2022-January & 2022-March combined report
Day-trip ... circuit:
Deception Canyon
to Dry Canyon also known as Nobles Canyon
via Delusional Slot
and detour to Wild Slots
& cliff edges on plateau above Dry Canyon
Wollemi National Park, NSW, Australia
This is part 2 of the trip report.
Parts 1 and 3 of the report
- Part 1 of trip report
(Maps, GPS, Photos #1 to #56)
This link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np.html
- Part 3, last part
This link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np_11.html
Wild Slots - right-side slot entrance
57) Entrance of the right-side slot.
- Left to right: Lora, Frank, Stanley
58) (2020-Aug) Entrance of the right-side slot.
- Left to right: Yusrin, Lisa, Joanne
- Photo #59 features the same rock
where Yusrin is sitting now.
59) Entrance of the right-side slot.
- Upper pic: Paul (2022-Mar)
- Lower pic: Lora, Stanley
- In both pics, we are sitting on the same rock;
and it is the same rock Yusrin was sitting on
in the previous pic.
Upper pic: Photo by Dave
60) From the entrance of the right-side slot,
looking down at where we came from.
- Smaller circle, bottom-left corner:
Cave & waterfall are under the rock ...
We'll be there soon, photos #61 to #64.
- Larger circle:
We'll exit Wild Slots via the tunnel, photo #65.
- Yellow oval, right edge:
The way we entered Wild Slots earlier on.
Wild Slots - small cave & waterfall
61) Entrance to a small cave.
- The entrance is under the rock
in the smaller yellow circle
at bottom-left corner of previous pic.
- A small waterfall is inside ... Photos #63, #64.
62) Waterfall here is photographed
from the rock (and towards left)
at where Yusrin was sitting in photo #58.
- Scene here is above the cave in photo #61.
- The waterfall plunges into the inside
of the cave ... photo #63.
63) (2022-Mar) Small waterfall and plunge pool ...
We are inside the small cave of photo #61.
- Upper part of this waterfall is previous pic
and is above the cave.
- Also, refer to photo #64.
64) Still inside the cave.
- White oval:
(2022-Jan) Only a trickle of water here.
(Enlarge the pic to see the trickle.)
- The prev pic was photographed in 2022-Mar ...
around that time a lot of rain fell in Feb/Mar.
Wild Slots - Stargate-like Tunnel
65) We leave the Wild Slots area
via this Stargate-like tunnel.
- The tunnel is the larger yellow circle in photo #60.
- It is like the Stargate Tunnel at McLeans Pass
in Wolgan State Forest.
- Lower pic, left to right: Lora, Lisa, Karen
Lower pic: Photo by Frank
To Delusional Pass and Delusional Slot
After Wild Slots, we head towards
Delusional Pass and Delusional Slot.
66) Dry creek downstream of Deception Canyon.
- We are walking downstream from the area
in photo #37.
- Upper pic, Left to right:
Ray, Paul, Stanley, Frank, Karen, Lora
- Lower pic:
• Left to right: Frank, Lisa, Karen
• Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
Upper pic: Photo by Lisa
67) Climbing up towards a ledge (which will
lead to Delusional Pass / Delusional Slot).
- Upper pic, left to right: Stanley, Lora, Lisa, Karen
- Lower pic, top to bottom:
Ray, Paul, Frank, Karen, Stanley, Lora
Lower pic: Photo by Lisa
Ledge
(to Delusional Pass and Delusional Slot)
68) This part of the ledge had collapsed
making progress a little tricky.
- Left to right: Lora, Paul, Karen, Frank, Stanley
Photo by Stanley
69) Along ledge
to Delusional Pass / Delusional Slot.
- Left to right: Stanley (having fun), Lora, Frank
- Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
70) Along ledge
to Delusional Pass / Delusional Slot.
- Upper pic, left to right: Ray, Lisa
- Lower pic: Frank, Karen
• Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- Lisa & Karen are climbing the same rock.
71) Passing this overhang/cave ... nice !
72) Along ledge.
- Upper pic: (2020-Aug)
• 2 yellow arrows:
You can pass here along either arrow.
• Left to right: Lisa, Yusrin
- Lower pic: Stanley the Buddha 😊
Ledge - Animal jaw
73) (2020-Aug) Joanne in the jaw of an animal.
- Lower right pic: (2022-Mar)
Growth of scrub in the intervening years
Ledge - Narrow cave
74) Come to a narrow cave.
- You can bypass the cave ...
yellow arrow on the right.
- Or you can enter the cave ...
yellow arrow on the left.
- In the middle of the cave, you can exit
through a hole on the right ... photo #76.
75) Entrance of the narrow cave.
An amazing photo !!!
- Beautiful Lora is like a tall mermaid ...
Compare her with Lisa inside the cave !!! 😊
Photo by Stanley
76) (2022-Mar) Inside the narrow cave.
- Dave ...
About to exit the cave on the right
where daylight shines in
Ledge - Lookout
77) A nice lookout
on a rocky platform of the ledge.
- Left to right:
• On the platform ... Lisa, Ray, Frank
• On the ledge ... Lora, Karen, Stanley
78) View from the lookout towards
Donkey Mountain and
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort.
Delusional Pass
The ledge comes to GR 4016 1762.
Here, we turn left to climb up Delusional Pass.
Be careful when climbing up the pass.
It is steep and full of loose rocks
which could tumble down to hurt someone below.
79) (2020-Aug) Climbing up Delusional Pass.
- Left to right: Lisa, Yusrin
- Red arrow:
Delusional Slot (at the end of the pass)
80) Climbing up Delusional Pass.
- Upper pic, left to right: Ray, Lora, Karen
- Lower pic:
• Lisa, Stanley
- Red arrow:
Delusional Slot (at the end of the pass)
Delusional Slot - Outside its lower entrance
We have arrived at Delusional Slot ...
Photos #86 to #94.
The slot is a gentle sloping ramp
leading to the top of the cliff.
Grid Ref: 4020 1758 ... Its lower entrance
81) First, we muck around the cliff walls
to the left of the slot ...
... This and photos #82 to #85.
- Stanley having fun
82) To the right of previous pic,
there is a smooth-ish vertical cliff.
- Lora having fun, pretending to climb the cliff 😊
83) Karen.
84) Lisa.
85) Paul.
Photo by Lora
Delusional Slot - lower entrance
86) Outside Delusional Slot's lower entrance.
- Yellow arrow:
Delusional Slot ... Leads to top of the cliff.
- Cyan arrow:
Photos #87, #88 ... Also to top of the cliff.
- Upper pic: Ray
- Lower pic: (2022-Mar) Paul
Photos by Frank & Dave
87) (2022-Feb)
The vertical gap, cyan arrow of previous pic.
- Yellow oval: Delusional Slot
Photo by John Graham
In 2020-Aug,
due to the way the sun was shining,
the inside of Delusional slot
(yellow oval of previous pic)
appeared to be a smooth vertical black wall.
Obviously we weren't going to climb up
a smooth wall.
And so, the only way up the cliff
was via the vertical gap of previous pic
(and also the pic below).
Yusrin & Joanne were able to climb up first.
And Yusrin set up his red rope
for the rest of us who weren't so agile.
Once we were all up the plateau,
rounded a bend,
we found a gentle narrow ramp going down.
Curious about where it might lead to,
we went down the ramp to investigate.
Lo and behold, we were back at the same spot
as in the above & below photos !!!
We all laughed at how silly we were 😊 😊 😊
There were 5 of us with 5 pairs of eyes.
None of us realized
the smooth vertical black wall
was just an illusion ... well, delusion 😊
Considering to climb up the vertical gap,
one first had to go a little bit inside Delusional Slot,
chimneyed up a bit,
then crossed over to the vertical gap.
And yet, we didn't see the gentle ramp
which is Delusional Slot !!!
I reckon we were the only group in the entire world
who have climbed up the cliffs via both passages !
After the trip, I tried to have the name of the gap
registered as "Silly Climb"
in BushExplorers' Encyclopaedia,
https://www.bushexplorers.com.au/
But BushExplorers won't accept it
on the ground that the gap is not
a geological feature 😭
Why is it not a geological feature ???
88) (2020-Aug) Same vertical gap as previous pic.
- Yusrin has set his red rope.
- Lisa climbing up.
89) Just inside the lower entrance of
Delusional Slot.
- Frank
- White oval:
In 2020-Aug, this area appeared
as a smooth vertical black wall !!!
Delusional Slot - inside
90) Inside Delusional Slot.
- Top to bottom:
Ray, Stanley, Frank, Lora, Paul, Karen
Photo by Lisa
91) Inside Delusional Slot.
- Top to bottom: Ray, Lora
92) Inside Delusional Slot ... looking back.
- Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- Upper pic, left to right: Karen, Lisa
- Lower pic:
Lora ... behind her are Paul, Karen, Lisa.
Lower pic: Photo by Ray
Delusional Slot - upper entrance
93) Delusional Slot, upper entrance.
- Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- Frank, Lora
94) Delusional Slot, upper entrance.
- Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- Upper pic: Karen leading, followed by Lisa
Upper pic: Photo by Ray
Above Delusional Slot
95) (2020-Aug) Looking down into Delusional Slot.
- Upper pic top to bottom: Lisa, Joanne
- Lower pic: Yusrin, David, Paul, Joanne
Lower pic: Photo by Lisa
Pagoda 1
Grid Ref: 4020 1750
Just south of Delusional Slot.
For the purpose of this trip report,
it is labelled as pagoda 1.
Climb it in 2022-Jan, but not in 2022-Mar.
(In 2022-Mar,
we climbed the nearby pagoda 8 instead.)
96) Climbing up pagoda 1.
- Red arrows in both pics below:
Same interesting rock
- Upper pic, top to bottom:
Stanley, Frank, Lisa, Karen
Lower pic: Photo by Stanley
97) At top of pagoda 1.
- Upper pic: Facing north-ish
• Lora, Frank
- Lower pic: Facing south-ish
• Karen
• Red arrow:
Pagoda 8. Climb it in 2022-Mar ...
Photos #100, #101
• This pic and the 3 pics in photo #98
form a 360-degree panorama.
98) Panorama from top of pagoda 1.
- Upper pic:
(Continuation from the right of previous pic)
• 7 red arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 6
2 GR 4016 1730, interesting pagoda
not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it
if I'm near this area again !
3 Pagoda 9
4 After climbing pagoda 9,
go to this cliff edge, lookout 1.
5 Cleft Point
6 Sunnyside Point
7 Cape Pinnacle
• Mouth of Dry Canyon is behind pagoda 9;
can't be seen from here.
- Middle pic:
(Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
• Both white ovals:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
• Purple arrow: Cape Horn
• 2 horizontal bars, left to right:
Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
• 5 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cape Horn (insert)
2 Unnamed 870-meter hill
west of Mt Wolgan
3 Mt McLean
4 Mt Jamison
5 Mt Davidson
• Photo #99 zooms into the centre of this pic.
- Lower pic:
(Continuation from the right of the middle pic)
• Left to right: Lora, Frank
- Continuation to the right of the lower pic
is photo #97's lower pic,
completing a 360-degree panorama.
99) Zooming into the centre of
photo #98's middle pic.
- White oval:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
- 2 horizontal bars, left to right:
Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
- 5 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cape Horn
2 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of Mt Wolgan
3 Mt McLean
4 Mt Jamison
5 Mt Davidson (in the background)
Pagoda 8
Grid Ref: 4021 1748
It is the next pagoda south-ish of pagoda 1.
For the purpose of this trip report,
it is labelled as pagoda 8.
Climb it in 2022-Mar, but not in 2022-Jan.
100) Pagoda 8.
- Upper pic:
• View to pagoda 8 from top of pagoda 1
• White oval: Pagoda 8
Hard to discern it from the background.
It is also the red arrow
in photo #97's lower pic.
- Lower pic: (2022-Mar) Climbing it now
101) (2022-Mar) View towards pagoda 1,
from top of pagoda 8.
- 2 red arrows, left to right:
1 Same as the red arrows in photo #96
(both upper & lower pics)
2 You should be able to match this rock
with the one in:
• Photo #97's upper pic
• Photo #98's middle pic (right edge)
Pagoda 5
Grid Ref: 4027 1747 to 4028 1748
After pagoda 1 (2022-Jan) / pagoda 8 (2022-Mar),
it is to pagoda 5.
The view from top of pagoda 5
is not as good as other pagodas.
But still, it is a pagoda, hence worthwhile climbing.
102) Part of the pagoda 5 complex.
- 2 white ovals, left to right:
1 Same as the white oval
in photo #104's lower pic
2 We climb up these rocks
from somewhere behind here.
Also same as the white oval
in photo #104's upper pic
- White arrow:
Same as the white arrow
in photo #104's lower pic
- This pic and the 3 pics in photo #103
form a 360-degree panorama.
103) Panorama from top of pagoda 5.
- Upper pic:
(Continuation from the right of previous pic)
- Middle pic:
(Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
• White arrow:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
• Purple arrow: Cape Horn
• 8 red arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 9 ... You can hardly see it 😭
2 Lookout 1, nice lookout on cliff edge ...
Again, you can hardly see it 😭
(2022-Mar only, will go there
after climbing pagoda 9.)
3 Cleft Point
4 Sunnyside Point
5 Cape Pinnacle
6 Cape Horn (insert)
7 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of
Mt Wolgan
8 Mt McLean
- Lower pic:
(Continuation from the right of the middle pic)
• 2 red arrows, left to right:
Mt Jamison, Mt Davidson
• 2 horizontal bars, left to right:
Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
- Continuation to the right of the lower pic is
photo #102, completing a 360-degree panorama.
104) Some features of the top of pagoda 5.
- Upper pic:
• White oval:
Same as the white oval
on the right of photo #102 ...
Viewed from opposite directions
- Lower pic:
• White oval:
Same as the left white oval in photo #102
• White arrow:
Same rock as the white arrow
in photo #102
• 7 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cleft Point
2 Sunnyside Point
3 Cape Pinnacle
4 Cape Horn
5 Unnamed 870-meter hill
west of Mt Wolgan
6 Mt McLean
7 Mt Jamison
Pagoda 6
After pagoda 5, it is to Pagoda 6.
Grid Ref: 4025 1721
105) Part of the pagoda 6 complex.
- Upper pic, left to right: Karen, Frank, Lora, Stanley
- Lower pic: Frank, Lora, Stanley, Karen
106) At another part of pagoda 6 ... facing west.
- 7 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cape Pinnacle
2 Cape Horn
3 Mt McLean
4 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of Mt Wolgan
5 Mt Jamison
6 Mt Davidson
7 Mt Wolgan
- 2 yellow arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 9, next destination (2022-Mar only)
2 Then to lookout 1 at cliff edge
(2022-Mar only)
- This pic and photos #107 #108
form a 360-degree panorama.
107) (Continuation from the right of prev pic)
Facing north-west.
- Red horizontal bar: Donkey Mountain
- Yellow arrow:
Lookout 1 at cliff edge with a nice view
(2022-Mar only)
- 3 red arrows, left to right:
1 Mt Davidson
2 Mt Wolgan
3 GR 4016 1730, an interesting pagoda
not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it
if I'm near this area again !
- White oval:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
- Prev pic, this one and the 3 pics in photo #108
form a 360-degree panorama.
108) Panorama from top of pagoda 6.
- Upper pic: Dave
(Continuation from the right of previous pic)
- Middle pic: Dave
(Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
- Lower pic:
(Continuation from the right of the middle pic)
• Red arrow: Cape Pinnacle
- Continuation to the right of the lower pic is
photo #106, completing a 360-degree panorama.
Climb down a steep slope
On the way to the cliff edges north of Dry Canyon,
need to climb down this steep slope.
No rope is required.
But if the rocks are wet,
a rope should be deployed.
109) The steep slope.
- Upper pic:
• Looking down from top of slope
• Top to bottom: Lisa, Ray, Karen, Frank
- Lower pic:
• Looking back at the slope
we just climbed down
Pagoda 9
2022-Mar only
Very nice view from top of the pagoda.
Grid Ref: 4007 1715
110) This pic and photos #111 #112
form a 360-degree panorama.
- White oval:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
- 4 red arrows, left to right:
1 Mt McLean
2 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of Mt Wolgan
3 Mt Jamison
4 Mt Davidson
- 2 red horizontal bars:
Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
111) (Continuation from the right of previous pic)
- Vertical yellow arrow:
Lookout 1 on cliff edge with nice view ...
We are going there next. (2022-Mar only)
- Yellow dot: Delusional Slot lower entrance
- Horizontal yellow arrow:
Route along ridge top after climbing up
Delusional Slot
- 2 red arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 5
2 GR 4016 1730, an interesting pagoda
not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it
if I'm near this area again !
112) Panorama from top of pagoda 9.
- Upper pic:
(Continuation from the right of previous pic)
• 2 red arrows, left to right:
1 GR 4016 1730, interesting pagoda
not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it
if I'm near this area again !
2 Pagoda 6
- Middle pic:
(Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
- Lower pic:
(Continuation from the right of the middle pic)
• Cyan dotted line: Dry Canyon mouth
• 2 white ovals, left to right:
1 We'll be there. From top of the rocks,
we can look down into dry Canyon.
2 Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
Resort
• 4 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cleft Point
2 Sunnyside Point
3 Cape Pinnacle
4 Cape Horn
- Continuation to the right of the lower pic is
photo #110, completing a 360-degree panorama.
Lookout 1
Grid Ref: 4003 1726
2022-Mar only ...
From pagoda 9, go to tip of a rock platform on
cliff edge with a wonderful view.
For the purpose of this trip report,
the tip is labelled as lookout 1.
113) Lookout 1 ...
tip of rock platform on cliff edge.
- Upper pic:
• Red arrow: Going to the tip now.
- Lower pic:
• Paul at the tip
• White oval:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
114) At lookout 1, looking back at where we came from ~~~
- Dave
- Red arrow: Pagoda 9 ... We were there few minutes ago.
- This pic and the 3 pics in photo #115 form a 360-degree panorama.
115) Panorama from lookout 1 ~~~
- Upper pic: (Continuation from the right of previous pic)
• 8 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cleft Point
2 Sunnyside Point
3 Cape Pinnacle
4 Cape Horn
5 Mt McLean
6 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of Mt Wolgan
7 Mt Jamison
8 Mt Davidson
• 2 red horizontal bars: Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
• 2 white ovals: Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
• Photo #116 zooms into the main part of this pic.
- Middle pic: (Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
• White ovals: Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
• Yellow dot: Delusional Slot lower entrance
• Red arrow: Pagoda 5
• Photo #117 zooms into the right half of this pic.
- Lower pic: (Continuation from the right of the middle pic)
• 3 red arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 5
2 GR 4016 1730, interesting pagoda not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it if I'm near this area again !
3 Pagoda 6
- Continuation to the right of the lower pic is photo #114, completing a 360-degree panorama.
116) Zooming into the main part of photo #115's upper pic ... Wonderful view ! ~~~
- 2 white ovals: Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort
- 5 red arrows, left to right:
1 Cape Horn
2 Mt McLean
3 Unnamed 870-meter hill west of Mt Wolgan
4 Mt Jamison
5 Mt Davidson
- 2 red horizontal bars: Mt Wolgan, Donkey Mountain
117) Zooming to right half of photo #115's middle pic ~~~
A wonderful view of where we were few hours ago.
- 4 red arrows, left to right:
1 Pagoda 1 ... climbed in 2022-Jan
2 Pagoda 8 ... climbed in 2022-Mar
3 Pagoda 5
4 GR 4016 1730, interesting pagoda not climbed in any of my trips.
Must make a mental note to climb it if I'm near this area again !
- Yellow dot: Delusional Slot lower entrance
- 3 yellow arrows, left to right:
1 Walking along the ledge
2 Then up the steep Delusional Pass
3 Walking along ridge top after climbing out of Delusional Slot
Trip report continues ...
Part 3 (last part) of the report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np_11.html
Just a reminder ...
Part 1 of the trip report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np.html
Similar bushwalks in this area
2015-Sep ...
Deception Canyon & Dry Canyon only
Detailed trip report:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/deception-nobles-canyon-wollemi-np-nsw.html
2020-Aug ...
Deception Canyon & Wild Slots & Delusional Slot
Pictures only:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GFuSRJr_jfJaAtz9XyWZxWjEQq4o-8YG/view
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