Mt Maroon up West Ridge via Caves
Foto del percorso
Autore
Statistiche del percorso
- Distanza
- 6,67 km
- Dislivello positivo
- 756 m
- Difficoltà tecnica
- Difficile
- Dislivello negativo
- 756 m
- Altitudine massima
- 616 m
- TrailRank
-
76
4,2
- Altitudine minima
- 19 m
- Tipo di percorso
- Anello
- Tempo in movimento
- 3 ore 21 minuti
- Tempo
- 6 ore 27 minuti
- Coordinate
- 1169
- Caricato
- 28 luglio 2019
- Registrato
- luglio 2019
vicino a Cotswold, Queensland (Australia)
Visualizzato 5488 volte, scaricato 314 volte
Foto del percorso
Descrizione dell'itinerario
This is a spectacular way to climb Mt Maroon.
The hike starts at the end of Cotswold Road. The hike begins following the tourist trail up Mt Maroon. At some point it leaves the track heading west across the major gully and then progress up the ridge until it reaches the cliffs that extend towards Maroon Caves. Watch the track as you come out of the caves. My track went wonky for a sort time. Just head down from the bottom left corner facing out. You will see a track heading down the ridge and turning left to descend to a track following the bottom of the cliff.
The track then proceeds west until it reaches the western ridge of Mt Maroon. The goal here is to go below each of the cliffs on each ridge until you hit West ridge.
The final stage of the western ridge requires some scrambling up rocky ground across sparse vegetation and some smooth rock. Once reaching the western spur it ascends up to the granite runway that forms the top of Mt Maroon. The last part of the climb up the spur requires the navigation of a narrow gully that requires climbing skills.
Once reaching the runway the track then ascend Mt Maroon's 4 peaks in turn. This traverse requires the navigation across open granite and occasional rocky vegetation patches. The views are spectacular from each of the 4 points.
Return is via the tourist route. All up this hike up Mt Maroon is easier than the tourist route if you have the necessary climbing and technical skills.
The hike starts at the end of Cotswold Road. The hike begins following the tourist trail up Mt Maroon. At some point it leaves the track heading west across the major gully and then progress up the ridge until it reaches the cliffs that extend towards Maroon Caves. Watch the track as you come out of the caves. My track went wonky for a sort time. Just head down from the bottom left corner facing out. You will see a track heading down the ridge and turning left to descend to a track following the bottom of the cliff.
The track then proceeds west until it reaches the western ridge of Mt Maroon. The goal here is to go below each of the cliffs on each ridge until you hit West ridge.
The final stage of the western ridge requires some scrambling up rocky ground across sparse vegetation and some smooth rock. Once reaching the western spur it ascends up to the granite runway that forms the top of Mt Maroon. The last part of the climb up the spur requires the navigation of a narrow gully that requires climbing skills.
Once reaching the runway the track then ascend Mt Maroon's 4 peaks in turn. This traverse requires the navigation across open granite and occasional rocky vegetation patches. The views are spectacular from each of the 4 points.
Return is via the tourist route. All up this hike up Mt Maroon is easier than the tourist route if you have the necessary climbing and technical skills.
Waypoint
Foto
33 m
Commenti (5)
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Ho seguito questo percorso verificato Mostra di più
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Definitely a bush bash rather than a trail. Maybe no one's walked this loop in a long time. Nice view from the top.
Gave it a bash this arvo. Tricky navigation, can admit taking a few wrong turns but got there eventually. Much easier up the tourist route, at least you know where you are, even the rock cairns will lead you astray at a certain caves area
Ho seguito questo percorso Mostra di più
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Thanks for the route. Big help from the caves to get up to the top 👍
This trail is a slog, but so satisfying, and the views are incredible.
Would not recommend for a group with less than "very good" hiking skill/fitness. We were at it all day after a mid-morning start and were exhausted by the end.
We were grateful for the map. Difficult route finding at times - even with the GPS I was nose to the ground a lot of the time looking for signs of a trail. Very fun!
There are a couple of points on the scramble up to the ridge summit after the caves that involve a "boulder" style move in very exposed conditions (or at least, the path we followed seemed to lead through those points). If we had had a slip there it probably would have gone badly. After the hardest section, involving a chimney press and a high foot, there was a feeling in the party that we might have passed the point of no return - thank goodness it didn't get harder!
In terms of technical scrambling/endurance requirements, this was right at the limit of what I would knowingly attempt for our party. I think we definitely fall under the "very good" cutoff I mentioned earlier. But we had a lucky run and we felt like heroes at the burger joint on the way home.
I know the spot you had trouble. I note that you should have gone right at the point that you went left or straight. If you look at the track up the West Ridge you will notice that at one point it takes a dogleg right. If you don't go right you end up where you ended up going up like you did.
If you go right, I noticed recently that the track up to the ridge is now almost a fully fledged track from the point you made the mistake.