Golden Stairs

[Greenie]

Hi, I recently did a day walk from the Furber stairs to Koorowall Knifedge and back to up Narrow Neck via the Golden Stairs. I was a bit shocked at the state of the Golden Stairs. It would be track that is used by tourist regularly. In the state they are in, there could be an accident sooner than later. Has any work been down on them in the last decade? I wonder if national parks and wildlife have are any plans to repair them.

Greenie

[johnw]

Has any work been down on them in the last decade? I wonder if national parks and wildlife have are any plans to repair them.

Greenie, I've used the Golden Stairs numerous times over the last 8 or 9 years and never observed any work done on them. I'm not aware of any restoration plans. NPWS budgets have been slashed as I understand it, so little chance I would think. They are currently doing major restoration work on the Grand Canyon tourist track and, in the recent past, the National Pass was restored but that's because they received heritage grants for them. You could ring the NPWS Visitors Centre at Govetts Leap (02) 4787 8877 and they should be able to give you an answer. Many of the long established/historic tracks around the Blue Mountains are in a similar eroded state of disrepair. If you think that one is bad try Perrys Track down to the Blue Gum Forest, which for years has had elaborate signage at the start warning of the poor and eroded state of the track. A pity that money wasn't put towards actually maintaining it. I probably wouldn't consider either of those tracks as dangerous for experienced walkers, but there are definitely sections on both where extra care is required. However I haven't been on the Golden Stairs for over 6 months so perhaps the erosion has become worse.

[Greenie]

Thanks John for your reply. Some good news:

"I’ve forwarded your enquiry to the Ranger for that area, and I believe there’ll be some work done on them in the next few months.

Christopher Woods

National Parks and Wildlife Service"

[johnw]

Well done Greenie .

[ferozious]

Last time i did Perry's (about a year ago now), there were stockpiles of wooden planks and construction equipment at various spots along the track. Seems like they may be doing some work on it.
Personally i like it better when there is less of a carved out walkway, it makes it feel more like a true wilderness (except of course where it is in order to preserve, such as an elevated walkway)

[wellsy]

Re Golden Stairs,
I can't see what the problem is. I've taken primary school classes (8 to 12 year olds) out to the Ruined Castle each year since 1990 using the Golden Stairs. As long as you take it slowly and drill the kids on correct procedure where the exposed bits are (on the left as you descend) there isn't any problem. Until the late 1980's there was just a steel rung ladder where the last flight of steps is today.

[Greenie]

For those who are trained or can read (English) signs this track shouldn’t be a problem. It is quite close to Katoomba so likes of Jamie Neale use this track. When I was going up in the fog I passed three European backpackers in lose fitting sandshoes that you would use on a yacht not on a track. So this made me concerned.

I too love tracks that haven’t been carved out. I would have to love climbed it before they did it up in the late 80’s. Do you have any photos?

[wellsy]

I've been asked many times about the sign 'Golden Stairs' carved into an old log about half way down the Golden Stais track and to your left. I was done with a chainsaw in 1976 by Jack Tolhurst, recently retired Blue Mountains Rural Fire Service (Bushfire Brigade)deputy fire control officer. As I recall the story he was returning from a fire out near the Ruin Castle. Jack is a bit of a local legend in the Blue Mountains and a darned nice bloke into the bargain.

[Liamy77]

beut circuit of the valley there.... the stairs wern't too bad... their condition probably discourages ill prepared folks from gettin into trouble heading out to ruined castle or the plateau.... tracks seem to get worse the further from the three sisters you get.... fewer tourists too.

[Lindsay]

beut circuit of the valley there.... the stairs wern't too bad... their condition probably discourages ill prepared folks from gettin into trouble heading out to ruined castle or the plateau.... tracks seem to get worse the further from the three sisters you get.... fewer tourists too.

A few months back I started my walk to Mount Solitary from the Giant Stairway, passing the scenic railway bottom station. (The first time I had been that way for 30 odd years) All was quiet and peaceful until a horde of Chinese tourists arrived via the railway. They must have scared off the wildlife for miles around with their endless chatter. Fortunately they did not move more than 50 metres from the railway and I soon left them behind. As I only passed the bottom of the Golden Stairs, the only part of the track I felt was a bit dodgy was crossing the landslide, otherwise it was pretty good all the way to the Ruined Castle and on to the Knife Edge. The English bloke who got lost there last year must have really had to work hard to do so.

[Greenie]

I did a similar walk to yours http://www.greeniesgonebush.com/2010/03/three-days-in-blue-mountains-day-3.html and only encountered two people on the way out and three on the way back. Is it normally that quite out there? I hope so.
I would have went via down the Giant Stairway, but it was closed for maintenance.
The more I think about that English bloke getting lost, the more I doubt it. 12 days?!

[johnw]

...All was quiet and peaceful until a horde of Chinese tourists arrived via the railway. They must have scared off the wildlife for miles around with their endless chatter. Fortunately they did not move more than 50 metres from the railway and I soon left them behind. As I only passed the bottom of the Golden Stairs, the only part of the track I felt was a bit dodgy was crossing the landslide, otherwise it was pretty good all the way to the Ruined Castle and on to the Knife Edge. The English bloke who got lost there last year must have really had to work hard to do so.

...only encountered two people on the way out and three on the way back. Is it normally that quite out there? I hope so.
...The more I think about that English bloke getting lost, the more I doubt it. 12 days?!

I always encounter hoardes of tourists around there but probably because I'm often a late starter. The rarely go far though, so I quickly leave the noise behind. Greenie, the reason you didn't see them was because you started at 7am. They'd never get up that early let alone walk anywhere .
I quite like the walk across the landslide and always wonder what it must have been like when it fell back in the 30's. Just as well it happened at night and no one was down there. I have a theory about Jamie Neale's route when he became lost last year. About halfway up the Korowal Knife Edge there's a spot where you turn hard left up through a cleft in some rocks. However a vague pad continues straight ahead. I think he could have followed that and eventually down into Cedar Valley.

[Greenie]

Was that the area he was found in? I read somewhere that he was found 12K’s from Katoomba. Does sound like the cedar creek area?
I noticed on a sign at the bottom of the Ruined Castle someone had scribbled onto the map a way to a sandy beach on a creek/river. The track would be north of Mt Solitary. So maybe that’s where he spent his time!

[johnw]

Was that the area he was found in? I read somewhere that he was found 12K’s from Katoomba. Does sound like the cedar creek area?
I noticed on a sign at the bottom of the Ruined Castle someone had scribbled onto the map a way to a sandy beach on a creek/river. The track would be north of Mt Solitary. So maybe that’s where he spent his time!

Yes, would be easliy 12km from Katoomba, probably more. I believe he was found SW of Mt Solitary by a party of bushwalkers, at Medlow Gap in the Wild Dog Mtns region (Jamison 1:25,000 approx. 456534). I've passed through there a few times en route to or from other places. It's at the junction of a couple of trails, about 8km walk from Carlons Farm/Dunphy car park/campsite in the Megalong Valley via the main trail (named Black Dog Track by Myles Dunphy). MG is also often accessed from the end of Narrow Neck via Taro's Ladders and Mt Debert. From memory the news reports said he had been wandering through Cedar Creek Valley, which is NE of Medlow Gap.

[Greenie]

Thanks for that John, I was jumping to a conclusions a bit there..

It's been a few months since I received that email from NPWS, I was wondering if any work has started on the stairs?
Thanks

[johnw]

It's been a few months since I received that email from NPWS, I was wondering if any work has started on the stairs?

Greenie, I haven't been down there for a while and currently avoiding anything too steep until I get my crook knee sorted out. The email sounds like it may have been written by Chris who works in the visitor centre at Govetts Leap. I'd ring them, they're usually able to give up to date info.

[Greenie]

It the next edition of Wild, there will be a piece on Jamie : Surviving Solitary: retracing the steps of Jamie Neale

I am sure it will be worth reading.

[johnw]

It the next edition of Wild, there will be a piece on Jamie : Surviving Solitary: retracing the steps of Jamie Neale

I am sure it will be worth reading.

Thanks Greenie. I've since found that in the Wild newsletter. Will be interested to read the article.

[Chief]

Looks like some work is going to be done on the Golden Stairs.
Was up there last week doing GS to WF walk last week and there is alot of equipment and materials etc. layed out from about half way to the bottom of steps..
I think from the looks of it the gear was choppered in, quite a few tree's were down where they had to make a "gap".

[pancake]

Yep, noticed the same thing Chief while going down last weekend.
A number of wooden beams to form nicer steps and large tyvek-style bags full of goodies.
The only dangerous part I saw was where the path had been eroded to about half a metre between a cliff wall and a drop off and walkers have to 'hug' the wall a bit.. Either that or they discover the quickest pass from the neck into the Jamison

[flatfoot]

Great that they're doing some work. Hopefully they can keep them open while the work progresses.

[HitchHiking]

Was up Mt Solitary as a friend was in town this weekend. We went in and out via the golden stairs and the work that going on is very impressive I must say. Will be a great set of stairs and path when its all done.

[Greenie]

That is great to hear. I'll I have to go up there and have a look.

[Lindsay]

Will it have an escalator?