Is this really a beginners walk?

1000 MAN CAVE – SEPTEMBER 2015
Kanangra Walls > Stormbreaker > Rip Rap Roar & Rumble > Cloudmaker > TiWilla Plateau > 1000 Man Cave & return
A few years ago I’d made my first trip out to 100 Man Cave and couldn’t find the way down to 1000 Man Cave (ran out of time), Jeff said he knew roughly where it was, why didn’t we take it off the Wish List.   

So, we put out the word and next thing you know we were at Kanangra Walls.  Robyn L, John S, Martin, Doug & Gaynor B joined Trish N, Geoff R, Jeff and me for the adventure.  I’d said that it was suitable for beginners and even though we’d been pretty clear about the length of the trip and the elevation gain, what they were getting themselves into probably really hadn’t sunk in.  Anyway, we were off.  The weather was stunning and it was only a 15k walk to the cave, we had all day, how hard could it be?

The walk across the plateau to Kilpatrick Causeway (1000m) is lovely, the views are amazing and it’s relatively flat, you drop down a nice pass and then cross a saddle to Mt Berry.  The last time I’d done this trip, someone up front missed the track up to the top of Mt Berry which meant that we had a horrible traverse across really uneven ground and then a nasty climb up onto Mt Berry.  I was hoping that this time it would be different.  Sadly, the people up front missed the pass to Mt Berry and headed off, almost straight away (at the back with a slower group).  I scouted around for where I thought the pass was but it just didn’t look well worn enough and the track ahead looked like it had seen plenty of action. So, I followed the group ahead (although I couldn’t see them), still looking for a way up.  After 5 minutes, I knew we were in trouble but I forged on ahead dragging them with me, there was a bit of grumbling and I suspect that they thought I didn’t know what I was doing but by this time I was pretty cross about missing the pass again, when I’d specifically said “you have to make sure we nail that pass”!  Anyway, I dragged them up the side of Berry (some were grumbling about getting out maps!), and finally we were at the top and meeting up with the recalcitrant forward group … stick together guys! Bloody A Team walkers, leaving me at the back with people who weren’t used to me (and probably had little faith in me … after all four of them had been walking for years, although not as often as me and not the type of trips I’d been doing).

From Berry we dropped down into Gables Gap (760m), then headed up onto Mount High & Mighty (1000m) where we had lunch.  We were probably on track timing wise so all was ok.  After High & Mighty you descend down to 760m and the saddle and then climb Mt Stormbreaker (1042m).  These hills are on a narrow ridge, so the views either side are amazing, miles and miles of bloody Australia.

From Stormbreaker, you drop down again, and then climb the ridge passing the little knolls of Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble, a lot of granite rocks that make the track finding difficult, but really there’s no where else to go than up!  Finally we were ascending Cloudmaker (1164m), and we rendezvoused at the trig for a break.  This is the turning point in the track, you go one way and you’re headed for Katoomba, but turn the other way and you drop down to TiWilla Plateau.  So, down we went, the track was easy to find and we had plenty of time (unlike the last time I was here when dusk was fast approaching).

The group had broken into two again, this time I was in the forward party, so we stopped at a small “soak” to pick up water as even though there was a drip pool at the cave, there wouldn’t be enough water for all of us.  We were probably 500m from the Cave, so we each filled 4l goon bags which would last us the night (with plenty left to put out the campfire).  The stragglers finally caught up and after a rest we were off again in search of the pass down through the cliff-line to the cave.

Jeff led us unerringly to the vicinity of the track and then it was just a matter of hunting around for the cairn which would indicate where the track was … last time I was no-where near it!  It took about 10 minutes and then we were all heading down the pass and then along the base of the cliff-line to the cave.  We walked about 300m and passed a lot of caves that I though might be “the one” but finally there was no mistaking 1000 Man Cave, whilst you couldn’t fit 1000 in it, it would accommodate a lot of campers.

We spread out on the sandy floor, set up camp and then hunted around for fire wood.  Given that this is a popular destination for bushwalkers, the fire wood was hard to find.  The grumbling about the difficulty of the walk continued around the campfire with many comments of “this isn’t a beginners walk”.  I guess for BWOC it probably wasn’t, but I know for other clubs, it’s on their “easy walk” list, ah well, I guess there are another five walkers that wont be signing up for my trips again!

By next morning everyone was ready to head out, so we cleaned up the campfire and headed for a side trip to 100 Man Cave (over the other side of the plateau and a short walk).  This too is a lovely camp cave, and used more often than 1000 Man, I’m sure there are other overhangs along the cliff-line but these two seem to get the most action.

Back on track, we were soon at the top of Cloudmaker for morning tea and then retracing our steps.  Everyone knew what they were up for now, so it was just head down and keep walking.  We got to Mt Berry and found the track that we should have walked up (and walked down it), how could we have missed it (yet again).

At Gables Gap, we took time out to visit what is possibly some aboriginal art, although it isn’t in the usual spot for art (too exposed to the weather), but it was good hunting around to see what we could find.

The rock scramble back up to Kilpatrick Causeway was enjoyed by all, it’s not easy getting either up or down but heaps of fun.  Once on top, we made a bee-line to Kanangra Walls and then took another small side trip to look at Dance Floor cave.

I really enjoyed this walk, it’s long and the ups and downs are tiresome, but the views are spectacular, and I always feel a sense of achievement when I complete a Kanangra walk, the majority of them are not easy, I guess if we were going there more often than once a year, we’d be used to it.  I think Martin enjoyed himself (our beginner), he struggled but he had youth on his side, I am sure when he met up with us he wondered what he was doing going out with these old fogies and that he’d be leaving them behind, he probably thinks differently now.  We haven’t seen him on another walk, but that’s not surprising, the competition for leisure time activities these days is tough.