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Free camping at Blackheath?


Superstu

29-Mar-2004
8:07:03 AM

Just returned from the bluies, Mt York campsite was busy as ever.

We went down to Zap Crag (on the same side as Barton's Lookout but closer to the Great Western Hwy) and went looking for the rap bolts. Instead we found "NO CLIMBING" spray painted on the rock and chipped bits of rock where some bolts might have been. Don't know the full story there but you can still walk down and around to do the routes. No belay bolts - hike back into the trees for some anchors (about 10 metres for some climbs). Maybe this was the area at mt york with the climbers crossing private land access issue?

The best campground in the bluies is by far the Wolgan Valley, but its really a different climbing area. We met only one other group of climbers there, and they stayed only a day before hoofing it back to Katoomba in a cloud of dust.

Driving around those "4wd" tracks in the Newnes forest we nearly got killed when a lithgow local out rally driving in his datsun came careering up the track. We lurched off the track into the trees, stalled the engine, and just missed him. Now I know why I have a bullbar . . .

Stu

joemor

29-Mar-2004
9:43:59 AM

yep i found the same problem at zap a year or two ish ago... cant remember exactly... i think the story is somthing like power company said it was ok to put up routes there as it was their easment... then it turns out it was private land and the landowners were selling and didnt want any pesky climbers ruining saleability of the block?? anyway the mess they left with spraypaint is far worse than the four or so belay bolts that were there!

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