Bushwalk Australia

Heya - I'm looking to head up Mount Solitary from Katoomba and I've heard the trail up to the top is not marked, and that it's easy to lose in places. Can someone who's actually been up there either confirm or refute this claim? Perhaps offer some suggestions in terms of keeping on point. I will not have a compass.

Also, I know there is camping down below at Chinamans Gully, however is there camping itself on the summit area of the mountain? Is it legal? Is the water at Chinamans Gully reliable? This would likely be in April or May. Cheers!

Assume your going from the Ruined Castle end? The track is pretty well marked from memory, and in any case is very straightforward. The route is a bit braided on the final climb up koorawall knife edge but all roads get you up there (it's cairned and obvious)... I think the route that follows the crest of the ridge is the easiest.

Apart from that it's straightforward. In terms of camping on the "summit", Solitary is pretty flat and the summit itself is unremarkable. Chinaman's is on the "top", more or less, if that's what you mean (not "below" the mountain as you suggest). The water there is more likely to be reliable downstream along Chinaman's Gully (towards the north escarpment). Camping on the mountain is perfectly legal and there are a few other campsites on top - Chinamans and Singajingawell are the largest and I think the only two with close access to water (I prefer SJW but the water there is probably less reliable than at Chinaman's).

It's been a couple of years since I last went up there. I'm making the assumption that you are going along the Federal Pass and up the Korowal Knife Edge, not from the Kedumba River via The Col (different advice)? Korowal isn't that difficult to navigate but inexperienced people have occasionally run into trouble. There are/were occasional arrows painted on rocks etc but from memory some were faint on my last visit. However the track is pretty well worn and mostly obvious to experienced walkers, but there are one or two spots with more than one option, or where you suddenly deviate (e.g. hard left and up between split rocks). On one occasion people were standing at such a spot obscuring the turn and we went sailing past down a false track created by others who had done the same. That's the sort of thing you need to watch out for, otherwise it's reasonably straightforward, with a bit of steep scrambling in places. Just keep your eye on the ball, it's actually quite an enjoyable climb.

I've never camped up there but I'm not aware of any restriction on camping away from Chinaman's Gully as long as you follow the general NPWS rules for bush camping. By the summit do you mean the true summit or the top of Korowal? They are in different locations and I've never bothered to visit the actual summit though I'm sure others have. There is another protected spot further on from Chinaman's that looked pretty good to me (Singajingawell?). Going by the map it's actually closer to the true summit.

Edit: just noticed WFBW had already replied.

OK this is what I figured. Yes, I would be coming from Katoomba past the Ruined Castle, then up Solitary. I realise it's not a 'summit' or substantial 'peak', I was simply referring to the top of the ridge. I realise Chinamans Gully is near the top, however i read it's a steep, but quick descend down to it, hence the use of the word 'bottom'. Perhaps I should have been more clear.

As far as the trail goes, as long as I'm going up I guess I'll get there.

On my blog on this entry, I discuss the campsites on Mt Solitary -http://www.david-noble.net/blog/?p=3363. Camping on top is nice to do, but some of the campsites are a bit overused. NPWS have constructed two campsites away from the mountain and encourage walkers to use them - One below the Ruined Castle, with shelter sheds - the roofs are used to fill water tanks, and the other is in Kedumba Valley. Both are quite nice campsites.

Water on Solitary can be a problem in dry times. It may be best to check Katoomba rainfall data before you go.

As for the track up to the summit from Ruined Castle - it does tend to braid in places where people have gone different ways. It is possible to follow the skyline - but that does involve scrambling and that is not where the track goes. The track wanders around a bit as you climb, sometimes left of the nose, sometimes right of the nose (and at one point you do go right of the nose for about 100 m). Up near the top is one awkward little cliff that you may want to pass your pack up (and this is easy for a solo walker to do).

If you camp on the top in any of the campsites then please be respectful - bury all toilet waste, and go in places well out of the catchment areas of the creeks.

Dave

Filter all water. Go on a weekday. If you find yourself heading to the southern side and a steep gully without rocks then go back and find the track but the gully gets you up top anyway. Water can be found in pools if you follow the creek line but it is not reliable. Could be different this year though. Allow 5 hours from the Scenic world with a Ruined Castle stop over. From RC you can continue east without going back the way you came and it will pick up the track again.

DaveNoble wrote:
If you camp on the top in any of the campsites then please be respectful - bury all toilet waste, and go in places well out of the catchment areas of the creeks.

Dave

I find it disturbing that you feel the need to stay this. Is there a minefield up there?

jimmeyer176 wrote: Is there a minefield up there?

It's not too bad, but Mount Solitary is a very popular spot and gets a lot of use, especially around Chinamans and Singajingawell. It doesn't take much for sites like that a bit messy.

jimmeyer176 wrote:

DaveNoble wrote:If you camp on the top in any of the campsites then please be respectful - bury all toilet waste, and go in places well out of the catchment areas of the creeks. Dave

I find it disturbing that you feel the need to stay this. Is there a minefield up there?

At times, yes...
http://ozultimate.com/tom/bushwalking/2 ... photos.htm

When i got to the top of Mt Warning last year there was toilet paper everywhere amongst the Xanthorrhoea

Diarrhea amongst the Xanthorrhoea

tom_brennan wrote:At times, yes...
http://ozultimate.com/tom/bushwalking/2 ... photos.htm

Ok, I take it back. I never want to drink water off Solitary again after looking at that.

Animals *&%$#! in water sources everyday

jimmeyer176 wrote:Animals *&%$#! in water sources everyday

Because humans don't live closely with wombats and kangaroos, most of the pathogens in their feces have not evolved to harm us.

Pathogens from other humans and from domesticated animals are much more likely to be harmful to us.

Hi Jimmeyer,

I've done Mt Solitary Traverse each year for the past four years. It is a sensational walk and quite tough on the legs with a full pack.

Each year I go, the usage increases and the lack of care in terms of burying waste is really appalling. Animals may go near water sources but it is totally different, they also don't leave toilet paper all over the place. Don't be one of those people with utter disregard for the environment and other bushwalkers.

Also, as a matter of best practice you should be hiking with a topographical map of the area and you should check in with Katoomba Police before you depart who will give you a PLB free of charge.

In terms of water, I've done the trek in winter and earliest month of May and each time I carried four litres of water as water amount and water quality is variable and not guaranteed. I boiled any water we drank and/or used purification tablets.

Finally, if you want to see some write ups / treks reports on the area then visit my blog at http://www.getout-adventures.com.

Kind regards,

Daniel

PS there is also really good camping about 1-2 km from Chinamans Gully.