BLUE MOUNTAINS – 30 January 2022
I’d done Kamarah Gully back in 2018 and if I’d read my blog post (which I didn’t), I would have taken note of my comment “would I do Kamarah again – hell, YES!” Then I wouldn’t have been so surprised at the high quality of the canyon, albeit short!
This was to be a trip with Kavita who is up-skilling to become an MSS leader. Rod S was to go with her and I was just along for the ride. As it turned out Rod couldn’t go, and Catherine and Garth came along. I wasn’t expecting too much so wasn’t overly excited.
Kavita took us in a different way to the last time I did it. Still a lot of scrub and it would possibly be easier to enter further downstream. But then we wouldn’t see some of the “interesting” stuff.
Walking along beside the creek now, and it looks way more eroded than what I saw last time. Probably to be expected with two La Nina’s in a row.
Dropping down into the creek. I don’t remember these slabs of rock, or this much erosion.
Much of the vegetation here hasn’t recovered from the 2019 fires.
It was easier in the creek rather than the scrub beside.
I’m sure Kavita’s saying here “we may as well stay in the creek, even if there is quick-sand!”
One of the “interesting” parts. There is a large rock fall, boulder field downstream, and during the heavy rains, it’s obviously backed up here and caused this big flat sandy area, we didn’t see this last time. It must have been like a lake during the heavy rains.
Back in the creek and it’s not seeming like such a good idea with all the fallen wood.
So, we headed out of the creek, and into regrowth!
Finally we’re into regrowth that isn’t so bad and it looks like up ahead the cliff lines are closing in.
We came to a waterfall with no usable anchor anywhere around so we abseiled down off a convenient tree – same as I did last time.
Garth on the first abseil
The pristine pool that we would have abseiled into if we’d had a good anchor.
This was the “pool” in 2018 – not a drop of water, what a difference two back to back el Ninas makes.
Catherine and Garth in the pool.
Shortly after our abseil, we came to a fallen tree, not easy to scramble through.
Me scrambling through (photo: Kavita)
At the next abseil, this time from that dodgy bit of tape around a bolt – Kavita’s not too sure about this anchor, but it was bomb proof, so long as you kept tension on it (lol).
Catherine at the bottom of the abseil. (Photo Kavita)
Me on the abseil (Photo: Kavita)
The next abseil, an equally dodgy tape around a rock, we examined it and determined that it was ok, and the worst that would happen is you’d fall into a pool if it failed. (I hadn’t brought along any tape on this trip).
Catherine on the abseil.
Garth at the bottom of the abseil (Photo: Kavita).
Lovely section of canyon after the abseil(s).
More nice canyon section.
Looking back up the canyon, lovely moss covered walls.
Garth, Kavita and me at the end of the canyon section – a really great section (Photo: Catherine)
And the walk out at the end past the wave cave.
We had lunch at the end and then took an easy spur/ramp up to a high point on Kamarah Ridge. This gave Catherine and Kavita a chance to use their compass and map skills to set a bearing to make sure we were going down the right spur off the high point.
They did really well and before we knew it we were on a foot pad that we’d used the day before!
We were back at the cars at 3.15pm – an easy 5 hour day, we didn’t rush, took lots of stops to check out where we were during the course of the day and had a couple of nice breaks. Great day, thanks Kavita for putting the trip on, looking forward to your next one. Great catching up with you and Garth, Catherine.
Thank you M another episode to brighten up my day. Great photos once again and an interesting monologue.
Love it when people who don’t canyon read the blog, thanks Roy.
Fantastic day and great writeup with nice pictures.
Thanks Kavita!
I do miss them!
I’m sure you do John.