Skull Ridge - Kanangra Walls - 9 October 2007

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

Party - Tom Williams, Dave Noble

Tom, accompanied by Ian Brown, had done a number of big climbs out of the Kanangra Deep in recent times. He invited me along this time - and we completed a fantastic route up a ridge between Kalang Falls and Murdering Gully. The trip started with a scramble down to the base of the ridge. Then we roped up and completed 7 pitches of  climbing - the hardest being about grade 18. The climbing was mixed but surprisingly good. There were a few loose blocks to negotiate and orchids did provide handholds in places. It was frequently exposed, sensationally poised above large voids on our right and left. Most of the ridge was a quite narrow arete that went up a series of steps. At the top of our ridge - there was an enormous headwall under Echo Head. We bypassed this by scrambling (easily) to the left, onto a easy ridge that took us to the track to Echo Head.

It was a tiring but great day - thanks to Tom, for doing all the leading and route finding and for the invitation to come along.



Above - A general view from Kanangra Walls - showing Kanangra Deep. The next photo is zoomed in and shows our route



Above - This one shows our route. It was actually quite a narrow ridge - right up to Echo Head. This limited our route options a bit. We could not deviate too far from the ridge line.



Above - Another view



Above - A view from the approach scramble - our ridge is on the right skyline



Above - Looking out into Kanangra Deep



Above - Looking out through the branches of a red cedar towards Thurat Spires



The skull of a wallaby at the base of the climb



Above - Tom starting out up pitch 1



Above - Tom belaying



Above - Tom leading up pitch 2



Above - Great views all the way. Thurat Spires



Above - Tom's belay stance for one of the pitches



Above - One of Tom's other Kanangra Deep routes - is the ridge going up to the pinnacle and then up the steep column in the middle of the photo. This is "Sporting and Progress Ridge" (22)



Above - Tom on the ridge



Above - View out



Above - Tom starting out up pitch 7



Above - Looking up pitch 7



Above - At the top of our route - looking down



Above - Tom checking out the wall above - that lies under Echo Head



Above - Looking down

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