Tiger Snake Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A II (v2a1 II) Raps:
Red Tape: Shuttle: Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Oct-Apr (avg for this region)
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-33.2214, 150.2527
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Introduction[edit]
Tigersnake Canyon is a winter classic, with a mildly challenging canyon, which is mostly dry. Driving there: A 4WD isn't needed but a car with high clearence is handy. From the Zig Zag railway follow Old Bells Line of Road North until you reach Glow Worm Tunnel Rd, turn right Follow Glow Worm Tunnel Rd for approximately 25km until you reach the Old Coach Rd (sign posted), turn right onto old Coach rd and follow it all the way to the end carpark. MGA425179
Rope: 2 x 30m ropes Wetsuit: Not required Walk-in: 50 min Walkout: 1.5-2 hours Descent: 2 -3 hours Rating 2.5/4 V1A0__ Elevation Gain: 370m Distance 9.5 Km
Approach[edit]
Walk in: 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
Descent[edit]
There are two alternate starts to the canyon, either descend into the slot off a tree in the centre or walk back 30m and climb on top of the pagoda on the river left where a sling anchor can be found dropping 18m into the canyon. There are a couple of short drops in this short section including the infamous "bundle of sticks anchor". There is also another anchor (thread) about 3m back from bundle of sticks on RR (this drop can be down climbed with care). The top section opens out and ends with a 17m absiel from a tree. Then there is a short creek walk down to the lower constriction
When dropping into the second constriction in the canyon, after the creek walk, two options to enter are available; either climb on the ledge river left and cross over the top of the canyon to find a abseil off a tree 22m on river right, or descend into the main slot to abseil off a pile of logs with a difficult low start that is guaranteed to drop you in a thigh-deep pool of water. The second option includes another short drop in the canyon that can be rapped or downclimbed with care.
Exit[edit]
Walk out: 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