Guouagang and surrounds

[climberman]

Have just had a few days with old friends in the Wild Dogs.

Carlons/Dunphy's - Ironpot Ridge - Ironmonger Spur - Gasper Ridge -Mt Jenolan, where we camped - cool and crisp and high and wonderful. Jenolan - Queahog - Guouagang - Guouagang Buttress - Konangaroo. A quick stop at Konangaroo turned into a lazy hour, and then we decided to overnight there. Clean clear freestone stream of Kanangra Ck, trout galumphing off the surface, warm afternoon and talking life. Out via Yellow Pup - Mobbs - Medlow Gap - Bellbird for an arvo schnitty and beer at the Gardiners.

Despite the rarity of visitors to Guouagang, a pair of folks where there a few hours before us according to the logbook! I suspect they descended Guouagang buttress before us, they were logged at 0717 and looking to be back at Katoomba by dark. Hope you made it! I did think I heard some voices as we went up from Q but they could have been in my head as I meditated on the ridgeline ascent. Interesting scrub fest before the cairn... any tips on a way to pick up the track when coming up (from any direction)?

Other than a small party on December 1 2102, not a single logged entry until March 2013 - a hot summer for high hills I guess.

Good hills with good friends who haven't been out enough lately into the wilds. No pics other than hilltop selfies on others' phones.

Great to see a group of happy smiling schoolgirls on a DofE trip from a ladies college in Parra, as we descended Ironmonger - they were most of the way up and still cheery if a tad exhausted.

A wonderful extended weekend's weather for walking.

[kanangra]

What a great trip you had. I'm heading out that way myself in a couple of weeks. My aim is to locate the plane wreck up near Guouagang that was discussed on this site a while back. We aim to go into Breakfast Ck via Pots and Pans Spur then to the Coxs and up Gaspers. Similar route to yours. Did you notice the wreck?

K.

[climberman]

kanangra - no, we didn't. Then again, we weren't looking out for one. I can imagine a plane getting into trouble there. It's 1200+ metres asl!

is the wreckage on the Jenloan / Q side ?

[kanangra]

Yes. There was an earlier thread all about it. Did you pick up Gaspers Buttress OK? What should I look out for from the river to start up at the right spot.

K.

[climberman]

Yeah, we picked it up ok, but not having been there before did need to check it out for a bit. It's kind of in behind a gully line / creek entrance. Keeping in mind that it's between two (generally dry) creek lines seemed to help. Will have a read of the wreckage thread.

Have fun out there.

[DaveNoble]

Interesting scrub fest before the cairn... any tips on a way to pick up the track when coming up (from any direction)?

The scrub is often called "poo... guouogangii" by bushwalkers. The best way to avoid it is to head to the thickets of trees - open going inside the thickets - and some good very sheltered campsites. It is possible to connect up the thickets and avoid most of the scrub.

I haven't been up Guouogang for a while, but on more recent trips - there was a cut track through some of the scrub. Pretty bad to find this.

Dave

[climberman]

Interesting scrub fest before the cairn... any tips on a way to pick up the track when coming up (from any direction)?

The scrub is often called "poo... guouogangii" by bushwalkers. The best way to avoid it is to head to the thickets of trees - open going inside the thickets - and some good very sheltered campsites. It is possible to connect up the thickets and avoid most of the scrub.

I haven't been up Guouogang for a while, but on more recent trips - there was a cut track through some of the scrub. Pretty bad to find this.

Dave

"poo... guouogangii" my mates will love that. We managed to mainly go around to the sw-ish when descending.

[Allchin09]

Great trip Climberman, any photos for us?

I haven't been up to Guouogang via Gaspers Buttress, but I ascended in November last year via Nooroo Buttress, returning along Guouogang Ridge.
There was scrub towards the top of Nooroo Buttress and around the Trig, but nothing that a pair of gaiters couldn't stop! You could generally pick a path where the scrub was less of an issue.

Here's a link to the plane crash thread on the forum - viewtopic.php?f=36&t=12418

[climberman]

No pics Allchin09! I'm not much of a photog and didn't take camera. Phone is kept off for when it might be needed. The boys took some selfies to send to our better halves but they make for pretty boring shots to others !

Ta for link.

[melinda]

Hi Climberman,
I was out on Quouogang 9 days ago and left a message in log book.
I actually thought there had been a fair few people out there recently.
Saw various mates names, fair few ^^^ attempts!
But you are right, not too many people tackle Quouogang in the summer!
We once carried 6 lites of water up the hill from Konangaroo for a high camp.
Won't be doing that again any time soon!
(Kanangra, PM me for location and/or GPS coordinates for plane if needed!)

[climberman]

Melinda - one thing I realised is that a serious three peaks is a solid undertaking! I'll need a lot more training to complete one.

[melinda]

Climberman,
Yes - a serious ^^^ attempt involves good route knowledge, (knowing it well enough to be able to do sections in the dark with out constantly loosing time checking navigation), damned good hill fitness, lots of endurance, the right weather, and then a bit of luck!

[kanangra]

Well we got out there on the weekend as planned. Missed Gaspers on the way up and ended up on Mt Heartbreaker instead. Good name; it is steep. Continued onto Mt Jenolan. Didn't see much space for camping on top. One real small spot just off the crest and then nothing to the saddle at the beginning of the connecting ridge to Queahgong.

Managed to locate the plane wreck which had been our objective and then returned. This time we descended via Gaspers Buttress. A far superior route. It was warm out there yesterday.

Great views from a rocky pinnacle just before Jenolan. At one point all of the 3 peaks were in view at once.

K.