Thurat Rift Canyon v4a2VI***

[DavidM]

Thurat Rift is a magnificent wilderness trip, following a fairly even descent to Kanangra Creek. It is the longest of the Kanangra canyons; parties need to move efficiently.

The following route description requires a car shuffle; it uses the "easiest" possible exit from the canyon end.

Leave a car/bicycle/running shoes at the Kanangra Walls parking lot. Park at the King Pin firetrail on the Kanangra Walls road. Follow the King Pin firetrail to Mount Thurat. Follow the ridge along Thurat Tops (difficult route-finding) to the intersection of Thurat Ridge and Burra Gunama Ridge at 32454 40633. Follow Burra Gunama Ridge to where a spur branches off southwards at 33134 40557. Follow the spur south then southeast to enter Thurat Rift Creek at a confluence at 33786 39815. Walk about 300m downstream through beautiful riverine forest to the first waterfall.

Follow the attached quick reference.

A note on rope lengths: One of the abseils is 62m. Read the quick reference for a method to deal with this if your longest rope is 60m.

After the last abseil, walk down to Kanangra Creek, then strike upstream (westwards).

Camp either at 36115 39348 or 35940 38983, both RL on Kanangra Creek (on the right as you are walking westwards/upstream).

From 35660 38675 ascend the spur leading to Mt Berry, then return to Kanangra Walls on the well-worn path.

As well as the attached KML, it may be useful to load the Carrabeanga KML as the latter includes a track across Thurat Tops.