2022-05 Canyon of Defiance and Mt Giles SBW (Chewings Range)

Comments  (5)

• 
  marklav Jul 9, 2022

  Hi Ribuck, I'm planning to be back out to the West Macs later next week, and I've been studying your extensive explorations of the area. Currently planning to follow my previous route from Ormiston Gorge as far as Portals Canyon. After that considering following your path via Canyon of Defiance, Letterbox Gorge and Bowmans Gap for the return.
  I see you followed a gully rather than the ridge to get up to the NE corner of the Pound escapment this time from the mini pound, any recomendation?
  Do you feel water at Letter Box Gorge is relatively reliable (with the usual caveats)
  Any dramas getting out of upper 13 pools creek onto the Bowmans Gap decent ridge
  Any other advice much appreciated
  
  (Just realized my plans are reverse direction to your route)

• 
  ribuck Jul 11, 2022

  Hi Mark, fantastic that you are getting back to the West Macs. Although I had been to Bowmans Gap and Mt Giles many years ago, it was your previous route on Wikiloc that showed me what was possible and inspired me to do some adventurous trips, solo and with other bushwalkers. In 2019, 2021 and 2022 I have spent over a hundred nights off-track in the West Macs, and am quite addicted to the area. So thanks for that.
  
  Anyway, here are answers to your questions.
  
  1. To get to the NE corner of the Ormiston Pound escarpment from the mini-pound is straightforward. You can go up any of the spurs or gullies, whatever you like the look of at the time. All of the routes are a bit scratchy at the bottom and a bit loose at the top, but nothing too serious. I liked the gully route that I took this year, and would probably do it again, but all the options are good.
  
  2. The water at Letterbox Gorge is not reliable. I have sometimes seen it empty, and sometimes the waterhole has held green water and a dead fish or two. I have never seen good water there, although I have heard good reports from others who have been there shortly after rain. When I have taken a group of walkers there, I have always done a solo reccie as a day-trip from Bowmans Gap beforehand. When I have gone there solo, I have always carried water for camp.
  
  3. There is no drama at all getting out of Upper 13 Pools Creek towards Bowmans Gap North (which is the nicest of the Bowmans Gap camping possibilities). From the top of the big impassable waterfall go back 100 metres until you see an easy way up to the north. Go up a few metres then head west. At the end of the ridge just follow the curve down to the right. The spinifex here is a bit annoying but I expect you'll be wearing gaiters.
  
  Now for some general comments.
  
  There are three possible water sources between the mouth of Canyon of Defiance and Bowmans Gap. The first is in the mini-pound at map reference 825873. I estimate a 50% chance that it has usable water. The second is at Letterbox Gorge. Again, I would say a 50% chance. The third is at the west end of Upper 13 Pools Creek, immediately above the big impassable waterfall. This usually has good water, but it's only a couple of hours from the reliable water at Bowmans Gap.
  
  The mini-pound is very slow going if you don't use the creekbeds. You find yourself going "across the grain of the land" and it's very tiring. By far the easiest and fastest route is to head downstream (roughly north) from the mouth of Canyon of Defiance to the creek junction at map reference 829876, then roughly west (upstream) along creeks to your chosen ascent route onto the north-south range. Take care at 829876 as there are two creek junctions very close together - make sure you get to the more northerly one.
  
  You can get from Canyon of Defiance to Bowmans Gap North in one long and

• 
  ribuck Jul 11, 2022

  (continued, since I hit the site's character limit)
  You can get from Canyon of Defiance to Bowmans Gap North in one long and tiring day (7am start) or in two moderate days. If doing it in one day, get yourself to the NE corner of the Ormiston Pound escarpment, then follow the south ridge of the Red Walls (there are two parallel ridges). Drop down to the saddle between Letterbox Creek and Upper 13 Pools Creek, where there is an easy ramp into Upper 13 Pools Creek which provides fast and easy going. Exit to Bowmans Gap North as described in Point 3 of the previous post.
  If you are doing it in 2 days, carry water for an overnight camp. You can camp high, just south of the NE corner where you will find a few rather rough tent scrapes left by previous parties. Alternatively, follow the south ridge of the Red Walls until you are almost opposite Letterbox Gorge then drop down to camp. There is good camping among trees in a big clearing 100m south of the gorge, or on red dirt just above the right bank about 100m north of the gorge. The next day, the west branch of Letterbox Creek provides fast and easy walking, although it takes a bit of time to find a good way over the saddle into Upper 13 Pools Creek.

• 
  ribuck Jul 11, 2022

  General comments:
  If you haven't camped at the north end of Bowmans Gap before, I recommend it. It's really nice, and has pristine spring water.
  Although you can descend to Bowmans Gap from the south ridge of the Red Walls, it's slow, awkward and loose, and it's hard to see the best route from above. I don't recommend it. The descent from west end of the north ridge, as described in Point 3 above, is way better.
  I strongly encourage you to visit the top of the big waterfall at the west end of Upper 13 Pools Creek. It's visually striking, and the deep shade is very welcome if it's a hot day. There's a bit of a scramble down to the lip of the waterfall, which some people find daunting but it's quite trivial once you spot the walk-down ramp. If you didn't see it from below on your previous trip, it would also be good to do that - it's a 3-hour side-trip up Lower 13 Pools Creek.
  Ideally you will camp two nights at the mouth of Canyon of Defiance. It's a really nice campsite, with trickling water, and will give you a clear day to explore the canyon. If you have limited time there, the best "bang for the buck" is to get to the upper section via the pass which I have described in other posts as Ribuck Ramp (it was given that name by someone else!). At the bottom of this is the Abyss and the Chasm, which are the most dramatic features of Canyon of Defiance, even if you don't explore the rest of the canyon.
  Anyway, have a great trip. Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

• 
  marklav Jul 11, 2022

  Thanks for that, I’ll let you know how we go!

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