Pipeline Canyon

With another group heading to Newnes Canyon in tow, we headed up the Pipeline Track to the tops. It was pretty slow going with a few long breaks along the way. Even mid morning the heat was fairly stifling. After reaching the a saddle above the start of the creek, we headed down the slope and entered the dry creek bed with a bit of a dirty scramble near the bottom. A bit of walking brought us to a short but spectacular canyon section.

After the creek opened out, we had a bit of a walk to reach the next section of canyon. It started with a couple of climb downs, but we decided to have lunch on some ledges in the shade before pressing on. I opened my lunch to find the inside of my avocado entirely covered with small red ants. Bizzare!

The others wetsuited up, while I put a thermal top on. Unnecessarily in the end, as the few short swims were all avoidable, and I was only waist deep wet at the end.

There was a bit of dodging around pools to get to the first drop. The second drop followed shortly after, and we kept the group moving through the abseils with two ropes, which cycled from the back to the front regularly. The canyon continued to be good for some way, with a couple of tricky abseils at the end to emerge through the final cliffline.

It was pretty early and I was mulling going up again for another canyon, but we decided an early finish was fine. Back at the river, we lolled about in the shallows in the warm water for a while as the other groups arrived back.

Riah and Sarah stayed waiting for the last group to return, while the rest of the parties headed for the Grandview at Wentworth Falls for dinner and drinks. An excellent weekend, with some 40-odd people canyoning, climbing and bushwalking.