UBM Bushwalking | 22 February 2009

Trip Report - Sunnyside Canyon - 22 February 2009

The group - Peter (leader), Helen, Karin, Don, Roger, Phil, Ian and Geoff, Graeme & John (CMW guests).

Despite a forecast of 20 degrees the walk began under a cloud with fog and light rain greeting us at Zig

Zag railway Clarence.

The Sunnyside Ridge track had deteriorated badly. The deeper potholes and ponds posed little difficulty to

the Landcruiser while the two Subarus followed carefully skirting the edges of the deeply rutted pools that

punctuated the rough bush track. The Landcruiser needed its winch to negotiate one very deep hole.

After all this excitement we needed morning tea before the start of the walk. It was now 10.30am. Peter led

the group into the scrub which was beautifully fresh from the light rain. Soon we were overlooking a huge

gorge with views to the Wolgan Valley and Cape Pinnacle. We made very good time and were soon perched

high on a pagoda enjoying views to the SW end of Donkey Mt. It was a great place for lunch in the warm

sunshine. To the east, Sunnyside Canyon beckoned mysteriously. The cliff face where the canyon emerged

into Wolgan Valley was way below. Peter kept the actual exit a secret and the group speculated as to how

they would get out of the canyon. No way up the cliffs was apparent.

We proceeded along the cliffs above the canyon towards the entry point. Soon we were exploring the canyon

formation which had shin deep wades, tricky little drops, squeezes, crawls and all the features that make

canyons so exciting. Eventually we reached the main chamber and marvelled at how the forces of nature

had created the round cave.

More scrambling took us along a ledge within the canyon to the Wolgan Valley cliffs where a vertical drop

prevented further progress. Where was the exit? Retracing our steps about 100m along the canyon

revealed a narrow slot hidden behind a little waterfall. This took us directly to the cliffs above the canyon.

Here we paused to admire the view into the Wolgan Valley. Peter even allowed an afternoon tea break!

Everyone agreed that it had been a great walk.

The cliffs above the Wolgan Valley

Upper Blue Mountains

Bushwalking Club