2015 September
- Deception Canyon
- Dry Canyon also known as Nobles Canyon
Wollemi National Park, NSW, Australia
Similar bushwalks in this area
2022-Jan & 2022-Mar
Deception Canyon, Wild Slots, Delusional Slot, Dry Canyon
Detailed trip report:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np.html
2020-Aug
Deception Canyon, Wild Slots, Delusional Slot
Pictures only:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GFuSRJr_jfJaAtz9XyWZxWjEQq4o-8YG/view
Prologue
Wollemi National Park is a wonderland, full of pagoda-like rock formations and canyons.
Today's trip is to Deception Canyon and Dry Canyon ... fascinating places !
Both are dry canyons that you can easily walk in.
Deception Canyon is not mentioned anywhere in a trip report on the web. We are truly blessed to be one of a handful of people who have visited this wonderful place.
Dry Canyon has 2 sections, the 2nd one is longer. Both sections are spectacular. You really should be there to experience them !
5 of us in today's trip:
- FM
- FB
- NC ... leader
- RZ ... Ruoran Zhou
- and me
After exploring Deception Canyon, FM hurt her shoulder, so we leave her on a rocky outcrop.
The rest of us go on to Dry Canyon.
We are serious hikers.
Dry Canyon has first priority over the well being of a fellow hiker :-)
Post Script
I'm trying to contact RZ - Ruoran Zhou.
If you know her whereabouts, please let me know.
Or ask her to contact me.
Thank you.
( My email address: mntviews@gmail.com )
More details on Ruoran Zhou is in this link:
http://onemanadreaming.blogspot.com/2022/03/ruoran-zhou.html
Maps
- 1:100,000 scaled 8931 Wallerawang
- 1:25,000 scaled 8931-4S Ben Bullen and 8931-3N Cullen Bullen
Here is the 1:25,000 scale map of where we spend our day.
GPS tracklog files & Route
KML file of the drive from Blackheath to where we park our car on Glowworm Tunnel Road:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B877-h5SCJaSQzVZZW9QMXpkVlE/view?usp=sharing
The GPX tracklog file of our walk:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B877-h5SCJaSdmpuQlVqcTY4ZVU/view?usp=sharing
Our tracklog, brown colour, in the 1:25,000 map:
- Upper blue oval: Deception Canyon
- Lower blue oval: Dry Canyon
- Red arrow: Where we park our car on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
- Lookout over Wolgan River: As the crow flies, about 200 to 300 meters north-west of Deception Canyon.
Summary of our route:
- Park car by the side of Glowworm Tunnel Rd (small red circle in the above map).
- To a lookout over Wolgan River.
- To Deception Canyon (upper green oval of the above map).
- To Dry Canyon (lower green oval).
- Return to car.
Timeline & Distance
10:57 0.0 km Start bushbashing from Glowworm Tunnel Rd
11:45 1.2 km At lookout over Wolgan River
Morning tea
12:03 1.3 km Leave lookout
12:09 1.4 km At top of cliff where climbing tape is used
Climb down tape
12:32 1.4 km Leave bottom of cliff
12:44 1.6 km At start of Deception Canyon
13:02 1.7 km At end of Deception Canyon
Lunch
(GPS reception is not good inside the canyon, distance given here is not to be trusted.)
13:32 2.2 km Leave Deception Canyon
13:57 3.0 km At rocky outcrop where we leave FM
14:02 3.0 km Leave rocky outcrop
14:35 3.8 km At start of Dry Canyon
14:46 4.2 km At end of Dry Canyon
14:47 4.3 km At where we turn around
14:55 4.3 km Turn around and retrace our steps
14:57 4.4 km At Dry Canyon
15:17 4.9 km Leave Dry Canyon
15:56 5.8 km At rocky outcrop to pick up FM
16:05 5.8 km Leave Rocky outcrop
16:18 6.2 km Back at car at Glowworm Tunnel Rd
==============================================
Total: 5 hrs 21 mins at leisurely pace
6.2 km Distance is from Google Earth
7.7 km Distance is from Garmin GPS
Pictures - To a lookout over Wolgan River
1) Five of us start here at Glowworm Tunnel Road.
NC is explaining where we'll be going today.
Left to right: NC, RZ, FB, FM
2) It is bushbashing straight away.
Left to right: RZ, FB
3) Climbing up this small pagoda-like rock formation to survey the surrounding landscape ~~~
Clockwise from Left: NC, RZ, FM, FB
4) Sliding down ~~~
There are plenty of this type of terrain.
From top to bottom: FM, FB, RZ, NC
5) The top of another pagoda-like rock formation is a lookout with a splendid view ... see Photo #6.
Lookout over Wolgan River
6) From the top of the rock of the previous pic is a lookout with this splendid panoramic view ~~~
- Upper pic: Donkey Mountain is at the centre.
- Lower pic Continuation to the right of the upper pic.
7) Donkey Mountain ~~~
The Emirates One&Only Resort is in front of Donkey Mountain. On hearing that it is a real luxury resort, I suggest that it would be a good idea to climb down to there for the night. Then FM said that the price tag for a bed is above $2000, I quickly shelved the idea.
But the question remains ... why would Emirates want to build a resort in such a remote location? ... This place is in a no-man's land, miles from nowhere.
- To its west side:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/donkey-mountain-west-side-gardens-of.html
- To its east side:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2016/03/donkey-mountain-north-east-maze-gardens.html
and
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2016/08/donkey-mountain-north-east-maze-gardens.html
8) Still at the lookout ~~~
Plenty of pagoda rocks
9) Isopogon, a Drumsticks plant at the lookout ~~~
Is it Isopogon anemonifolius (Broad-leaf Drumsticks) ?
To Deception Canyon
10) Now going to Deception Canyon ~~~
First, climb down this rock face with a climbing tape.
- NC and RZ go first.
- Right pic: RZ in action
11) Then it is my turn, followed by FM and FB.
This rock face is probably climbable without a tape.
Also I suspect if you search around, you may be able to find a gentler slope where you can climb down without a tape.
12) Heading to Deception Canyon ~~~
FM is pointing the way.
13) Not far from Deception Canyon now ~~~
RZ is in front.
Deception Canyon
14) About to enter Deception Canyon ~~~
FM is leading the way in.
NC is marking this entry point in his GPS.
RZ is to his right.
15) Just inside Deception Canyon ~~~
- Left pic: Looking back at the entrance
FB taking a photo
- Right pic, left to right: NC, RZ
16) Walking inside Deception Canyon ~~~
It is dry.
17) An amazing place !
18) An amazing place !
19) Left pic: Looking back at Fiona who is taking a photo.
Right pic: Some not-so-easy climbing is required inside the canyon. In this pic, I've climbed up a little bit and is looking down on the ground in the direction where we came from.
20) This is the not-so-easy climbing that I had mentioned.
21) FB climbing up
22) Left pic: RZ
Right pic: We've finished the climbing, and is now on an upper level of the canyon. (Left to right: FM, RZ)
23) Still inside the canyon (FM)
24) Finally we are out in a small open space.
Here, wa have lunch and admire the place.
Only a handful of people have ever been here.
You won't find a trip report describing this canyon anywhere on the web.
- Narrow slit on left side of the photos: Where we'll exit the canyon
- Lower pic, left to right: NC, FM, FB, RZ
25) After lunch, we reluctantly leave this wonderful place.
Instead of retracing our steps, we exit via the narrow slit in this photo ... the same slit as in the previous pic.
To Dry Canyon
After Deception Canyon, we are on our way to Dry Canyon.
26) Some rock scrambling along the way ~~~
NC is leading, followed by RZ and FB.
27) Passing by this rock formation
28) Going through a gully ... we are heading towards Dry Canyon.
NC is leading, followed by RZ.
29) Taking a rest ~~~
Lovely ladies: FB & RZ
Here, FM can't continue further.
She hurt her shoulder earlier when climbing up inside Deception Canyon.
So we leave her here to fend for herself :-)
( Sorry to leave you here FM;
Dry Canyon is more important than looking after you :-) )
30) On our way to Dry Canyon ~~~
Now threading through a long narrow slot between 2 cliffs.
(Strange that on the return trip, we can't find this slot ... Photo #63.)
- NC is leading, followed by FB & RZ.
31) (We've passed through the slot of the previous photo.) ~~~
There are plenty of these pagoda-like rock formations.
32) Now going along a gully filled with brackens ~~~
NC is leading, followed by RZ.
33) The gully is lined with these pagoda-like rock formations.
34) More pagodas
35) And more pagodas
36) A narrow passage between rocks ~~~
NC is leading, followed by RZ.
37) We are going down another gully ... beautiful !
38) FB climbing down.
39) We are close to the entrance of Dry Canyon.
Left to right: NC, RZ, FB
Dry Canyon - 1st section
Dry Canyon has 2 sections.
1st section: East side of the canyon
2nd section: West side
40) Turn the corner and we'll be in Dry Canyon.
FB is in front. Further ahead is NC.
41) We've just entered Dry Canyon ~~~
This is the first of the two sections of Dry Canyon.
Left pic: RZ is in front. FB is further ahead.
42) Inside the 1st section of Dry Canyon ...RZ.
(1st section is the east side of Dry Canyon.)
43) Left pic: Taken at the same spot as the previous pic - FB & NC are looking up at the chockstone wedged between the two cliffs.
Right pic: Same area as the left pic, but looking backwards
44) Going further along the canyon ~~~
Left pic: RZ
Right pic: NC is leading, followed by FB & RZ.
45) About to exit the 1st section of Dry Canyon
46) Out in the open ... and heading to the 2nd section of Dry Canyon ~~~
RZ is in front.
47) While having a short rest, I take this photo of the frond of a fern.
Dry Canyon - 2nd section
2nd section is the west side of Dry Canyon.
48) About to enter the 2nd section ~~~
Left pic: FB
Right pic: RZ
49) Inside the 2nd section of Dry Canyon ~~~
Left pic: RZ
50) Inside the canyon ~~~
Left pic: NC is leading, followed by RZ.
51) Inside the canyon
52) Inside the canyon ~~~
Right pic: NC is on the left edge. RZ is in red. FB is further away.
53) A slither of sunlight filtering through the narrow gap above ~~~
Left pic: RZ is in red. NC is further away.
54) RZ walking through the canyon
55) RZ (left pic) and FB (right pic)
56) Walking through the canyon ~~~
Right pic: NC is leading, followed by FB.
57) About to exit the 2nd section of Dry Canyon
58) Once outside the canyon, we go on for about 100 meters down a gully. We are thinking of pushing further along ... perhaps we may come to a lookout overlooking the Emirates One&Only Resort. The thought did cross our mind to leave FM behind and keep going to the resort for dinner. But someone pointed out that the price tag for the dinner will be high, so we reluctantly turn back to pick up FM.
Left to right: NC, RZ
Return to car
59) We've retraced our steps all the way back to the entrance to the 1st section of the canyon.
- Cliff on the right: Same as the cliff on the left side of Photo #39
- Cliff pointed to by the red arrow: Cliff in the next pic
- RZ is in front.
60) This cliff is the one pointed to by the red arrow in the previous pic.
61) Narrow passage between rocks ~~~
- Same passage as in Photo #36.
- Upper pic: Entering the passage
NC leading, followed by FB, RZ
- Lower pic: Leaving the passage
62) In a gully with pagoda-like rock formations on both sides ~~~
- Same gully as in Photos #32 - #34.
- NC leading, followed by FB, RZ
63) We are threading up a long narrow slot between 2 cliffs; and we thought this is the same slot as the one we came from - Photo #30. Unfortunately it is not. The end of this slot is blocked by a vertical cliff. So we back-track.
64) We search around for the slot that we passed through in Photo #30. But we can't find it. So we climbed up this rock face instead.
RZ is in front. FB is in front of her.
65) Once we've climbed up, we are presented with these magnificent pagoda-like rock formations.
66) Pagoda-like rock formations.
67) Pagoda-like rock formations
68) More pagodas
69) We've picked up FM who is waiting for us at a rocky outcrop. She is fine, not eaten by a wolf or a wild pig. So now we are heading back to our car.
Left to right: RZ, FB, FM
Post Script
I'm trying to contact RZ - Ruoran Zhou.
If you know her whereabouts, please let me know.
Or ask her to contact me.
Thank you.
( My email address: mntviews@gmail.com )
More details on Ruoran Zhou is in this link:
http://onemanadreaming.blogspot.com/2022/03/ruoran-zhou.html
Similar bushwalks in this area
2022-Jan & 2022-Mar
Deception Canyon, Wild Slots, Delusional Slot, Dry Canyon
Detailed trip report:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/deception-canyon-dry-canyon-wollemi-np.html
2020-Aug
Deception Canyon, Wild Slots, Delusional Slot
Pictures only:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GFuSRJr_jfJaAtz9XyWZxWjEQq4o-8YG/view
GR8 description. Thanks for the routes files (.gpx/.kml). I believe the Nobles canyon is also commonly known as the Dry Canyon.
ReplyDeleteOneday, when I have time, I'll update my blog to say:
DeleteNobles Canyon is also known as Dry Canyon or Wolgan View Canyon.