Tiger Snake Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A II (v2a1 II) Raps:4-5, max ↨75ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Dec-Nov
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-33.2214, 150.2527
-33.2469, 150.2363
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Introduction[edit]
Tigersnake Canyon is an easy winter classic. It does not require wetsuit and is mostly dry but has some small pools (you may get wet up to your knees).
Pairs well with Penrose Gully Canyon v3a1 which is on the route in/out.
Approach[edit]
Driving[edit]
Use Google (or other preferred Maps app) to navigate to Old Coach Road Carpark (-33.24686, 150.23629)
Walk in[edit]
- Head east on the fire trail covered by many logs, follow this until it becomes a single trail, the trail follows a ridge for a while.
- When the trail begins to drop down a hill there will be a faint track that goes straight down the hill and one track the turns down a steep descent 5m right of the other track, take the left track.
- Follow this track all the way down past a few pagodas to reach the start of the canyon MGA439207 | -33.22174, 150.25312
Descent[edit]
Upper section[edit]
| Problem ID | Type | Metres | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a | Abseil | 7m | RC | Sling on log/tree. Narrow awkward start. Can be down climbed with care. |
| 1b | Abseil | 18m | RR | Alternate entry. Sling. Located on top of pagoda on river right |
| 2 | Down climb | 3m | RC | |
| 3 | Abseil | 7m | RR | Bolts. |
| 4 | Abseil / Down climb | 4m | RL | Sling on tree. Can be down climbed |
Walk approximately 500m down stream to the start of the lower section.
Lower section[edit]
| Problem ID | Type | Metres | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5a | Abseil | 8m | RR | Bolts. 5b is a popular alternate entry into the canyon. Thigh-deep pool of water at bottom. |
| 5b | Abseil | 22m | RR | Accessed by going over the top of the canyon on the river left until you reach a rock bridge over the canyon. Anchor is a sling on a tree. Lands downstream of problem 6. |
| 6 | Down climb | 5m | RC | Relatively easy stepped down climb. Goes under a sandstone arch. Can be climbed up if entering via 5b abseil (so you can claim to have seen the entire lower section) |
Exit[edit]
- After the second constriction, the canyon opens out to a beautiful rainforest with a stunning orange wall looming on the river left.
- Follow the gully under the cliff on the river right for 200m until you can scramble up onto a ledge.
- Follow the scramble up onto a ridge, then follow the ridge uphill back towards the start of the canyon.
- The path is relatively well defined until it reaches a large pagoda which is best negated by climbing over the top, and rejoining the path on the other side, one smaller pagoda is to be crossed another 100m past the main one, and then the track is relatively straight forward to follow all the way back to the car.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
YouTube.com : Richard Pattison, Tiger Snake canyon movie
Background[edit]
David Noble says: visited on a joint SUBW - Ramblers trip on 11 Sept 77. The creek was investigated from Deanes Creek. Bob Sault, Steve McDowell and Dave Noble had gone on ahead, found the canyon, but found themselves trapped in a chamber of the canyon by a stired up tiger snake in a narrow part below. Keith Maxwell, Rose Adams and Hugh Patterson, who were downstream, helped the party escape by throwing articles of their clothing on top of the snake to confuse it. (The clothes were later retrieved with the aid of a long stick). A Ramblers party did the canyon properly from above on a later trip and also found the miniature canyon above.(Kameruka Magazine Vol 16 No 2 - July 78).
Photos from the first visit can be found here: https://www.david-noble.net/canyoning/wolgan/wolgancanyons2.html