crawsford lookout - north of pass 6

[polas]

hi,

Last weekend we started with a grand plan of liloying from Crowsford lookout to Dooli creek. It was the first time we attempted to walk pass 6 and looking back we underestimated the location.
Somewhere at the beginning of pass 6 (or maybe we completely missed it) we followed wrong cairns and we ended up going north, straight down to wollemi creek. Instead of 1.5h to reach the creek it took us 5 and it was the most difficult track we ever did. Luckily we had ropes to help us in many sections. We ended up roughly 300-400 meters up the wollemi creek from the pass 6 exit.
Does this pass have a name? The whole way down was marked with cairns (it kind of feels like the entire are is just covered with them) but it looked rarely used. We had great experience and loved it even if we had to change our plans completely and just camp near colo junction. Water level was probably too low anyway to lilo down colo river as we planned.

[DarrenM]

A few years ago, I scrambled down a pass that sounds very similar to the one you describe. Not a bad day out!

http://djm74.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/cr ... GBTmohXerU

[tom_brennan]

We ended up roughly 300-400 meters up the wollemi creek from the pass 6 exit.

Your post sounds a bit confused. Pass 6 enters the Colo just over 2km down the Colo from the Wollemi Creek junction. So it's not possible to end up 300-400m up Wollemi Creek from the Pass 6 exit?

Are you sure you didn't just descend Crawfords Lookout (Pass 1)? That would make sense given the number of cairns.

See sketch map
http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk/198/boorai_creek01.pdf

[polas]

Your post sounds a bit confused. Pass 6 enters the Colo just over 2km down the Colo from the Wollemi Creek junction. So it's not possible to end up 300-400m up Wollemi Creek from the Pass 6 exit?
Are you sure you didn't just descend Crawfords Lookout (Pass 1)? That would make sense given the number of cairns.

it is quite likely I confused the passes. The information about that area is scarce and we have never been in that section of colo before.

See sketch map
http://bushwalkingnsw.com/walk/198/boorai_creek01.pdf

that's the pass we wanted to take.

we took the blue pass down and come back the red one, which was our intended route down.

[polas]

A few years ago, I scrambled down a pass that sounds very similar to the one you describe. Not a bad day out!

http://djm74.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/cr ... GBTmohXerU

I have seen your blog before. nice photos mate. It is a lovely way down but it is packed with death traps every 5 meters.
We actually almost entirely lost one pack. It did two bounces and disappeared over a cliff edge. Luckily we were able to retrieve it somehow, backtracking from below.

[DarrenM]

Cheers mate, pretty sure I did the blue line also. Glad you made it down in one piece.

From memory, I had Toms sketch map with me (along with the topos etc) but as usual didn't take too much notice at the crux. My bad.

[tom_brennan]

There's a warning on my track notes for Crawfords Lookout to Dooli Creek

"Be careful of another cairned route down that follows the minor ridge to the north - this is not the one to take."!!!

[DarrenM]

Ha!
Thanks Tom, I recall reading something along those lines in some track notes after the descent. Lazy Nav on my part that day!

[polas]

There's a warning on my track notes for Crawfords Lookout to Dooli Creek

"Be careful of another cairned route down that follows the minor ridge to the north - this is not the one to take."!!!

I know! I remembered it there and tried to avoid. The thing is we never reached crawsford lookout. we ended up on some rocky outcrop, which we assumed was THE lookout and backtracked from there. Silly error, sloppy navigation. Another lesson learned.

[DarrenM]

Interesting.

I'd like to wander back up there and pay more attention to the topo. From memory (it was a few years ago now) the track meanders down a well worn path and basically brings you out at the Rock platform that polas and I found. There were cairns appearing here at some point so you just tend to assume you're in the right place.

I remember putting the maps away once I'd left the hollow rock area, saw no trace of any other branch in the track. It did get a little vague towards the end though and reckon quite a lot of people are funnelled to the same point. It mattered not to me as I had some canyoning gear with me.

I remember a funny story about someone discovering that they were in the wrong canyon after the supposed last abseil became another 5 or 6 pitches, and quite a few hours longer than anticipated. The same problem occurred that day as they were so relaxed and.....complacent with Nav....that they missed the correct ridge turnoff by a few hundred metres while chatting away.

[polas]

so is the red one "pass 6"? and what about the blue one? does it have any name?

[tom_brennan]

The red one is Crawfords Lookout, aka Pass 1. The blue one is not named, but you can call it Pass 1c (since there are already two other variations on Pass 1)

[MrFaulty]

Polas, I think we saw you! we took the red track down (had done it previously, about 20 years back and forgoten how much fun it was). We ended up walkign out Hollow Rock Exit but I would have preferred to walk out the way we came in as the 3 and a bit hour walk along the creek was difficult. Was a great weekend for it anyway!

[DaveNoble]

And you don't have to go up/down on the north side of the bend. If you are climbing up the pass from the Wollemi/Colo Junction - then you can just walk up to the start of the bend and then scramble up to the crest of the ridge without too much difficulty. It may be harder to go down this way?

Dave

[polas]

Polas, I think we saw you! we took the red track down (had done it previously, about 20 years back and forgoten how much fun it was). We ended up walkign out Hollow Rock Exit but I would have preferred to walk out the way we came in as the 3 and a bit hour walk along the creek was difficult. Was a great weekend for it anyway!

if the group you met had a bunch of kids it was us
what is the "hollow rock exit" btw?

[MrFaulty]

No, no kids - we saw a group with kids - thought that might have been you as your route is the route they described as walking in. Was a busy weekend down there then!

[polas]

No, no kids - we saw a group with kids - thought that might have been you as your route is the route they described as walking in. Was a busy weekend down there then!

so you did see a group with kids? there was 8 of us - 5 adults and 3 kids (12-17 yo)
Pawel

[MrFaulty]

Sorry, misread it, yep, saw your group.

[polas]

here is a video trip report if anyone interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y873Z0 ... TPS62ikqXr

cheers.

[MrFaulty]

awesome video - what were you using?

[polas]

awesome video - what were you using?

thanks!

camera wise? olympus omd e-m5 with some old manual lenses. great little camera for trips like that. I used to shoot on panasonic GH2 but recently switched to olympus for its 5 axis stabilisation.
However there is a new puppy on the market now - panasonic LX100 - that looks like a perfect companion for hiking . comes with very decent lens and stabilisation and shoots 4k video. All for less than $1000. (no I don't work for panasonic )

[DaveNoble]

here is a video trip report if anyone interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y873Z0 ... TPS62ikqXr

cheers.

Good video - the passes look a lot steeper than I remember though!

Dave

[DarrenM]

Really nice vid polas! You have a talent for shooting and editing. Not many people can produce feeling on camera by using the right piece of music matched with well thought out scenes. Excellent mate.

The descent is the same one I did also and it was the leaf litter that made it dangerous.