Mt Barney NP - Short Leaning Ridge

A route video for Short Leaning Ridge. Mt Barney Falls to the Summit block.

Winter 2024 #6 : Mt Barney Falls - Pinch below Leaning Peak - Return.
Distance : The ridge itself is only about 1.5 km long, but we must add 700m in height gain. The walk-in and out is lengthy, being 10 km return, including 1 km each way rock-hopping along Mt Barney creek (not filmed).
Walking conditions : Everything Mt Barney has got, and plenty of it. All exhaustively hard walking. Includes some of the most enjoyable slab walking on the mountain.
Notes : After becoming familiar with the routes on the southern and eastern mountain, we can seriously consider taking on the more arduous northern ridges. There are four main ridges ; Eagles ridge, Short leaning ridge, Long leaning ridge and Midget ridge. These ridges are all varied and individual - the only things they share are rocky outcrops, hardship, and a northerly aspect.
Short leaning ridge requires current leg fitness to undertake, mainly due to the long access hike. This is one of the more extreme trips on Mt Barney (even without climbing the peak), and is less walked solo than in groups. The ridge is more often climbed in the cooler months, as the whole north face is blisteringly hot for the rest of the year. The walk in and out takes up an exhaustively large part of the entire journey. Tactics such as walking the Portals trail in the dark or camping at the Lower Portals are worth considering. My times are generally slow, but for this trip I knew not to dawdle, and it still ended up being a 13 hour day.
The ridge itself is a reasonable undertaking for a capable scrambler, but many enormous drops are passed along the way. As is common knowledge, there is a 25 metre abseil on the other side of the peak if it is climbed. The lower approach on the summit block is also formidable.
Groups comfortable with the climb and abseil on the peak usually continue along a circuit that descends Eagles ridge and approaches the forested lowlands via Isolated creek (watercourse between North and Isolated peaks). This circuit is also a big undertaking for a day walk.
Being extra careful is a must on the ridge as unfortunately, the worst has happened here. That said, it is an exhilarating experience to be on the upper ridge, and the trip is very attractive to those capable of undertaking this type of venture.

There are some excellent written histories of climbing on Leaning Peak. The north side of the peak has a 400m climbing face. From the literature, I realise that the section I reached is the top of Chockstone gully, but because I've not been shown the finer particulars, I haven't mentioned it in the vid.

The drone shots used in the lower ascending views were taken in 2021. This was only the second year after bushfires in 2019, and the ridge has more vegetation now.