Hole In The Wall Canyon [Intermediate]

Image Credits: 2020-10-23 Hole-in-the-Wall Canyon by Tom Brennan

Hello keen canyoners! And also welcome to any cavers!

Alex and I (Sudarshan) will be leading a trip into the heart of the Newnes Plateau to the spectacular Hole in the Wall canyon; a looooong glow-worm cave and an exit through (you guessed it) a narrow squeeze through a hole in the wall are some cool features to look forward to.

For more track notes, check out http://ozultimate.com/canyoning/track_notes/hole-in-the-wall.htm

Some stunning pictures, check out Hole in the Wall Canyon – Rachmartee. I’ve copied some below.

This will be a long full day of hiking, scrambling, wading, swimming, abseiling and admiring. To do this canyon you must have abseiled and canyoned before (more than just once!) as some of the abseils can be a little tricky. For the question la sècrete, tell me your favourite hole.

Notably you must also have a fairly high level of fitness, as there is a 7km hike each way to get to the canyon which we will move fast on. If you have any questions on your suitability for the trip please send me an email (president@unswoc.org), I am very happy to have a chat and hopefully have you along.

Please make you sure bring ALL required gear. Some gear is available to borrow from the club.

Gear available to borrow from the club:

• Harness
• Helmet
• 3x locking carabiners
• 1x Figure 8 / Descender
• 1x Safety sling (120cm sling)
• Drybag
• Wetsuit (5mm preferable)
• Canyon Pack or Backpack that can fit ALL your gear and that can get wet (30L+)

Other gear you MUST bring:

•  Headtorch (compulsory for the caves)
•  Clothing:
  • Enclosed shoes with good grip
  • Wool or neoprene socks
  • Boardshorts to wear on top of wetsuit (to protect the club wetsuits)
  • Thermals and raincoat (it will be cold)
  • NO COTTON! (this includes socks, shirts, pants, undies, etc)
• Food:
  • 2L of water (minimum)
  • Lunch
  • Snacks to share
• Other:
  • Medication (asthma puffer, Epipen etc)
  • Emergency blanket – (can buy from Gear Cupboard for $5 or from chemists, shops, etc)

As a heads-up for the day’s timeline: you will probably leave Sydney around 6am, and we will likely grab dinner in Katoomba on the way back.

In your comment please put:

• Your fitness level
• Your swimming ability
• Your canyoning/outdoor experience
• Even if you do not have a car, do you have a license to share the driving?
• The answer to the secret question…