Atlas › Karijini NP - Pilbara WA
Weano and Joffre Gorges
verified
ACA 3C
High flood risk
Tom Price, WA
The headline technical descent of Karijini, combining Weano and Joffre through 100 ft red banded iron walls. The public trail to Handrail Pool is a Class 5 ladder and pool scramble. Beyond the rope barrier it is commercial canyoneering only.
Single ropewiki entry covers both gorges as the combined canyoneer route. The public Handrail Pool walk is the most-photographed scene in the park; the canyoneer descent past Handrail is what the ACA 3C grade describes. Spa Pool sits in Hamersley, not here.
Logistics
| Manager | DBCA Parks and Wildlife Service, Karijini NP |
|---|---|
| Permit | Park entry fee $17 per vehicle (DBCA). Public trails (Handrail Pool spur, Joffre amphitheatre) are open; the canyoneering descent past the public-trail end at Handrail Pool is restricted and run commercially. Class 5 trail rating on the public segment. |
| Distance | 1.1 mi |
| Elevation | ~300 ft loss |
| Time | 4.5 to 8.5 hr (technical full descent) |
| Technical | Combined Weano and Joffre system through banded iron. One rappel up to 100 ft (longest) and multiple downclimbs. Swift water through narrow pinch sections, several swims, cold pools (4 to 12 deg C April to September). Native grade v3a4 III; ropewiki publishes ACA 3C III. |
| Season | May to Sep. Pools are coldest April to September. Wet-season storms close the gorges. |
| Flood risk | High. Catchment storms produce sudden flow spikes; the gorges are inescapable below the rim ladder. |
| Vehicle access | Passenger sedan to Weano car park on sealed road. |
| Crowd | Public sections are heavy in dry season (Handrail Pool is a tourist headline). The technical full descent is commercial only. |
| Coordinates | -22.3567, 118.2849 |