Blackheath to Bluegum Loop - first time in rain ok?

[SangBui]

Hello,
We are a group of 5 getting into overnight hikes and are planning to do the Blackheath to Bluegum Loop this weekend (http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... op.html#tn)

But the weather forecast at the moment is 8-16C with 70% chance of 10-20mm rain.

In terms of our experience we've done the Bundeena to Otford overnight walk. And other long day walks. All in good weather though.

Just looking for feedback from anyone to see if we should go ahead with the walk or not? Thanks for any help !

[Warin]

Weather forecasts get more accurate the closer the event is.

There are a few of them around too ...
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks ... casts/1093
http://m.weatherzone.com.au/nsw/central ... ext48hours

Personally .. I'd try for somewhere with as few steps as possible. Steps can be slippery when wet. Cowan to Brooklyn?

[Petew]

Depends on how much faith you have in your waterproofs and tent. It's a nice walk but quite a few steps. I would wait a bit longer and revisit the forecast.

Another option is to walk to Mt Solitary from the golden staircase. Then return the same way. Quite hilly too but spectacular views, hard to get lost and easy to bail from if the weather craps out.

[wildwanderer]

This track is a very different experience to the Bundeena to Otford. The coast track is essentially a city footpath now with virtually the entire route on easy elevated walkways. Blackheath to bluegum via rodriguez pass is a rough bush track.

If you have done longer day walks on rough sometimes disappearing and then reapearing bush tracks and know basic navigation you will likely be fine if the weather is good.

If its been raining all week I wouldn’t recommend it.

There are several creek crossings as you make your way down greaves creek and in the rain the creek can rise making it challenging or even dangerous to cross. There are some rusted metal spikes (old industry remnant?) at ankle height on one the crossings which when the creek rises could be obscured. Nasty to trip on one of those.

The track down greaves creek is not well maintained. I’ve been down it several times and each time I take a slightly different route as the 'real track' becomes confused amongst the boulders and rain forest like foliage. Sometimes I’ve picked a harder way by accident and ended up scrambling over a few boulders. However essentially it’s a ravine and you follow the creek so you cant get ‘lost’.

One you reach govetts creek the track is flat and easy, although when I did it 12 months ago the track is clear at ground level but obscured with lite foliage from waist up which you need to walk through. National Parks may have been through with a whippersnapper since then? but I doubt it.

Once you hit Junction rock, the track is well maintained and straight forward up to Goveets Leap and Blackheath. Though in the wet the climb up to Govets Leap will have a lot of water running down it. So, it will be slippery. Plenty of handholds though. It can be a tough climb if you’re not used to such things.

[wildwanderer]

Depends on how much faith you have in your waterproofs and tent. It's a nice walk but quite a few steps. I would wait a bit longer and revisit the forecast.

Another option is to walk to Mt Solitary from the golden staircase. Then return the same way. Quite hilly too but spectacular views, hard to get lost and easy to bail from if the weather craps out.

Not sure I would say the mount solitary walk is easy to bail. Once your down the golden staircase your committed to the walk (or you can return back up to the car). There are no quicker exit points than returning to your car or completing the walk.

However agree is a very nice walk. A bit of scrambling required on the korrowell knife edge but fairly easy. With big packs (which are not needed) it can be more challenging to get up the knife edge for some people. Sometimes people will take rope for a pack haul or pass packs up a section.

[johnw]

National Parks may have been through with a whippersnapper since then? but I doubt it

Possible but unlikely. I was last down there via Perry's end of March for two nights and still plenty of lawyer vine etc overhanging/obscuring the track along the valley floor. It rained both nights and on the climb out. Not much fun in the wet.

I agree, the degree of difficulty is significantly higher than the Coast Track. That's true for any of the Grose Valley access routes.

Personally I'd avoid going downhill on Rodriguez Pass in it's current state, wet or dry, and especially with a heavy pack. I don't mind climbing up it with a day pack but that's my limit.

Much prefer to descend via the Horse Track if coming in from Evans Lookout, less steep and safer in my opinion although it's a while since Ive been down it. However it's not an official track and is unmaintained etc. Also a bit less scenic than Rodriguez but has its own character.

It may help to have a better understanding of the standard of long day walks done by the OP's party so far.

[SangBui]

Hi all thanks for all the responses! I'm really surprised to see how active and friendly the members are on this forum!


Re: @Warin&Petew we will wait to see the forecast again closer to the weekend and thanks for the websites! I'm also sharing the Cowan to Brooklyn walk with the rest of the group now to get their feedback. I assume since you suggested it then it's a track that's ok in the wet? What do you think of doing the Thornleigh to Cowan walk?


@Wildwanderer thank you for the tracknotes considering the wet weather. These will be handy if we decide to go ahead even with clear weather. Mt Solitary sounds too hard for us with that scrambling.


@johnw Horse track sounds like a safer option if our navigation experience allows. To be honest we haven't been map walking before. We've done the Green Gully Track but that was well marked with little triangle markers the whole way. In terms of other day walks we've done the friendlier ones around the Blue Mountains like the Grand Canyon walk and others but I can't quite remember the names. Others in our party have done guided walks that go for longer in places outside Australia.


We liked the Blackheath to Bluegum walk because wildwalks described it as great for fit people getting into overnight walks which sounds just like us.


I tried looking for other walks outside the forecasted rainy area but only found one other 2-day walk called the Warrumgumbles Circuit https://wildsight.com.au/warrumbungles/ but it's 6 hours from Sydney which seems like a long way to drive to avoid rain.


Any thoughts on this or other suggestions for an overnight walk similar to Coast Track in the sense we could walk it this weekend in the wet?


Thanks!

[wildwanderer]

Any thoughts on this or other suggestions for an overnight walk similar to Coast Track in the sense we could walk it this weekend in the wet?

Thanks!

Below are a few options worth considering. Quite a few more actually but these could do for starters.

Mount Solitary
I wouldn’t discount the mount solitary walk. If your fit and reasonably agile you won’t have trouble with the scramble up Korrowell Knife Edge. I’ve seen kids as young as 6-7 do it.
Start from Katoomba, walk down fubar steps and then take federal pass to mount solitary. Stop at Ruined Castle for lunch (top up your water at the shelter on federal pass below the castle ). Camp at the first top after you ascend Mount Solitary or continue to Chinamans Gully and camp there. Next day return the same way. For a shorter trip start at Golden stairs.
The full traverse (along Solitary, down the other side and up the kedumba valley firetrail) is probably not a good idea after all this rain as the Kedumba river is likely running high. (You would need to cross it.)

Cowan to Brooklyn.
The Cowan to Brooklyn is a nice walk but quite short for a overnighter 13km all up unless you want to walk back to Cowan. It has nice river and bay views and no technical difficulty. Camp at the Dam.

Mount Kuring-Gai to Cowan via Berowra waters
EDIT. I just had think. With the rain the creek down lyrebird gully could be high. Im not sure but if its pumping you would have problems as a couple crossings. Best bet is Mt Solitary I reckon.
Also nice with good river views and lyre bird gully is very scenic. Decent distance for overnight with some hills so a good challenge. Not technical. Clearing at turner firetrail (ridgetop campsite) is the official campsite. No water/toilets at the campsite but there is a tap at Berowra waters so you can fill up on the way.

Mount Victoria to Blackheath via Govetts Leap
Still camp at Acacia Flat as planned. It’s a bit longer about 15km a day but easily doable and the track is less rough and better marked than the Evans Lookout to Junction Rock/Acacia Flat Via Rodriguez Pass. (aka Blackheath to Bluegum loop)
Catch the train back to your car at Mt Victoria or do a car shuffle.

The only thing you may need to watch is the rain. If it’s still raining there are a few creeks that could be up. Immediately below bridal veil falls at Govetts Leap brook and Victoria creek especially) Likely be ok especially with a group but I’ve not walked the track after substantial rain so don’t know for sure. Might be better to wait until calmer weather for that one.

You can find all those walks on wildwalks.
The above walks are not difficult navigation wise but will require a map (and the ability to cross reference the map with the land) There is trail markers but its not like the Coast Track which is designed so tourists out for a short walk can find their way. In the wet it would be a good idea to carry a tarp so you can cook/relax without having to spend all your evening in a tent. Spare clothes and rainjacket/rainpants needed.

Id probably recommend Mt Solitary or Mount Kuring-gai to Cowan via Berowra waters.

[Warin]

Thornleigh to Cowan IIRC has a vertical rise with steel 'ladder' like rungs???

PS I tend to slow down when it is wet.

[wildwanderer]

Thornleigh to Cowan IIRC has a vertical rise with steel 'ladder' like rungs???

Not sure. Mt K to Cowan via Berowra W section doesnt as far as I can recall. Edit. Just checked the walk notes so actually maybe it does.. but I dont remember it being hard or high at all. No memory of it being scary.

Agree about being slower in the wet. Thats why I think also the full thornleigh to Cowan is a bit long 35km. Mt K to Cowan via Ber is 17km and a challenging but perfectly doable overnighter even if people are reasonably but not super fit

EDIT. Just updated my above suguestions removing Mt K to Cowan via Ber.W. Forgot about the creek running along Lyre bird gully. If its pumping due to all the rain it would be difficult at a few crossing points.

[Petew]

If you go golden staircase to mt solitary it's around 3 - 4 hours of walking to get to the first campsite at the top at a steady pace. So if it's truly miserable you can bail in that time. After all this rain there will be water at Chinamans gully (anther 20min from first campsite), needs to be treated though.