Brownes Path - 11 August 2015

All images © David Noble. No image can be used for any purpose without permission.

Party - Bob, Dave

On a trip to Blue Gum Forest in 2014, I had taken noticed some possible passes into the Grose Valley to the north of Pierces Pass.  I took the following photo from the Pierces Pass Track -



I have marked out two possible passes in red. After some research at home, I found that the left hand pass - the one that follows a ledge is known as Brownes Path. It was used earlier by Kevin Browne a NPWS ranger (See"The Upper Grose Valley" by M Keats and B Fox, p 424). So we set out on the trip to explore this pass and another possible one nearby.

We went to Blackheath and then started out along the ridge near Hat Hill towards Bald Head.



Above - Mt Hay from Hat Hill



Above - Bob on the Bald Head Ridge



Above - Good views of the Grose Valley



Above - in front of us is a saddle and then Bald Head. To the right of the saddle is a gully which provided our second pass.



Above - The Grose Valley



Above - a nice lookout above the Grose Valley. I had seen this lookout on many trip down the Grose River. It is one of two rock peninsulas that stick out into the valley at this spot. I have long thought they may be good lookouts. We went out to the higher one - and there was a good view, but no better that from other places. On the platform we found a few cairns and an old faggot hidden in a small cave. You can see both these peninsulas from Anvil Rock. Brownes Path passes just underneath this lookout.



Above - Looking down the Grose Valley



Above - Looking to Pierces Pass



Above - The Grose Valley



Above - Hanging Rock



Above - Bob on Brownes Path - an easy pass.





After descending the pass, we traversed around the talus slopes, with difficulty, and then up the gully near Bald Head. The gully was an "interesting" pass - and was not easy. We then headed along the track to Bald Head for lunch. There are fine views from there of the Grose Valley



Above - Burra Moko Head and Hanging Rock





Above - The Grose Valley



Above - The Grose Valley



Above - Mt Banks, and you can see both of the rock peninsulas in this photo. Brownes Path lies just under the upper one.



Above - Hanging Rock



Above - open heath at Bald Head



Above - On the way back to Hat Hill, we got this good view of the exit pass from Mt Hay Canyon, up Butterbox Point. This pass was pioneered by Tom Williams and you can read about it on his blog.

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