A lot of people will recognize Mount Barney if you mention it to them. It is especially famous among-st rock climbers and experienced hikers. Mount Maroon, being its sibling, is a place lesser known. However, it's a gem yet to be discovered.
Mount Maroon is more accessible in terms of its elevation, level of difficulty as well as its climbing options. You don't need a high clearing 4WD to get there, your normal conventional vehicle will be just fine. Visitors should be able to summit this mountain with a moderate towards fit fitness level. If you are into rock climbing, then this is the perfect place for you!
Although Mount Maroon track may not be as difficult as some of the tracks in Mount Barney, it is still a class 5 track. Please make sure you are well prepared before heading out to it. Bring plenty of water and ensure you have enough time to complete the full track well before sunset. A while ago, I made my first attempt to the summit of Mount Maroon, I wasn't able to make it to the summit as I wasn't prepared to descend in the dark.
Now that we have gotten the scary part out of the way, Mount Maroon track is a pretty amazing track to experience! Even though it is a class 5 track, it's a well worn track with neon markers along the way, which makes a track more accessible, but bush walking experience comes recommended especially if you are planning to camp there or bringing kids along. The gully between the two peaks is a long section of the track that would require basic climbing skills and upper body strength, as the track is quite exposed and has quite a lot lose rocks. Personally, I would not recommend taking children for this track, especially the young ones.
Although I wasn't able to make it to the summit first time around, a glimpse of the view was enough to try a second time. It took me 4.5 hours to complete the track without getting to the actual summit, 3 hours going up and 1.5 hours coming down. Second attempt, I walked the track with a friend, we made it to the summit, it took us about 5 hours with lunch break and picture snapping at the summit. The long journey is well worth it, with the superb 360 degrees view of the surrounding peaks, such as Mount Lindsay, Mount Barney etc., at the top.
To get to the beginning of the track, you will need to turn off from Boonah Rothdowney Road, at Cotswold Road. Continue by following Cotswold Road until you cannot go further. There is a small dam/lake right next to the carpark with the Mount Maroon Signpost. DO NOT TURN OFF AT UPPER LOGAN ROAD. You will go through a private property at the beginning of the track, so do be respectful and stay on the designated path.
Keep following the worn path going uphill. Follow the path until you find the first neon marker along the path, do not turn off track at any point. Continue on until you come to a point where the road seems to be cut off by a huge rock face, from that point, follow the path to your right and head-down to the starting point of the gully. This is the hardest bit of the whole track. Follow the path up, once you reach the top, follow the path to your right. Keep follow the path until you reach the summit, where you will see a giant cairn. It has become a tradition, where everyone who made it to the summit will place a rock on top of the huge rock pile. It is a site, hard to forget. I may find it a bit hard to find the track coming down from the summit, but follow the easiest route down and find the little camp site you passed on your ascend, then go straight back down the gully way.
While ascending along the gully, take your time to enjoy the up close view of the Ruby of India, which is a favorite of rock climbers. I was lucky to spot climbers on both of my attempt to the summit. You never realize the height of the cliff face, until you see a climber, who looks like a tiny ant compared to the it. The cliff looks like someone has laid multiple layers of rock cylinders on a vertical drop, each rock is so raw and yet they still form this golden layered masterpiece together, it is hard not to be in owl of nature's work! Over hundreds of millions of years, the softer section of the rock has been eroded, leaving these layers of rock spikes still standing today.
The track becomes less and less obvious, the closer you get towards the summit. Just follow the easiest path up, you will see the occasional small pile of rocks, they are put there to show you the way.
You only live once, so do everything that makes you yourself! YOLOHiking
