I started the day with a drive to Leura, then a drive home again to pick up the forgotten map. This is one walk in the mountains that I would not attempt without one. Lindeman Pass has been on my “must do list” for a long time, and now I can cross it off and rewrite it as a “must do again sometime”.
I started walking about 6:40 am. I wanted an early start as I wasn’t to sure how long it was going to take. I had read Jim Smiths track notes and I had a copy of his sketch map at hand. He had stated to allow at least 7 hours starting from Gladstone Pass. My plan was start at Roberts Pass and to walk back to the car from Leura Cascades after I climb back up out of the valley. Roberts Pass and Gladstone Pass are familiar to me as I had walked them a couple of months ago and glad I did, as track location can get a bit tricky in places. The walk down to the start of Lindeman Pass was pleasant and by the time I had gotten there most of the mist had cleared from the valley. The walk around to Lawtons Creek went well and I chose to go for a bush bash to find the Gladstone coal mine which I had read much about in Jim Smiths book titled “The Blue Mountains Mystery Track – Lindeman Pass” After scrambling down about 100 metres I found a cairn so I thought I must be close. Searching around a little I discovered it about 20m west of it. A quick pic was taken and I was back on my way again. By the time I got back on track I was soaked through with sweat. This part of the valley tucked up in the southern part of the escarpment seemed to be much more humid than other areas close by. Or maybe it was just me and the few scotches I had had last night. That could of had something to do with losing the track at this point too. I started heading west a bit too soon and ended up on a loose shale ledge going nowhere. Getting there was quite hard. getting back without falling was harder still. That was a wake up call to pay attention where I was, and where I was going. I can’t afford to make stupid mistakes like that when out by myself.
After getting back on track I totally forgot about looking for Dash’s Cave and kept on moving. Maybe next time. Heading down the eastern side of Sublime Point gets quite rough. There are many landslides and fallen trees to maneuver around. After which finding the track again can sometimes be easier said than done. There are a few markers here and there but I always seemed to find them when I knew I was back on the track. Never when I was off the track and looking for where it was. The track goes up and down a lot making progress a little harder too. On one downward section through some bracken fern I could see something orange beside the track further down. I was quite puzzled, and am still as it was a high vis jumper. Which by itself isn’t strange but underneath was a full wetsuit and what looked to be some burnt fiberglass tent poles. This was placed beside the track. It was too far out from the cliff to of been thrown there and why would someone have a wetsuit all the way out here miles away from anywhere you would need one. One of those mysteries that I will probably never know the answer to.
A little further on and I passed the tip of Sublime Point where I stopped at Lindeman Rock for a rest and a bite to eat. A nice breeze was blowing on the west side and I was hot enough to take my sopping wet shirt off to try and dry out a bit. The walk from here past Wotford Falls to the base of Lindeman Fall was in great condition. A nice change from what I had just been through. The only obstacle was a tangle of many branches at the base of Lindeman Falls. Combined with the rock scramble it made passing quite difficult, but after back tracking a couple of times I found an easy enough route through the tangled mess.
Gordon Falls was reached soon after and it was another good feeling of reaching a milestone. The track climbs up and goes around behind the falls which is quite nice and from here on I was expecting some muddy sections but to my surprise the track was in very good condition. The fire that was started above the cliffline on Olympia Parade dropped down into this part of the valley and burnt out a one or two kilometre section of the track which made it a little hard to follow in places, as everywhere was covered in dead leaves and it was hard to pick out where the track actually was, but the walking was easy. It wasn’t long before I was at the base of Leura Falls and the end of Lindeman Pass which is marked with a sign stating that the walk is hard to navigate. I would have to agree that it is, but mostly its in fair condition. Even so to do the walk you definitely need to take a topo map and Jim Smith’s sketch map is very very helpful. It is indeed a walk for experienced walkers only. If the average Katoomba tourist found there way into this area they could get themselves into a bit of a situation.
So I am at the base of Leura falls. It would of been a truly wonderful place before humans got to it. Now there is rubbish strewn everywhere reminding everyone of days gone by when the area was used for the Katoomba / Leura sewage treatment works further down stream. It amazes me that it was never been cleaned up years ago, but they were different times I suppose. Even though these days I see National Parks and Wildlife transport tonnes and tonnes of rock via helicopter for track upgrading in areas that don’t need it and they cant spare one trip in a chopper to lift the junk out of this area. It truely makes you wonder. After passing Leura tip.. I mean Falls it was a climb up though the heavy tourist area of Federal Pass, Leura Cascades and onwards over the clifftop walk, back to the car via Saloom Pool and Leura Golf Course.
Just over 9 hours and 15km round trip it sure gave me a good workout. It is a walk I will do again. May be in the opposite direction next time and just from Leura Cascades but all the way through to Wentworth Falls.
You can find pics, video, map and stats here