Mt Kaputar - Skyline traverse (how to find track?)

[Channas]

Hello guys!
I'm planning to do this skyline traverse tomorrow but I still haven't found any map or something to find a track. Is it easy to find? Is there any map or anything I could use to not to get lost?
Many thanks for your help!
https://www.thecrag.com/climbing/austra ... e/12122923

[ribuck]

Hi Channas, the page you linked to includes the latitude/longitude co-ordinates.

The skyline traverse goes around Yulladinida Crater, which is on the right 7km after you enter the park from the Narribri end. The parking place is signposted "Green Camp", and a constructed walking track takes you 1400m to the start of the traverse. From there, it will be obvious where to go.

Here's a link to the Yulladinida area on OpenStreetMap:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/- ... 4&layers=C

It's an awesome ridge. Have a great trip!

Me on the summit in 2005

p4200370.jpg (77.59 KiB) Viewed 20869 times

[Channas]

Thanks Ribuck! It seems more clear to me now except the descent. Is there any obvious track back to the car or Do I have to return the same track over the ridge?

[ribuck]

Is there any obvious track back to the car or Do I have to return the same track over the ridge?

There are several spots where you can descend, depending on the level of scrambling that you are comfortable with. The descent takes you to an amazing area of stone columns, and you walk back through the stone columns to where you started the traverse. Just follow any viable route, and keep the ridge on your left. (If you find the descent too scary, you can return over the ridge.)

It's a great area for exploring. Just get to the start of the ridge, and go wherever the excitement takes you. The topography is so dramatic and obvious that it would be hard to get disoriented.

[ribuck]

Here's the approximate route we took:

p4200362.jpg (116.11 KiB) Viewed 20797 times

[awildland]

Might be too late Channas, by the sounds of things you have probably already had a crack at this walk. We walked the ridgeline some years ago, coming in on the Yulladunida track then traversing south along the ridge as far as we had time before returning the same way, back along the skyline, to the main Yulladunida saddle between the two highest peaks. We then dropped west off the back of the range and down off Yulladunida to the base of Ningadun and back to the road as a looop walk. The Crags skyline traverse you linked to loops you back through the crater, which is do-able but as they say I think there would be some scrappy bits to push through. Here's a link to a blog post we did on it. The photos might be of use as reccie. https://awildland.blogspot.com.au/2013/ ... ional.html

It is a STUNNING spot. Definitely worth the trip.

[Ms_Mudd]

Thinking I will hit this up over the coming weeks, ahead of my 'Bungles trip. Anyone been post 2019/20 bushfires?

[Ms_Mudd]

So I did it. Just decided to drive up there as the weather here was sleeting, headed west where the sun was shining. I still did manage to get snowed on, but after gusty winds until 0400, I woke to a beautiful day this morning. What an incredible area, I am definitely heading back for more of an explore one day. Spot the xmid

[gbagua]

Hello,

I have a question not directly related to the area but to the driving from Brisbane to Kaputar. I have never driven 7 h into the country side of Australia. Should I be really concerned about roos on the road driving during the dark hours?

Cheers!

[north-north-west]

Roos, rabbits, possums, wombats, livestock etc. At least koalas aren't likely.

[CBee]

Hello,

I have a question not directly related to the area but to the driving from Brisbane to Kaputar. I have never driven 7 h into the country side of Australia. Should I be really concerned about roos on the road driving during the dark hours?

Cheers!

Goondiwindi - Moree - Narrabri. Is a procession of heavy trucks and Road Trains. Stay behind one of them.

[Warin]

Goondiwindi - Moree - Narrabri. Is a procession of heavy trucks and Road Trains. Stay behind one of them.

A motorcyclist did that trying to cross the Nullarbor. The road train ran over a horse, the horse body exited out the back of the road train and killed the motorcyclist. If your going to follow .. do so at a great distance.

[gbagua]

Jesus, you guys are frightening me! I only drive a Mazda 3 not a fully equipped 4WD with a bull bar capable of flicking a 800 kg bull. Definitively 0 night driving past or before Toowoomba. It's going to be an adventure getting there!!

[Neo]

Kangaroos are the most likely wildlife which ever way you go. Out and active from before dark, late night, until a bit after sunrise. Best to travel in the day or go slower.
Wombats are a maybe along the mountain ranges, I would guess unlikely. They seem to do well in forrested and coastal areas of nsw.

[CBee]

I don't think I ever wrote that you need to follow a road train 20 inches behind it. Just a normal safe distance according to speed will suffice. I have driven all around Australia for decades, on and off road and never hit a kangaroo or dead horse. Brisbane to Narrabri via Newell Highway is definitely not an adventure but rather a comfortable and relaxing drive, day or night. Due high traffic on that road, is more unlikely you'll hit a kangaroo. But once you enter Kaputar NP, you need to drive slowly because they are everywhere. Day and night.

[gbagua]

Thanks for the driving tips Cbee. I certainly don't drive like a maniac/speed let alone in the country side. I'll bear in mind your advice and drive extra carefully from Narrabri to Kaputar.

Is the highway toll free?

[CBee]

Google maps will tell you. The only one aside the motorways in Brisbane, is the Toowoomba bypass. The rest is free. Once you enter National Park, the road is narrow and windy. Yulludunida carpark is the first one you encounter along the main road. There are no camping facilities there unless you bivvy somewhere in the bush. The main campgrounds with toilets and showers are 15 minutes or so further away.

[gbagua]

One more thing as I'll be heading to Kaputar on Friday. The weather forecast the day before is some showers. How fast is the drying of Yulludunida's rock?

I'll have to take advantage of night driving as weather is hot already. Damn I have to be careful with wildlife now plus I don't want to harm any living beings.

[sandym]

My guess is pretty quick drying at this time of year. Although, showers this year could mean 300 mm so YMMV.

[gbagua]

Thanks and especially this year! When it rains it does it with intensity. Dunno it's a long drive for such a short event. I'm still thinking about it and might leave it for late summer or autumn next year.

[CBee]

Weather is perfect go for it. Are you alone? Otherwise the trad lines on the eastern walls are fantastic. And yes, it's a long drive if you only plan to do the skyline traverse.

[gbagua]

Alone so far I'm trying to convince a couple of people I know of. I'm familiar with
the trad routes in Yulludunida but the people I know aren't climbers, unfortunately. Yes checked the weather forecast for this week and temperatures are still bearable without being too sunny.

Cheers!