creeks, where you can find plenty of swimming holes to cool off in.

Some of the main scenic areas -

Kanangra Walls - a high plateau and classic mountains to walk to like Mt Cloudmaker.
Kowmung River - beautiful river walking, nice campsites - accessible from Kanangra Walls
The Blue Breaks - east of the Kowmung River. Can be visited on trips from 3 to 8 days duration. No tracks. Great high camps. Need for rock scrambling and route finding, some scrub.
Coxs - Wild Dog Mountains - classic river and mountain country. Places like Splendour Rock are good for high camps. Accessible from Katoomba or Megalong.
Katoomba Area - Mt Solitary - classic high traverse - 1-3 days
Grose Valley - great gorge walking. On track (Mt Victoria to Blue Gum Forest) or off track (lower down)
Blue Labyrinth - short and long walks, many off track, often scrubby.
Northern Blue Mts - about 3/4 of the area. Wild places like the Colo Gorge - very rugged and rough country. Wollangambe Wilderness - very rugged labyrinth or canyons and scrubby plateau. Widden Valley - the most rugged country in NSW - a lot of rock scrambling required. The whole western side (Wollemi NP and Gardens of Stone) - a maze of pagodas, small canyons ,gorges and plateau. Fantastic walking. Classic high traverses such as the Red Rocks (west of Newnes) and the Blue Rocks (Baal Bone Gap - and point, Pantoneys Crown, Pt Cameron, Wolgan/Capertee divide)

Far too much to see on one trip.

[davidf]

The Kanangra area would be my choice. Great views, magnificent creeks and rivers, significant elevation gain and loss. An into the kowmung , back out over into Kanagara creek and walk back out over the tops would rival most walks over 5 days. Not that the other options are not good but i reckon this for a one off is best. You, re fitness would decide in planning the route.

[PedroArvy]

Thanks guys.
I found these loop walks by David Noble in this forum while Googling so added them here for reference

1. Kanangra - Cambage Spire - Kowmung River - Bulga Denis Canyon - Orange Bluff - Brumby Ridge - Kanangra Walls
2. Kanangra - Gingra Range - Brumby Ridge - Orange Bluff - Kowmung River - Ferny Flat - Hughes Ridge - Gingra Range - Kanangra
3. Kanangra - Mt Cloudmaker - Ti Willa - Campagnoni's Pass- Kowmung River - Gingra Range - Kanangra
4. Kanangra - Cambage Spire - Kowmung River - Bulga Range - Scotts Main Range - Byrnes Gap - Axehead Mtn Traverse - Butchers Ck - Denis Range - Kowmung River - Roots Ridge - Gingra Range - Kanangra
5. Carlons Farm - Breakfast Ck - Coxs River - Kanongaroo - Yellow Pup - Splendour Rock - Blackhorse Range - Carlons Ck - Carlons Farm
7. Newnes - Mt Dawson - Red Rocks - Newnes

[PedroArvy]

The Gangerang Wild Dog Mountains map and the map of the Kowmung just came in. They are most intriguing and remind me of the Brooks Maps of the Victorian Alps. I can see that they are essential for working out where to go although its difficult to judge track/route conditions and walking times.

[jonnosan]

the majority of lines on those maps represent 'navigable routes' through generally open bush rather than well defined tracks. Even the tracks that are most distinct (e.g. Kanangra Walls to Cloudmaker) have a few tricky spots, so you should assume you need to do off-track navigation for any trip.

But if you plan a route out and post it on here, there will probably be others on this forum who can give reasonably up to date reports for any specific route

[PedroArvy]

Yes I will do that. Are camp fires allowed in the area of the route you mentioned:

day 1 - start at Kanangra Walls, take the Gingra track down to the Kowmung River (rough footpad most of the way)
day 2 - stockyard spur/ ti willa ridge / compagnoni pass (a scramble assisted by metal spikes) / ti willa plateau / 100 man cave
day 3 - mt cloudmaker - back to kanangra walls (rough track - patchy in places)

[DaveNoble]

yes

[GPSGuided]

Unless there's a fire ban.

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-informat ... and-tobans


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[NickB]

This is an awesome post with some seriously good trips suggested within. Just wanted to say thanks to all that contri.

[roo12]

I'm also interested in doing this suggested walk:

day 1 - start at Kanangra Walls, take the Gingra track down to the Kowmung River (rough footpad most of the way)
day 2 - stockyard spur/ ti willa ridge / compagnoni pass (a scramble assisted by metal spikes) / ti willa plateau / 100 man cave
day 3 - mt cloudmaker - back to kanangra walls (rough track - patchy in places)

Has anyone been down there lately? I walked down to Kowmung 2 years ago and it was a beautiful area but looking to walk a little longer this time around.