Beauchamp Falls (Blue Mountains) track - is it safe?

[skibug]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone could advise me as to the level of safety of the Beauchamp Falls track, in particular the section reconstructed (following the land slip) not far below the Grand Canyon exit. A recent post described it as being eroded so that there's not much track width left, and that the cable hand rail has become an important aid to get through. I understand there are shades of grey with risk, so my criteria is "would you be comfortable with your 12 year old child crossing this section unaided?"

On a similar note, has anyone done the bridal/horse track from the informal lookout below Evans lookout to Greaves Creek lately? I last did it about twenty years age, and remember it being very overgrown and slow going. Again, could your 12 year old child do the track safely?

Thanks for any and all advice,

Skibug

[johnw]

I did both of those things a few weekends back. Obviously these are just my opinions. The very short landslide handrail crossing is generally unchanged from when I had done it previously, perhaps 18 months or so prior. While a fall from there would have nasty consequences, it is wide enough to walk on safely with the additional safety feature of the handrail. Just don't dally on it. I would think a supervised (sensible) 12 year old would be OK. The only real change I noticed was that NPWS had re-routed the "track" up through the landslide debris/scree below that point. It was certainly more eroded and slightly more awkward to negotiate but no big deal IMHO.

I think you are referring to the Horse Track that arrives at Govetts Creek near Junction Rock (Greaves Ck adjoins it further up)? This is actually my favourite route into the Grose Valley area as I consider it the easiest on my knees. It is occasionally slightly overgrown, or eroded, and you need to negotiate the odd tree fall but generally is pretty clear (they have even cleared part of the top section). I think a fit and motivated 12 year old would be OK with it. HTH.

p.s. I recommend descending the Horse Track and exiting via Rodriguez Pass. I have always done it that way and (for myself) I'd probably be less comfortable descending via Rodriguez.

[jonnosan]

I did Grand Canyon/Rodriguez Pass/Horse Track about 3 weeks ago. We (intentionally) hit sunset while doing the horse track and completed the ascent via torchlight, although we had clear light for the land slip section. We did not feel at all unsafe crossing that area, although I would have if there was no hand rail. The drop is a few metres away down a slope, and only a few metres drop in any case.

I think we only had to climb over 1 fallen tree on the ascent of the horse track.

[skibug]

Thanks for these replies, johnw and Jonnosan,

I'll be passing through the area in spring (south to north), and by the sound of it I should be ok with the “landslide" option. If not, it's good to know the bridal track (I'm sure that's the nomenclature from the 80's) is a good second option.

Skibug

[skibug]

Finally walked this a week ago - thanks again for your replies, but you never really know for sure until you see it/do it yourself!
In reference to how safe it is, I would agree with the "sensible 12 year old" assessment, and in fact the day I did it I saw 2 different family groups, with kids 8 to 12 that had come through. I must say, though, that you would be nervous watching your child do it - a fall would be probably fatal, or at least neck/leg breaking.

See the accompanying photos - the first shows how narrow the track becomes in the middle (around 50 cm of flat track?), and how steep the slope is off the track - and that it is all loose, gravelly pebbles and sandstone scree which I doubt you would be able to stop yourself on. The second looks down into the valley, and you can see where the steep slope becomes a drop - which, I believe, is more than "a few metres", but more like 5 to 10 or more.

Landslip track near Beauchamp Falls

Landslip track with cable rail 2.jpg (170.47 KiB) Viewed 3043 times

Landslip track - looking down to where you would fall if you slipped.

Landslip track with cable rail 3.jpg (171.1 KiB) Viewed 3043 times

So, safe if you're careful, but high risk if you're not.

Skibug