A Solitary Walk

Mt Solitary borders the south side of the Jamison Valley. It is an easy bushwalk – and can be traversed both as a daywalk and a weekend walk. There are four passes onto the mountain – two are well known and well frequented – the other two are lesser known. More on these later.

I wanted to do a walk on the weekend and most friends were busy, so I set out by myself. Train to Katoomba then a walk down the main drag to the old Solar Observatory (now the Arts Cafe) – and then down Furber Stairs to the bottom of the scenic railway. Then along the track past Malatia Point and the Dogface towards the Ruined Castle. It was brisk walking on the old tramway track. Level walking, Easy walking. I made good time and despite leaving Katoomba Station at 10am I was soon up on Mt Solitary and paused for lunch at the lookout on the south of Chinamans Gully.

Kanangra Walls and the High Gangerang Range from Mt Solitary

I continued on to the first campsite at Singa-jingawell Ck. After setting up my tent – I went on a walk to the Col on the Eastern end of the mountain for the view and to sign the logbook. I returned and was surprised to find I still had the campsite to myself. On my last visit to this spot – I was dismayed to see someone had carved their name “Jesus” into a tree – gouging out the bark with big letters! And this tree is right at the lookout adjacent to the campsite. Now the tree is healing – and the letters hard to read. Other damage is still visible – paint daubed on rocks and trees. Probably by someone on an out and back trip – marking their way out so they could find their way back – and all on an obvious track! A shame.

Sunset and sunrise were not especially memorable, but it was calm and quite warm and cheery by the fire. Next morning I headed along the track east for a few minutes and then descended via the Miners Pass. I had not been down this way before, despite knowing about it for years. I had first been told about it by Peter Treseder – a person infamous for his many unbelievable feats of speed and endurance. He refered to it as “TresPass”. Being by myself, I had carried a length of sling, but the pass is quite straightforward, with a few easy scrambles. You do have to look carefully for ducks (cairns) and the pass does traverse east under the first set of cliffs then descends and then doubles back and heads along another ledge west before the last steep section. The talus slopes below were quite open and you can make fast progress down a, at first, poorly defined ridge to the junction of Kedumba Creek and Jamison Creek.

I then crossed Kedumba Creek and climbed up the spur to the access road to the old sewer plant. I followed the road for as few kilometres then turned off it and climbed out of the valley via the pass up Sublime Point. This too is an easy scrambling pass and follows close the skyline of the ridge. At the half way ledge you traverse left (west) on ledges to join the rock climbers track to the lookout above.

A scrambling section on the Miners Pass

The fourth pass of Solitary? It is off course – the pass onto Umbango Berrima via the Korrowall Buttress. This pass is not easy. It involves ascending the ridge from near Cedar Creek. As one climbs the ridge breaks into a series of pinnacles. These must be traversed – not sidled! So some scrambling is involved. Then you are confronted with the imposing bluff of Point Repulse. Despite its name – it can be ascended – by traversing on an exposed (and for one section – very loose) ledge to the right (east) until an easy ramp provides a passage to the top. Then it is a fairly scrubby walk to join up with the track. Korrowall Buttress was the scene of the death of a Rolfe Walker – a very prominent bushwalker back in the early 60’s . He was hit in the head by a dislodged rock while on the pass.

Sublime Point - looks daunting, but is a quite easy scrambling pass

Mt Solitary from Sublime Point

More photos can be found on my website here