Passes of Narrow Neck

[YoungCodger]

Hi all. Are there are any passes that I don't know about?

Done
Duncan's Pass
Tarros Ladder
Dog Face Gully / Landslide Gully
Wall's Pass
Mitchell's Creek Pass / Coachwood Pass
Rock Pile Pass
Manson's Chains / Carlon Head
Golden Stairs
Red Ledge
Dickson's ladders / Water board ladders
Dunphy's Pass
Harmil Ledge
Black Billy Head

To do (abseiling or climbing involved)
Diamond Head
Castle Head
Glenraphael Head

Heard of - hoping for more details
Cedar Head: stone steps and burnt out wooden ladders.
Blue Gum Pass: a gentle sloping fallen tree up the difficult lowest cliff of Fools Paradise, the headwaters of Mitchell’s Creek.

Theoretically there are an infinite number of abseils that could be done off Narrow Neck - I'm more interested in bushwalking passes.
The Keats/Fox book is out of print, but I can see online that is has a chapter titled "Other Passes off Narrow Neck". Have I missed any of those?
I'll have a look at Jim Barrett's monogram (also out of print) when the National Library is accessible again. If someone could tell me whether it has any I've missed, that would be great.

Thanks!

[jonnosan]

If Landslide Gully can be considered part of Narrowneck, probably for completeness The Devil's Hole should be as well. Maybe even the Boars Head abseil.

[YoungCodger]

If Landslide Gully can be considered part of Narrowneck, probably for completeness The Devil's Hole should be as well. Maybe even the Boars Head abseil.

Thanks.

I just included Landslide Gully because when you top out you appear on Glenraphael Drive. It's arguable too.

[tom_brennan]

Some of the "passes" listed in both Jim Barrett's book, and the Keats/Fox book are somewhat speculative. Similar with the Wilf Hilder list.

Cedar Head (Jim Barrett) - I'd be interested in seeing photo evidence of the "Old steps cut into the rock ... on the nose of Cedar Head" as mentioned by Jim Barrett
Miners Pass (Wilf Hilder) - this is probably just part of Duncans Pass
Castle Head (Jim Barrett) - "The Jamison Valley miners in the Ruined Castle area used passes at the Golden Stairs and at Castle Head." Keats/Fox did investigate this and didn't find any evidence. It seems unlikely to me - there are too many large drops
Rock Pile Pass (Keats/Fox) - the pass as described in their book is not the actual Rock Pile Pass(!). However, it is negotiable via one exposed scramble/climb, so is arguably a pass. Perhaps needs a different name
Glenraphael Head - as far as I can tell, the route as described by Jim Barrett is the same as for Harmil Ledge, other than leaving the ledge earlier (on ascent), but being harder. I'd consider them variants of the same pass, similar to Tarros Ladder/Wallaby Track being parts of Duncans Pass.
Blue Gum Pass - I imagine the Blue Gum is gone, but it seems like it was in the vicinity of Coachwood Pass in any case

So I would have as my list the following:
Golden Stairs
Walls Pass
Duncans Pass (inc Tarros Ladder/Wallaby Track)
Dunphys Pass
Glenraphael Head/Harmil Ledge
Manson's Ladders (Carlon Head)
Black Billy Head
Mitchells Creek (Coachwood Pass)
Rock Pile Pass (Holbeach)
Rock Pile Pass (Keats/Fox)
Red Ledge Pass
Diamond Head
Dicksons Ladders (Water Board ladders) - depends on condition of "ladders"

[YoungCodger]

Some of the "passes" listed in both Jim Barrett's book, and the Keats/Fox book are somewhat speculative. Similar with the Wilf Hilder list....

Thanks for a detailed response Tom! That leaves me with a much more manageable list.

[YoungCodger]

...
Rock Pile Pass (Holbeach)
Rock Pile Pass (Keats/Fox)...

One more question if you don't mind - where is Graeme's rock pile pass?
We did this route:

rock pile pass.JPG (51.78 KiB) Viewed 22990 times

I just found a comment from Graeme Holbeach https://fatcanyoners.org/2011/01/23/narrowneck2/ that suggests his original pass is not where we were (SW of Red ledge). However, your blog's photo shows the same rock pile that we visited: https://ozultimate.com/tom/bushwalking/2018/20180701_rockpile-mitchells/photos.htm

Did Graeme drop down North of the rock pile in my photo (perhaps on to the ledge which we continued South along)? I did see a nice appealing ledge running North out of the pass which I haven't explored yet. Or further South, past the Far Side climbing area?

Thanks for your time!

[tom_brennan]

From what I can tell, you did Graeme Holbeach's Rock Pile Pass (the original one). It descends the minor gully to the Rock Pile, and then south past the Far Side climbing area.

The fake Rock Pile Pass (Keats/Fox) follows the the main ridge to the west of Red Ledge. There is one drop requiring abseiling/scrambling/climbing depending on which direction you are going. I've only abseiled down, but I can see where you would climb up. I know of people who have, but they did have a good climber get up and put down a rope.

I haven't done it, but it is possible to walk from the Red Ledge to the top of the abseil.

[YoungCodger]

Thanks for your pointers! We did Diamond Head Pass and fake Rock Pile Pass today.

We followed the climbers ledge past Diamond Falls and descended the nose of Diamond Head. Had abseiling gear in case it was sketchy, but it turned out to be very sensible unexposed scrambling the whole way down. Set up a tape sling once but didn't need it. I will happily repeat the pass from the bottom now that I realise how safe the best line is.

I walked down the ramp between the two Rock Pile passes to see if that ledge connects easily to the original rock pile pass - it does. Then we abseiled down the fake rock pile pass. From the base of the cliff, I looked at the three possible climbing lines up, each around 8m, and started the first 2-3m of each to test them. That climb is on a completely different level of difficulty to all the other Narrow Neck passes - for anyone else reading, I don't think the fake rock pile "pass" belongs in a scrambler's to-do list. It's a frisky move for a competent climber, it's beyond scrambling. I had no issues with Manson's Chains, Walls Pass, Landslide Gully and so on, but this one is basically vertical and relies on brittle sandstone without any safety. Maybe there's a safer option that I missed, didn't poke around for too long.

Now on to the fun adventure of looking for passes that I haven't heard about!

[YoungCodger]

Has anyone heard of a walk from Dunphy's Pass further along the ledge to Glenraphael Falls?
Someone mentioned that they read a trip report from a long time ago, but I haven't been able to find anything.
Thanks!

[tom_brennan]

Has anyone heard of a walk from Dunphy's Pass further along the ledge to Glenraphael Falls?
Someone mentioned that they read a trip report from a long time ago, but I haven't been able to find anything.

I recall Graeme Holbeach talking about this, but I can't remember in what forum.

[YoungCodger]

Thanks Tom. Here it is: https://fatcanyoners.org/2011/06/05/narrowneck-passes/

Edit: someone did Graeme's route very recently! https://www.whatworkedforme.com/blog/Un ... owneckPass

[yellowdog]

What's the pass off the same ledge as Redledge but further around to the west? Years ago, Rogo took me down Mitchells Creek pass and we then skirted the large property visible on google maps. We then climbed up, and ascended a walk-up pass that involved no rock climbing. I seem to remember it ascending a bit diagonally and remember looking down and thinking "you wouldn't want to slip here" even though is was easy going, From the top we followed the ledge east and came to the top of Redledge Pass. I don't think that this pass was mentioned above. Maybe it doesn't have a name but is just Redledge Mark 2.

[YoungCodger]

Intriguing. Are you talking about a different slot to ascend, that is less than 100m SW of the actual slot (with the chock stone)?

Or are you talking about somewhere closer to the head 500m SW? That’s the pass people mistakenly refer to as Rock Pile Pass. I’ve explored the head there, and not seen an easy scramble, only 8m vertical climbs.

Perhaps we missed a spot to ascend, either there or somewhere NE on the way to Redledge?

[YoungCodger]

You might also be describing the actual Rock Pile Pass, and simply followed the ledge all the way around the head? That sounds like a great walk!

[yellowdog]

Ah, quoting from "https://www.whatworkedforme.com/blog/DiamondHead", I think that this is the pass that we came up about 15 years ago:

Start quote
Redledge again
After this short ramp a very welcome faint track can be found heading back towards Redledge Pass, thus avoiding the inevitable. Less than twenty minutes of hugging the cliff base sees the Pass. As an alternative to the well known Pass, about 50m before it (& a little higher) is a slightly steeper route. This has no chockstone, but ends up at the by now familiar red ledge.
End quote

Easy ascent and closer to normal Redledge (ie. the chockstone) than Rock Pile or Fake Rock Pile.

It probably deserves its own pass name.

[YoungCodger]

I went down that a few times before I realised the slot with the chock stone is the easier and more common choice. The view at the top of the one you’re describing is better though.

[YoungCodger]

If anyone familiar with the passes is interested in a challenge, you could try to link them all up in less than 16hours 40min:
https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/john-n ... 2021-11-16

I'll write it up at some point, it was a fun adventure!

[GregG]

Well done youngcodger, I'm very envious, your record will be safe from me hehe !!!

[YoungCodger]

It's probably safe from Keith and I too - quite the undertaking!

[YoungCodger]

A friend pursued the ledge south of Black Billy Head and spotted a possible exit up a 2-3m overhang to the plateau. He followed the ledge until it petered out beside an orphan rock, eyeing off a potential descent to the talus. He went back with a couple of friends and a harness and they confirmed that it does in fact go: https://www.whatworkedforme.com/blog/po ... wneckPass/ I repeated the route with one of them a few days later.

Word of warning to the curious - this pass needs a little bit of work before it's maybe safe enough to do without a harness. I would classify it as tricky scrambling, bordlerline climbing, requiring coordination. The final down climb doesn't feel safe without a harness yet - though it may do with some auspiciously placed logs. I felt confident ascending it holding only a rope, but most would prefer a harness. Similar to the final Dog Face Gully climb. There are hand lines for the other steep section to the half way ledge, and one to hold as you walk around a ledge to reach it. Very steep, not for everyone. Also - the logs positioned against the overhang need a few more notches in them before they are adequate for anyone but the very tall and coordinated.

Nonetheless, I admire my friend's curious nature and I'm glad he was rewarded with a cracking new route! The ledge is stunning. Couple of exposed moments. Be careful, etc.

[tschanzer]

I recently descended Diamond Head Pass and found a safe route that didn't require abseiling or a tape, but I don't know if it's the same one that YoungCodger and whatworkedforme.com describe. I've drawn a sketch map to aid others but I'm not sure if it's wise to post it publicly; can someone more experienced please advise? I'm happy to share it privately.

Anyhow, there's definitely a safe route. The trickiest part of mine was a steep ~5m scramble that looked intimidating from above but turned out to have good holds and a couple of small intermediate platforms to rest on. I have no rock climbing experience, so I'm sure many of you would have even less trouble. The main challenge is finding the right line; I had to search each ledge systematically from west to east, and even then the route wasn't obvious from above (or below).

[YoungCodger]

That's the one! Can I see your sketch?

I think it's fine to post the sketch, anyone who has read this far will appreciate that it's potentially fatal if off route, but quite reasonable for competent scramblers if done sensibly. I've since been back and done that pass maybe 15 times, never bothering with a rope after the first go or two once I knew the way. I've taken friends who don't hike much but who trust their bodies. As you said, it's quite safe if you coordinate each move with three points of contact and weight only good rock.

I agree that the main challenge is route finding. There is only one sensible line, but it's not easy to spot. The down-climbs can look intimidating from above until you're right above them (which isn't typically a good way to explore cliff edges in Australia), and the correct line is tricky to identify from below as well, because it zigzags so much. We assembled a few tiny cairns to assist, are they still there? I think it's not a bad idea for someone doing it for the first time to bring a rope and harness and go from the top because then they always have a decent escape option.

[tschanzer]

Okay, here's the sketch. I can provide the SVG version if you want to edit it.

Unfortunately I didn't take any photos on the way down, but my recollection seems to deviate from the description and photos on whatworkedforme.com after the first step down. I didn't notice any existing cairns except the one at the very top (but maybe I wasn't looking closely enough). The other two cairns on my sketch are ones I made. Does your route have two points where it squeezes between a boulder and a cliff?

For what it's worth, this is my GPS trace. Ignore the bit where I go around the nose -- that was a mistake.

Screenshot 2024-11-25 123258.png (690.78 KiB) Viewed 1554 times

And this is the trace on whatworkedforme.com. It looks like it descends closer to the nose than I did, which matches my recollection of not deviating very far east or west. I also went straight through the minor cliffline at the bottom, without deviating to the east first. Could there be more than one safe way down?

[YoungCodger]

That's it exactly, nice work! It matches a GPX I made from memory a while ago, which I cross-checked against a slope analysis of LIDAR data:

DH Pass.png (245.41 KiB) Viewed 1542 times

You can walk around the minor cliffline you mentioned at the very bottom.

"Could there be more than one safe way down?"
I would bet money that there isn't another safeish scramble at Diamond Head. I've spent hours on multiple outings exploring it. It gets sketchy quickly if you're off-route.

If you're curious about a more extreme pass at Narrow Neck, and you're OK with heights and reasonably strong and coordinated, you could consider getting someone to take you up Cave Climb. It's an easyish classic, and you can follow with the luxury of a rope. That's a premo outing! It's significantly more strenuous, technical and exposed, but much safer with a rope attached, and not too hard as outdoor climbs go. I could take you up if you like.

[alanchan1024]

I have done most (if not all) NN passes in the past few years. Here are some photos for Rock Pile Pass and Diamond Head Pass.

Rock Pile Pass is definitely walkable. No ropes were needed when I did it with the group of 14.

[YoungCodger]

That looks fun but it's off route. If it works it works though.