Morong Deep #1 – finally I’m getting to do it

MORONG DEEP – JANUARY 2008
Kowmung Fire Trail ford > Kowmung River > Morong Deep > Megalith Ridge > Morong Hill > Morong Falls Fire Trail
Morong Deep had been on the BWOC calendar a couple of times, mainly with Geoff S leading the trip.  I’d always missed out and I decided that it was time to do it, I talked Steve C into leading the trip for me as I had no idea even where it was (could have looked on a map but too lazy), plus I suspected there might be some climbing involved and as Steve had done it before, he’d know all the pitfalls that might befall the unwary.So, it went on the BWOC calendar and seven of us signed up for it, a couple of people that I wouldn’t have expected  but maybe they had FIMO.  Len S, Bob M, Jeff B, Steve C, Jenny H and I headed off on the Oz Day LWE.  Steve took his trusty Commodore, that machine can go anywhere and we parked it at the end of the route on Morong Falls Fire Trail, it was “interesting” seeing it go over the ford on Morong Creek.  We wanted to do the “full trip” so we then drove Len’s car along the Kowmung River Trail as far as we could go before it started looking iffy and just parked it on the road below Boss Peak.

This was Jenny’s first trip with BWOC and Steve assured her (I certainly didn’t do it this time), that it was suitable for beginners, yes, I might have said “you’ll be fine” (sounds like me doesn’t it), I figured if Steve thought she’d handle it, then I wasn’t going to dispute it. Anyway, Jen takes delight in reminding us that that’s what we said.  She handled it like a seasoned bush walker though and the smiles on her face when she was in the rapids was a thing of beauty.

We then walked down the fire trail to the ford that crosses the Kowmung and set off.  The first part is a bit scrubby, we stuck to the bank for a while then came to sections of the bank that were too overgrown so we took to the river.

We had lilos, but most of the time they were a pain in the butt and not everyone likes to use a lilo, I think by the end of the trip, the lilos were more a hindrance than a help.

I wore a wetsuit and daggy pants (bought from Vinnies) and had some fluro paddle gloves that I’d found in a second hand shop (they were probably water aerobics gloves), whilst the gloves were useful on the long stretches, they weren’t any good when it came to having to pick up the lilo and scramble over rocks, they were a pain to tell you the truth and the wetsuit was pointless, the water was a good temperature

There were long sections of river where the lilos were good, but then you came to boulder chokes and you had to manhandle them.

However, when it came to the little rapids, they were brilliant, you got a really good ride and often ended up in a heap at the end if you didn’t position yourself “just right”.

The Kowmung is impressive, big granite cliffs and slabs of rock, you can get out in places, but it’s not easy, there are certain “passes” which are known to be easier than others.

We camped at the “usual” spots on the river, didn’t see another soul for the three days, it was a luxury having the river to ourselves.  Some people had flies, some just slept on their lilos, the weather was good and rain wasn’t expected so they didn’t even unpack their flies.

The river had more water in it than Steve expected so at the waterfall where you have the option to jump or skirt around it to the left, we chose to take the high route, the water was pumping over that waterfall!

One of the group was having difficulties with knees, so Steve decided that we’d exit the river at Gap Camp Gully, cutting off about 4 of 5k of river.

It was also a mere 3k from where we were to the cars, so we decided that this was the best option.  It was a steady slog up hill to the car but better than the 5k of up hill slogging that we’d have to do if we exited via Megalith Ridge.

We got back to the car and then all of us and our packs (can you imagine it), piled into the Commodore, we were sitting on top of each other and the road was a bit bumpy but boy, were we laughing.  Then we got to the ford over Morong Creek, and it was touch and go there, a few of us weren’t at all sure that the Commodore would make it!

So, I still haven’t done the full Morong Deep trip, we’ve decided that we are coming back next year, same time, to finish the trip!