Mt Hay Canyon - track notes

Trips

• 06/02/2011 - photos
• 14/10/2007 - report - photos
• 26/01/2006 - report - photos
• 31/12/2003 - report - photos

Mt Hay Canyon, often known as Butterbox Canyon, is a short but spectacular canyon on the southern edge of the Grose Valley. The main drop is quite awesome, and can be difficult and dangerous in high water, but the main constriction ends soon afterwards. Most parties exit via a short but exposed rock climbing pass that was popularised (and possibly discovered), by Tom Williams in 1977.

The canyon was first descended by a party from the Sydney Technical College Bushwalking Club (now UNSW Outdoors Club) in 1954. Early parties used to exit via the Blue Gum Forest and the Lockley Pylon track, making for a long day. Until the early 1960s it was a particularly long day as the fire trail to Mt Hay was only put in around then.

Drive to the end of the Mt Hay Rd at MGA590758 (Katoomba). Locate the track that leaves the car park and follow it down to the west into the small creek. Cross the swamp and skirt around the cliffline until you can easily climb down a 3m corner. A fixed rope may be in place. Continue down to the creek. There are 4 short drops up to 15m in the creek itself. The second (2m) can be combined with the first, or scrambled on the right. The fourth can also be scrambled around to the right.

Once in the main creek (Rocky Points Creek), there is a bit of scrambling and one place where a rope can be used to hand over hand or abseil. Just after this a 20m swim marks the beginning of the canyon.

Not far after the swim, the first drop is about 9m from a tree on the right, or jump into the pool (check depth). Scramble down boulders to the main drop. The main drop can be done in two stages - the first about 20m from ring bolts to a large chockstone, and then another 20m from bolts above the chockstone to the bottom. The first person down should be a good abseiler, as getting on to the chockstone can be difficult. It is useful to have two ropes so that not everyone needs to crowd onto the chockstone. You should clip on while you are on the chockstone. The second pitch can be done either behind or in front of the chockstone, though behind can be tricky in high water.

Then there is an abseil/downclimb of about 4m, followed by a 2m jump, and then the canyon opens out. The next drop looks high, but can be scrambled on the left via a series of ledges. There are also slings on the right. There is another couple of hundred metres of scrambling and boulder hopping, before a final 12m abseil from either the left or the right of the waterfall.

There are several options for exiting.

The non-climbing exit involves following the creek down to the Grose River, walking upstream on the Grose to the Blue Gum Forest, and then up the Lockley Pylon Track back to the Pinnacles. Then there is a road walk back to the car.

Alternatively, there are a number of climbing exits. The most commonly used one is as follows.

Follow the cliff line around to the right on a track. This climbs steeply up a gully, down a little, then more gradually up passing a couple of ledges, until you can get up to a wide ledge. Follow the ledge back to the right (exposed), through a cave, to the start of the climb. The climb has 5 fixed hangers and a ring bolt in about 8m of climbing, so is very well protected. It is around grade 10, so while not too hard, the holds are dusty and climbing without proper shoes is tricky. It is also quite exposed.

At the top, head around to the right to a steep gully that leads to a saddle. There is an excellent lookout to the right. Otherwise head left and follow the track up until you can find your way back to the car.