The aim of this run was to get some extra kilometres in my legs in preparation for my annual
Bilpin Bush Run. I had read that the Mt Caley summit was overrun with lawyer and other prickly vines, so I though I would see how close I could get to the summit. The two mountains I climbed, Mt Banks and Mt Caley, like numerous other peaks in the Blue Mountains are capped with volcanic material sitting on the older sandstone. This basalt some 140 metres thick was deposited around 17 million years ago. So sure enough, climbing Mt Caley, less than 200 metres from it's summit the soil changed to volcanic. That was as close as I could get to the mountain top. The nutritious volcanic soil enabled a much denser forest and ground cover. So me dressed in running shorts had no option but to turn back. It would have been extremely difficult to proceed even if dressed appropriately. The weather was cool and sunny, quite windy though.
Mt Caley is immediately to the left of the slope in the foreground (Mt Banks)
Looking at the western slopes of Mt Tomah
Mt Tomah is also capped with volcanic material, I guess this would be a factor why the botanic gardens are here.
The Summit of Mt Banks
Mt Banks, even though capped by volcanic material, has not been overrun with lawyer vines or the like. The two paths to it's summit although steep are easy to negotiate.
Looking towards Medlow Bath, the Blue Gum Forest is the valley below
Stats,
distance: 21.7Km
moving time: 4 hrs
Elevation: 1306 metres
Calories: 2318
