coliseum track landslide

[polas]

hi.
I tried to get to coliseum on weekend but gave up on the massive landslide that obliterated the track. This landslide happened in 2016 and I expected to find a path through it. There were some sticks with red duct tape but everything was very loose (wet and slippery) and I decided to turn back halfway through it. Was there a more recent landslide there on top of the old one? Or maybe people just wander through that unsafe rubble? The red tape markings were more confusing than helpful as following them was very hard (the fact that it was raining wasn't making it any easier )
cheers

[FatCanyoner]

Polas, I was there last weekend. I also turned back at the landslide. I had a little look around, but wasn't too determined to get past it. The old track follows the Mt York claystone band which is a common feature of many tracks in the upper Blue Mountains. The large landslide in 2016 brought down a big section of upper cliff which completely destroyed this band. It will be a very long time before a track can safely return to this level.

You can walk across the top of the first half of the landslide, around a corner, which gives a view of the remaining section. From what I could see, it looked like the best option would be to descend the rough footpad just before the landslide (western side, in the small gully), cross the landslide about half way down, aiming for just below the small cliffs on the eastern side of the landslide, then straight back up to the old track immediately after those cliffs. We didn't do it, because we were a little short on time, but there was nothing I saw to indicate a problem that would take more than a couple minutes to safely cross.

[polas]

This is more or less what we tried. We attempted to descend the landslide cross at the bottom and then ascend it back to the old track. The landslide is very unstable and after a few tumbling boulders we decided it wasn't worth it. Descending just before the landslide seems like a much better option. I'm still baffled by the red tape markers, though, that lead across the landslide roughly halfway up on it. There is a clear track leading down just before the landslide marked with the same tape and then it leads onto the landslide and disappears there. Next time I will try from the other side from the valley farm track. maybe it is more obvious how to cross the landslide from the other side.

[FatCanyoner]

I always view tape like cairns: you have no idea of the skill level of the people who put it there. Often there are better routes than what is marked. I assume someone is trying to help form a footpad so the track is restored, but probably worth replacing them if you find an improved route.

[rcaffin]

Well, the track across the landslide USED to be fairly straightforward and stable.
But with all this rain ...

Cheers
Roger