Multi-pitch Abseils in the Blue Mountains

When the weather feels a little too cold for a winter Canyon adventure, there are plenty of epically enjoyable abseiling adventures that make a sweet alternative!

There are a few bolted dry abseil trips already set up in the Blue Mountains, such as Malatia Point, Malatia Wall, Boars Head, Devil’s Hole and Wall of Africa/Kilimanjaro. The last one I have left which I haven’t yet done is Castle Head!

Malatia Point

The day after Ethan and I went on a trip through Grand Canyon (21st May 2023) we decided a dryer and warmer day on Sunday would be the best way to top off a fun adventurous weekend.

This time our friend Lili joined in on the fun!

Lili on the first abseil. The first 20m or so drop has the most incredible views!

Honestly, there were incredible views the whole way.

Good thing we love heights!

It was pretty cool looking back up at the abseils from the base of the final pitch!

We decided to treat ourselves and instead of hiking up the exit hike back up Furber Stairs, we took the scenic railway back up to Scenic World. It was a very expensive ticket back up the mountain so unlikely we will choose this option again (close to $50 from memory?). It also felt very strange going from abseiling down a beautiful cliff with nothing but the three of us and nature and then suddenly popping out on a busy tourist track and walking out through the main tourist hub of the Blue Mountains.

Malatia Wall

It was now early June, and after our trip down Malatia Point a few weeks back we were keen to check out Malatia Wall. This time we had Hayden and Christian join for the fun.

Safety first! Christian making sure our rope protector is in the right spot to protect the ropes from the sharp rocks.

Hayden abseiling down the first 45m pitch.

There’s nothing much more fun than hanging off cliffs with friends.

Hayden abseiling down pitch 2 – 28m down between the wall and the pinnacle.

This time we opted to take the Furber Stairs exit hike to save our $50, which I would have to say I definitely preferred keeping as far away from tourists as possible.

Unfortunately, on exiting down from the final pitch onto the well formed tourist track, we found that tourists had been walking up the abseiling exit track and using it for emergency toilet access… there were dirty toilet tissues everywhere. Disgusting.

Unfortunately, before we had noticed, poor Ethan had set his bag down and had collected human feces on his bag strap. There was dry heaving, endless laughing, and a bag strap swiftly removed by canyon knife.

Boars Head

I had wanted to do the Boars Head abseil trip ever since completing Malatia Wall and Malatia Point, so when the opportunity popped up it was seized!

On a brisk July morning.

The most exiting section of the trip is the narrow slot you need to traverse to reach the next anchor. There are ring bolts and carrots available to rig a safety line, as you are traversing along a big drop, with a slip or a fall being lethal! There are plenty of ledges for hands and feet to navigate your way through, lucky we love heights!

You then get to abseil through the slot down a 15m drop to the ledge below!

Setting up the next anchor. The ledge you land on from the slot abseil feels like a slot itself, with wind rushing through from either opening.

The next pitch is a further 25m drop that continues through another narrow slot before landing in a dry gully.

So far this is my favourite multi-pitch abseil trip in the Blue Mountains. The exit hike was easy, we followed the base of the cliff line East and hiked up the Devil’s Hole track.

Devil’s Hole

Jess and I were having a bit of a girls day, we decided to get take away Bagels, abseil the Devil’s Hole chockstone and then go and check out Mark’s Tomb. The best kind of girl’s day if you ask me!

Stunning views out towards Narrow Neck as we find our way to the top of the chockstone.

All smiles on top of the chockstone! It is a single pitch free hanging abseil that drops roughly 30m to the valley floor below. Finding the top of the chockstone was relatively easy, although the climb over the top of the chockstone to reach the anchor is quite exposed and made me nervous both times I have done this abseil.

Jess abseiling the chockstone!

Wall of Africa/ Kilimanjaro

The first weekend of September 2023 Luke and I were only a month into officially dating, which seemed like the perfect time to organise an adventurous Blue Mountains weekend to take him out to meet my wild group of friends.

After a trip through Dargans Canyon on the Saturday, we were keen for a dry multi-pitch abseiling trip down the Wall of Africa, or otherwise known as Kilimanjaro (the highest mountain in Africa).

This was his first time abseiling as an adult, so looking back it did seem a bit mean to send him down a 40m drop. But as nervous as he was, he did so well! And was in good hands of course.

Haydo on the first 40m pitch – the Wall of Africa. The name of this pitch has come from the view you get from the base of the abseil. Looking back up at the cliff face above, it looks like the outline of Africa (not sure if I really saw it myself, but I like the name).

Luke on the main 40m abseil! Getting bottom belayed by Haydo.

My turn! The next pitch if following the route correctly is another 50m drop down Kilimanjaro, although it is not advised for first time abseilers so we decided to take the shorter ‘out of Africa’ pitch that was an easy 20m drop directly down onto the Devil’s Hole track.

Hiking up the Devil’s Hole track we of course decided to do a final abseil off the chockstone on our way out!