Ballows traverse

[CBee]

I was wondering if any fellow queenslander know how long it would take to complete the route: Burnett ck-Minnages-Junction pk-Monserrat-Cleared ridge. And if there are any reliable water sources along the way aside the obvious ballow and barney creeks. From Junction pk to Monserrat, I'm looking for the quickest way, not necessarily for peaks and views.

[Aardvark]

I went on another leaders' walk over two days with the K2 Extreme club which took in Minnages, Ballow (Junction Pk), Double Pk, Duramlee and then down to Mt.Philp and back to Burnett Ck. We camped on Ballow. There is no easily accessible water on the route.
Another time i was going toward Nothofagus from Ballow and i cut across to Big Lonely past the head of a waterway heading down past the eastern flank of Ballow. Dry at the time but to follow it might eventually find water. It is an inconvenient detour from the Ballow - Double Pk route though and i wouldn't bank on it.
I subsequently completed in one day on quite a few occasions, the Minnages, Duramlee, Mt.Philp route.
The last time i went over Big Lonely was in a day from Cleared Ridge and via Ballow. To return via Yamahra Ck back to Cleared ridge.

[Aardvark]

From Cleared ridge i have gone both directions between Monserrat to Duramlee on day walks. It used to be very regularly plied by clubs some time back. There is a path of least resistance. But there is not a good footpad all the way. You need not go over Focal Peak. I haven't. You can contour from Cedar Pass on the north side. There was a good path once.

[CBee]

Thanks mate. K2 extreme club sounds something daunting
So do you think Burnett creek to cleared ridge in two days, carrying all water, sounds easily achievable?

[Aardvark]

Most definitely. Even by the longest route. Over Minnages, Ballow, Duramlee, Monserrat and down to Yamahra Ck. You may find water near to Cedar Pass.
A hammock would allow you to camp anywhere. The only clear tent site would obviously be Ballow. It's not impossible to think you could get enough space for a tent on low ground between Double Pk and Duramlee, or near to the top of Duramlee or even after contouring around Focal Pk.
Not long back i went up a road from Burnett Ck direct to Cleared Ridge. The end of the road near to Burnett Ck was not very evident. A short way up it was a well kept and a well used road. That is irrelevant to your plans though.

[CBee]

Cool thanks. From Ballow, would you take the big lonely route or durramlee route, to exit down to upper portals? I don't necessarily have to go to Montserrat. This is a section that is part of a bigger hike, so I want to allocate two days, without being too epic.

[Aardvark]

I think it is more interesting to go via Duramlee because you have the great views from atop Double Pk. When you get to the Doubletop cliffline after ascending from the saddle with Ballow, take a route (left) around to the north until you get to the other end of the peak on the east before ascending back to the ridgeline. You can detour back up to summit from there. It's 5 minutes.
That ridge you go over that descends to the WNW is another route i took from Burnett Ck once. There is only one tricky bit on that ridge. A rocky bluff you need to scramble over not far down from the top. It also saves on the need to go over Minnages and Ballow.
I think you'll get some satisfaction navigating your way down to Cedar Pass from Duramlee. Once you're around Focal Pk you'll pick up on a track most of the way to Monserrat.
The route over Big Lonely involved me pushing my way through stands of trees which would be difficult with a bigger pack. Unless the recent fires have made a big difference. I don't recall anything of a track except that you're on a ridgeline. The final descent off Big Lonely was quite steep. I did not get a view of anything.
You say a bigger hike. Are you starting at or near Boonah border gate?

[CBee]

Maybe I'll start at Cunningham's gap. Travelling along the rim but not necessarily following the border. Still planning in progress but I have a missing link between white swamp and burnett creek. But you sold me the Double peak route, for sure.

[gbagua]

Day 1: Burnett Ck to Ballow
Day 2: Ballow to Cleared Ridge

Water now? Take as much as you can.There is a spring water in the Focal-Mowburra saddle though; however not entirely reliable.

The bush-bash to Ballow from Burnett is epic when i did it early Feb. this year. Watch for gympie-gympie passed Minnages as there is plenty. I got hit several times and in the end I didn't care because I was pressed by time on the way back to Burnet (didn't want to cross the 'Amazon' in the dark).

Have fun. This area of Barney is heavily vegetated.

[Aardvark]

Water now? Take as much as you can.There is a spring water in the Focal-Mowburra saddle though; however not entirely reliable.

BTW. That saddle is called Cedar Pass

[CBee]

Sounds fun

[dalehikes]

BTW. That saddle is called Cedar Pass

A Satin Bowebird has used Cedar Pass as his bower site for quite some time. Keep an eye out!

[CBee]

I also heard of some cool antarctic beech around focal peak. I'm looking forward to get there.

[Don R]

There is generally water near Junction Peak / Ballow at a small soak which is to the south east of Mt Ballow itself. there is a small implied gully which joins up with the top of Whitewater Gully (almost always dry). I think it is somewhere near around 462130 6872812. I've got water there a few times over the last twenty odd years. Don't rely on it, but if you are desperate.

[Aardvark]

There is generally water near Junction Peak / Ballow at a small soak which is to the south east of Mt Ballow itself. there is a small implied gully which joins up with the top of Whitewater Gully (almost always dry).

White water gully is southwest of Ballow. Hence the gully with the soak is similarly SW not SE of the peak.
DonR, have you had to filter the water at any time?

[Don R]

Oops sorry about that. Quite right about being to the South West. Never needed to filter the water from that source but it was generally a lengthy process to collect it. There is a small flow sometimes around. Just don’t depend on this source.

[epiclad25]

I wouldn't bother to be honest. Tried to get from Minnages to Ballow and the ridge top is choked with stinging tree. Unless you wanna come out of it feeling vomitously ill its probably not worth it.

[CBee]

I can imagine. I just need a link between white swamp rd and monserrat peak, to complete the Scenic Rim Traverse. I figured this section would have been the hardest of all, scrub wise.

[epiclad25]

yeah either following the range proper or going over ballow is terrible scrub. when are you doing the full traverse?

[Aardvark]

I used to follow the old rabbit board fences across open farmland from Clunie - Ballow corner (at the top of a road coming up from Lindesay Ck) to the Mt.Lindesay Hwy.
Only once did i go over Junction Pk and onto Nothofagus. That way is rough but persisting does provide some self satisfaction.
Last time i followed Burnett Ck Rd northward to ascend around to Cleared Ridge and beyond.

[CBee]

yeah either following the range proper or going over ballow is terrible scrub. when are you doing the full traverse?

Not sure. Hoped to finish mt. Lindsay to point danger section sometimes before summer. I have done the Thornton to Wilson's peak section. The ballow link is only to formally complete the lot, since I have traversed Barney many times.

[gbagua]

Are you planning to climb/hike Mt Lindesay?

Someone I know went up recently and regretted it big time. Awful amount of lantana and gympie-gympie; plus a further deterioration of rock quality (it was bad already) following the 2019 bushfire. Photo:

https://m.facebook.com/ozcyclonechasers ... 803349704/

[CBee]

Are you planning to climb/hike Mt Lindesay?

I probably will at some stage, but not on my priority list. I was more curious to check the Vidler Chimney and see if is doable. The normal route for what I heard, is a combo of a nightmare-ish steep vegetated approach, rotten rock with poor protection and a summit with no views. Why should I rush to climb something like that?

[gbagua]

Good summary. The approach is the crux of the climb. I got stung badly to the point of fainting and almost bailed the hike after being stung by that nasty tree.

Some people wander off route and then disaster strikes:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/queensl ... t5677.html

Once is enough for me.

FYI, that chimney is heavily vegetated.

Edit: be prepared to see the largest collection of abandoned rappelling gear, both commercial and homemade stuff, of any peak/mountain/cliff. There was even a padlock!

[CBee]

But if you are referring to the Gympie Gympie plant, it's actually easy to see and therefore to dodge. The Vidler's Chimney was climbed without gear by Lucky Chance, he was alone (and then he base jumped from the top) and he described it as a bit of a challenge "hands on one side and feet on the other side of the chimney". He then unfortunately died in a rope swing accident so he can no longer give us more details but the chimney apparently has seen action only in the 50s by a handful of pioneers. But the link you posted about the accident, I think I know the people in the party.

[Aardvark]

Vidlers chimney has been used many times. Myself included a few times. The book at the top is testamony to that. I took club activity up there once.
We've never used gear to ascend but we did use just a rope once to descend the chimney . My visits were twenty years ago now and there was a lady in her sixties who was frequently ascending solo then ( almost weekly i believe).
I can't remember if i read it in the book at the top. I think it might have been elsewhere but a surveyor long ago got stuck on top and wouldn't descend. He had to be rescued. He did some clearing but that was long ago.
Ross Miller fell a few years ago, and died. He was climbing with his wife and another. He was a club leader at K2 extreme for a while. BBW before that.

[CBee]

Vidlers chimney has been used many times. Myself included a few times. The book at the top is testamony to that. I took club activity up there once.
We've never used gear to ascend but we did use just a rope once to descend the chimney . My visits were twenty years ago now and there was a lady in her sixties who was frequently ascending solo then ( almost weekly i believe).
I can't remember if i read it in the book at the top. I think it might have been elsewhere but a surveyor long ago got stuck on top and wouldn't descend. He had to be rescued. He did some clearing but that was long ago.
Ross Miller fell a few years ago, and died. He was climbing with his wife and another. He was a club leader at K2 extreme for a while. BBW before that.

Miller yes, I know the story and the people in the party. But the chimney, are you sure is vidler chimney? I'm not convinced that Lucky Chance finds difficult a climb that gets done by the bushwalking club, without rope. I also read of a very good rockclimber who told me is a bit of a challenge, and he is a trad master. Also, the photo and description on the crag, make me think this is not a bushwalking route.

[Aardvark]

Well no one here said it is a bushwalking route.
I always described it as a scramble.
I never called it easy either.
Who says we can't be rockclimbers and bushwalkers.
You really don't know if some of us have done more climbing than you.
In my time i've seen many a person relatively unknown and new to the game tackle something that has bamboozled so called experts.

[CBee]

Hmmm, I really hope I don't pass for someone who pretends to be better that others or knows more and stuff like that. If this is the impression you or other users get, I may just stop posting here. I'll explain in other words: I do both rockclimbing and have done bushwalking club activities and based on what I have done with the club and the information I had on this Vidler Chimney from experienced trad climbers I assumed it was a serious rockclimbing route. But from your post I had the impression you described it as an easy route doable without rope therefore I was confused. I don't think I have written anything that states that you are not a better rockclimber than me (surely you are because I'm not a good one) or that newbies bushwalkers cannot climb better than veteran trad climbers or that rockclimbers cannot be bushwalkers and vice-versa. But perhaps, Lucky Chance Vidler's chimney is not the real Chimney near the grave.

[Aardvark]

Well i've only ever known the one route up Lindesay. It is definitely a chimney. The grave site of Vidler is close. A matter of twenty metres or so if i recall correctly. Back to the west a little.
I believe the gravesite had a refurbishment some years back.
I also heard someone else died trying to pioneer an alternative route. Sometime within the last twenty years. I always assumed that must have been on the northern side and perhaps a little west of the chimney. I have circumnavigated the whole mountain at the base of the cliffline and i can't imagine anyone ascending anywhere else.
We first started climbing Lindesay from Collins Gap, reaching the westernmost cliff face and traversing around the north to the chimney in the northeast.
I also followed a route up from the forestry road on the south. I was reaching the cliff line on the southeast of the mountain before traversing around to Vidlers.
But the most direct route was always straight up from Glennie Gap to pretty much come to the base of the chimney.
Steve Turner used to tell me he always went straight up the northern flanks of the mountain from the highway well into Qld. I'm sure he would have steered a little eastward around the thickest of the vegetation staying within the cleared paddocks for as long as possible. Suggesting he would have eventually come onto the route up from Glennie Gap.
It's been a while since i was at the cliff line but i always have believed there to be only one feasible way up and that is via Vidlers Chimney. In all my discussions with anyone else who has ever climbed it, no one ever bothered to carry more than a short rope to descend the chimney. It was always dirty, crumbly and strewn with loose rocks but once you got to the big tree exiting westward there were holds a plenty. A couple of sketchy moments requiring good balance further up but the foot holds were there. I always thought the worst part was when leaving the top and taking the first steep drop over several metres to land on a narrow ledge as wide as a small foot track. We would be facing outward and leap the last metre onto that track. The vegetation below and behind that provided no barrier for a fall if you kept falling forward. It just hid the view and that was at least hundred metre drop.