Blue Mountains Canyoning

Requirements: Rope skills and/or strong bushwalking background.

I am planning on going canyoning to the Blue Mountains near Sydney this year from the 15th for at least a week but the return date is currently undetermined. If you are interested in learning how to canyon you are more than welcome to sign up. I imagine about 2 car loads leader dependent would be the maximum.

Canyoning is a sport that involves following water courses through erosion formed environments. There is quite a lot of abseiling and rock scrambling involved, sometimes swimming and a lot of dancing and jumping around to keep the cold at bay. You get to see some spectacular remote locations (which is the main reason I like it). It is also a good way to complement existing rope skills in a non-rockclimbing setting.

If you are interested I am looking for MUMC members who have either reasonable rope experience through climbing and/or a strong bushwalking background. Navigation and general outdoors experience are also useful.  Many canyons are difficult to walk in and out from and are usually off tracks.

If you really want to go canyoning come along to the next Tuesday meeting and have a chat to me and signup to this tripeven if you are not confident you have all the required skills. In general what I am trying to say is this is an intermediate MUMC trip and while it is a beginner canyoning trip it does require some prerequisite skills.

I will need to go through some basic skills with attendees before our first canyon, hopefully if we get time this can be done in the clubrooms otherwise we will do it on the 16th up at the Blue Mountains before our first canyon.

The general plan will be to drive up starting on the 15th (or if people are keen we could split some of the driving up over the evening before). Starting from the 16th depending on numbers, experience, water levels, weather and fire damage we will choose appropriate canyons.

Depending on how much time people have off we can plan a return date. I am happy to spend up around 10 or so days up there. In addition, to this there is certainly scope for some bushwalking and rock climbing on the days you don't want to canyon (although I do have an expectation that you will be psyched about coming canyoning!).

We will likely be staying at Mt Wilson or Mt Victoria campgrounds (although I haven’t yet looked into fire damage of these areas yet). Also while I’m on the topic of fire damage many of the exciting canyons I am familiar with are closed this season, we will have to pick and choose what canyons we do carefully.

In terms of equipment you will need:

An old wetsuit (try gumtree or local op shops). I say old here because by the end of a few canyons it will be showing significant wear and tear. In general canyons are a very harsh on clothing and equipment so taking older used gear is a good idea. MUMC has a very limited selection of wetsuits.

A pair of Dunlop Volleys (http://goo.gl/pOC4AF) are generally seen as the ideal canyoning shoe however the rubber quality as recently decreased so they might not last that long. Climbing approach shoes could work as well or lightweight hiking shoes. I will talk more about footwear at the Tuesday meetings on the 7th and 14th.

A set of thermal underwear is essential.

A thick fleece and/or a softshell jacket can be really good to have.

Most of the technical equipment I will go through with you at the meeting and the club can provide.

Send any queries to or contact me on my mobile (0438 550 678).

James Cristofaro