Rambling 'round Radiata Plateau

Topo Maps: KATOOMBA 1:25000 Second Edition

Note: This site is still under construction.

Formerly known as Pulpit Plateau this is an interesting stretch of land near the famous 'Marked Tree' between Katoomba and Medlow Bath. In the 1960's someone had the hare-brained idea of clearing the plateau of it's natural vegetation for a plantation of Radiata Pine, hence the name. Like the plan to put a road down nearby Nelly's Glen it was a costly mistake as well as an environmental disaster. If you live in the Blue Mountains long enough you come realise this is often par for the course.

To get to Radiata Plateau follow the highway past Katoomba and turn left into Nellies Glen Rd, just before the 'Marked Tree'(K489673). After about 500metres turn left into Pulpit Hill Rd and drive 500m to the locked gate. Park your vehicle nearby. There is a maze of old vehicle and foot tracks to explore around here. Use the topo map as a rough guide.

Esgate Pass. The chains are just discernible in the bottom left corner of this photo. © A. Wells

1. Black's Ladders(K472677), Esgate Pass(K465661). Medium/Exposure. Experienced walkers only. Full day.
Go through the locked gate and take the first road/track on your right. Turn left at the next junction and you should be heading in a westerly direction.

Keep your eyes open for overhead power lines to your left. Where these power lines cross the track at approximately K473676 backtrack a very short distance till you come to two old, distinct gum trees on the north(downhill) side of the track.Walk down the slope between these two trees and you'll pick up a feint foot track occassionally marked with small rock cairns.
Follow this track down to almost creek level aided on one short 2.5metre(?) drop by a set of three steel spikes placed into the rock many years ago (50+) by old Ben Esgate, a former resident of Katoomba. Apparently this natural pass was used by the local aboriginals and was shown on the Butler and Davidson Map of 1832 as well as the December 1879 map of the County of Cook [Ref.'Upper Blue Mountains Geographical Encyclopaedia'. Brian Fox]. After descending the spikes keep to the left until you come to a delightful shallow pool and small waterfall on your left. Keep to the left and continue out to the shale ledge. Personally this is as far as I'd go before returning the same way. Otherwise follow the ledge(s) round to your left, taking care not to go too high or risk too narrow a ledge, which could be very dangerous. On the two occassions that I've done this walk I've had to backtrack a bit from a narrow ledge or two and drop to a safer, easier level. It takes a fair while to get to the large detached section of rock on the southwest corner of Megalong Head (K465661). You have to get into the gap between the main cliff face and the detached section by walking around and beneath the detached section and climbing up into the gap from the south side. Once in the highest point of the gap look for a nearby narrow ledge on the main cliff face and traverse it a short way to the north side where you will come upon a narrow but easily climbed slot/crevice containing a few small trees which provide hand/foot holds. Once up on the next ledge you should be able to see on your right the steel spikes and chain of Esgate Pass which is a short vertical climb of 4 metres or so. This climb is not for the feint-hearted and a fall here could prove fatal. The first person to the top should set up a safety belay for the rest of the party using a tape or rope. From the top excellent views can be had of Narrowneck, Megalong Valley and beyond. From the chain anchor keep scrambling up and you will soon pick up a vague foot track marked every now and then with rock cairns. The track keeps climbing, becoming very distinct and eventually brings you out onto the dirt road on a bend at approx. K467663. Follow the road to your right and all the way back to your car.
If you take a drive into Megalong Valley you can obtain an excellent view of both Blacks Ladders (left side of photo) and Esgate Pass (small gap in cliff line, right side of photo) by pulling over to the left hand side of the road a few hundred metres after you come out of the forest and into the clearing on the left side of the road. Look directly south at the cliffs and you will see the detached section of rock which marks the location of Esgate Pass. From there you can look back along the cliffs till you see what appears to be a wide vegetated break through the cliffline indicating the location of Blacks Ladders.

2. Bottleneck Pass(K479670), Medium/Rough. Short day.25-30metre rope or tape required.
Drive to the carpark at the start of the Six-Foot Track (GR486672). Head down the start of the Six-Foot track and keep an eye out for a vague foot track to your right. This will take you past the back fence of some private properties before you pick up another footrack on your left which head SthWest and is very vague. Keep an eye out for the occasional stone cairn. The track takes you to a rocky outcrop(photo below left) with lovely views of the surrounding cliffs, Narrowneck, Megalong and gully you are about to descend via the pass which is almost immediately to your right and involves a two-metre downclimb/scramble. The pass quickly descends into the deep rainforested canyon-like gully with a couple of short waterfalls to negotiate at creek level. Geoff Fox had brought a 25m tape which was only just long enough to get us into the upper reaches of the creek beside a waterfall. The creek is full of dead timber and slippery rocks so the tendency is to stay up on the right-hand bank until you clear the main cliffline into a very pretty rainforest. Just keep heading south then southeast to cross Megalong Creek and climb up onto the Six-Foot track. Once on the track walk up through Nellie's Glen up to the carpark at the start of the Six-Foot Track. On the way take five minutes to take a short diversion on your right (where the track crosses Megalong Creek) to view the spectacular Ethel Falls;GR486664 (photo below right) which has the rare Dwarf Mountain Pine(microstrobus fitzgeraldii) growing beside it's bottom drop.