Where does everyone go when it's cold and don't want to get wet? Tigersnake Canyon.
Rod and John were late so I waited an hour for them at the Bungleboorie camping area which was a pigsty and absolute disgrace with all the rubbish laying around. During that time the weather couldn't make up it's mind whether to be sunny, rain or just look plain miserable, so it did all three. Once Rod and John turned up,
we decided to thumb our nose at the weather and take our chances. John
had never done Tigersnake so our original plans to do Windows were
deferred until another time.
Halfway out to the carpark, we were stuck behind a large coach which was
making very cautious time in the slippery, slushy conditions. Must have
been looking for the Bell's Line Expressway!
Stepping out of the cars into a balmy 7 degrees, we made good time to
the first abseil which we didn't abseil. Rod and I have climbed it
several times before so I started down. And stopped. Suddenly lost my
nerve. Climbed back up backwards. After a few false starts even thought
about pulling a rope out and abseiling! But once Rod went, I was able
to follow. Don't know what happened there, but it doesn't hurt to be
reminded what fear is sometimes I guess!
There was a bit more water than usual today, and while the other two
were happy to get wet feet in the pool at the bottom of the handover
climbdown, I took my shoes off, tied them around my neck and I'm going
to replace the laces with longer ones so my nose is more than an inch
from them next time......
We downclimbed the next rap which is still off a bundle of sticks,
climbed down the tree roots and then rigged for our first abseil for the
day. Once in open, the weather looked a little better, then rapped into
the dark of the lower constriction. Walked back up it and climbed almost
back to the optional route in. Had a bit of playing around on the bridge
before heading out to the lunch spot. There's been a new recent rock
fall as you leave the lower constriction, and Rod provided much
amusement when he took a good slide trying to see where it fell from! On
the walk out we encountered another new rock fall which had brought down
some trees over the track.
The drive back to Lithgow to the Workies for refreshments was an
adventure with slippery, slushy sections of road with holes you can lose
a truck in. Two filthy mudcaked vehicles delivered three contented
canyoners to a warm haven, and another day was deemed a success!
http://imageevent.com/jburton/canyons/tigersnake180609Julie
