Pass down sublime point?

[Webguy]

I read a trip report by Dave Noble that he ascended sublime point by a scrambling pass. I was thinking of going down instead, anyone got any track notes on that pass and what difficulty it is?

Cheers

[tom_brennan]

It's called Copeland Pass. Mal January has some basic notes.
http://www.january.id.au/Walking/333.htm

I haven't been up it, but my understanding is that the scrambling is fairly straightforward, but very exposed in places

[rcaffin]

It's called Copeland Pass.

Watch out for all the casuarina nuts: they were as slippery as all getout!

Cheers

[Webguy]

Thanks, I may find out on friday what it is like. Might take a hand line for safety.

Cheers

[DaveNoble]

I have been up that way three times I think - no problems, an easy pass, May be harder to go down of course! The first bit to the half way ledge - follow the rock climbers track - which has been getting a lot of traffic lately. At one point you do go through a short tunnel to get down a steep section. The lower cliffs are very easy - and you can go down the nose or east or west. If going all the way down (lower than Lindeman's track) - then there is another small cliff to deal with - try a bit to the west of the point.

Dave

[Webguy]

Hi Dave, thanks for the reply. Yes, we will be heading right down eventually to the old Sewage works track and then perhaps back up Kings Tableland. I still think I will take a 10mtr handline just in case.

[tele-whippet]

There are now about 2-3 sections with fixed handlines down to the base of the main cliff cos of the increased climbing traffic due to the wet weather (there is a section of cliff that stays dry in the wettest of weather)

[Webguy]

Friday did not work out, so my friend Dave and I went on Sunday and descended Copeland pass to join up with the historic Lindemans Track at the base of Sublime point.

At the junction of the pass and the track was a lot of leeches, so we moved on pretty quick.

Copeland Pass is pretty well defined with 3 fixed handlines and we had no real issues following it to the bottom.

After following Lindemans Track for a while, we then left the track and descended into the valley floor and then via trackless scrub came out at the old firetrail that goes to the now long gone Leura sewage works.

We picked up the Fedral pass connecting track and ascended out of the valley via Leura Cascades.

A great day out with some pretty waterfalls, way too much lawyer vine, sword grass and leeches though. LOL.

[Webguy]

I wrote this pass up on my personal website, someone may find it useful...

http://www.roaming-oz.com/index.php/hiking-adventures/82-copeland-pass-sublime-point-leura-nsw

Cheers

[jonnosan]

I am considering using Copelands as an access route to Solitary. I have been down it (twice) as far as the junction with Lindeman intersection (taking the westernmost route down both times). If I want to continue on to Solitary, is there any kind of marked trail down the ridge to the firetrail? If so, where on the Lindeman pass would I find the entrance?

[DaveNoble]

no

[jonnosan]

I went exploring this afternoon, looking for the southern and eastern routes. I went down the 'main' route which veers sharply right (north west) a few minutes down from the climbers wall. At the point it veers right, I went left instead and found a fairly easy line down to the Lindeman track. One 4m cliff that was broken enough for me to scramble down. When I got to the Lindeman track, I turned left (East) for a few minutes till I got to the nose proper. There was a cairn on the track, and a very faint footpad which I followed up past some very large boulders. There was one tree marked with yellow tape, and I saw occasional evidence of pruning shears being used, so someone has obviously tried to formalize the route although it was a much fainter track than the western arm. There was a bit of a tricky scramble (I had a short section of tape with me so I decided to tie it to a tree to ease access for future walkers), then after that a scramble through a big hole in rock. Both these spots were easy to see from below but might take a little longer to find from above. Eventually I hit the 'main' Copeland pass track at a point between the climbers wall and the "tunnel' through the rock.

So I am happy to 'tick off' the southern route, I would like to know where the best spot to turn off to the East is (i.e. the map in Jim Smith's book describes the Eastern route as being along a shale ledge, and also implies the 3 routes all converge at the same point, so does that mean I should go East at the point where the Southern track joins the Western route?)

I also would like to know what Lindeman Rock is ?

[kanangra]

I also would like to know what Lindeman Rock is.

K.

[Grabeach]

Lindeman Rock. Well, from memory it is a fair sized rock beside the track near the nose of the ridge (refer Jim Smith's How To See the Blue Mountains Map 16 or the inside front cover of his The Blue Mountains Mystery Track Lindeman Pass book). To quote Wilf Hilder from Pg. 74 of the latter, ".... at Lindeman Rock with its unusual view of the Three Sisters." Just don't expect anything spectacular.

With regard to the pass down (Copeland Pass after Raeburn Copeland's discovery in 1893 - refer Pg. 47 of the same book), I went up and down a number of times over the years but didn't take any particular note of the routes taken. On a recent trip, I found much of the route down to be looking rather worn, a lot worse than 20 years ago. Disappointing, as I have a certain fondness for the area, having been married on Sublime Point Lookout.

[jonnosan]

Is Lindeman Rock uphill or downhill relative to the track?

[chriskoz]

Webguy, your data about this walk is inacurate. Specifically, you list the highest elevation as 808m. This maybe just a typo, because Sublime Pt Lookout elevation is 880m on the topo map, confirmed by my altimeter when I walked it up today. The lowest point (crossing with Lindeman Pass) you listed as 676m is right. So, the total elevation difference in Copeland Pass proper is about 200m (not 130m as you claim).
Regarding my experience on it, it was nice crisp winter day. I climbed the whole ridge from Kedumba Road in the valley floor (accessed from Leura Cascades) leaving the road at ~390m saddle. Nice, well defined, open ridge at this point. I encountered the first little cliff (mentioned by dnoble above - thanks David!) at ~460m. One or two exposed moves (no fixed line) scaled it. Above 500m up to Lindeman's, the ridge is less pronounced but still faily easy going: no bush-bahsing and straightforward navigation. No Leeches on Lindeman's: winter is the time to go to avoid them! Copeland Pass proper: nice piece, technically and esthetically similar to Castle ascent in Budawangs if you know what I mean. But obviously, much worse experience at the summit, cars and noisy sunday tourists:( I think that all of the fixed lines, except the one on the most exposed place (along the rotting tree root), are unnecessary. I did not bother touching them, as I would not do so even in wet weather. There is no exposure nor difficulty justifying them. But I guess they've been installed because the area receives lot of traffic from the walkers of different abilities, and I guess climbers with heavy packs want to descend routinely & quickly without fuss.
Regardeless, there is still scope for a good full day outing by experienced walker like me, if you extend this pass and include the bottom of the valley. Combinations with Lindeman and/or Roberts passes are also attractive but I have done the latters as separate outing because Sublime Point does not really fit well with them.

[Webguy]

Hi Chris, thanks for pointing that out, it probably is a typo on my part with the digits switched around and then of course doing the maths on the wrong number, i'll fix it up soon. Glad you enjoyed the walk.

Cheers