Bushwalk Australia

Took myself off the the Pretty Valley area behind Falls Creek with my skis and what is for me a lightweight pack.
Pack started out at 14 kilos but blew out to about 17 by the time I added in a water bottle a spare walking pole [ Yeah I know wasted weight] and my zip bag with my medications and stuff.
It was a slow ski to the hut area, it's only 6 kilometres from Windy Corner but it took me almost 3 hours.
Got to the hut and dropped my pack outside and went in to make a cuppa and do some blisters starting on my heels and I'd picked up the wrong ziplock bag. No band-aids or blister tape. That's OK I thought they are only tiny blisters and will harden up. Made my cuppa and went looking in the the pack for my Crocs, whoops! No camp shoes or my fuzzy socks.
No problem I thought. Stamped out a small space for the Minaret and put the tent up and moved my gear into it. made dinner and sat and cogitated for a while and got ready for bed.
I don't often go Ultra light but I thought I was well prepared and had enough gear for the worst of the usual winter weather but I was not prepared for the after effects of my recent illness. I was cold. But even more I couldn't get to sleep. I've been on a CPAP machine for the last couple of years but a few nights in the bush without it are not a problem, well not usually anyway. Every time I started to fall asleep I'd start to choke a bit and wake up.
So two nites like this and I knew I needed to come home. So home I am now.
So my big mistake was not really knowing that I wasn't fully recovered and that the doctors sometimes know what they are doing and the doctors idea of taking it slow and easy wasn't my idea of slow and easy. Still the clean air and altitude did seem to make the ear infection less painful and ditto breathing.
Minor mistake #1 was not taping my heels first, minor mistake #2 was not taking more food because I was very hungry all the time and ate 3 days food in 2 days, massive sugar cravings. Major mistake #1 was taking the light weight clothing combination and not my big down parka as I usually do, it simply wasn't worth the weight saving and I should have carried the extra 600 grams.
Second specialist appointment on the 10th and then I'll head back up. this time I'll pack my usually heavy load for extra comfort and security and add an hour to the ski in
Camp shoes in snow are not a luxury but a real need and I left them in the car and they are usually right on top just under the storm clothing.
Hopefully I will be thinking a bit better in a weeks time.
I like this Osprey pack I bought S/H here on the forum but it really is too small for my normal winter load, 85 litres is just a tad too small and actually seems closer to 70 in the main compartment

I’d rather be warm than be hungry. I eat a lot less when camping than at home.

PS I’m not sure that 14-17kg fits the definition of “ultralight”!

A

I've got a Google spreadsheet with tabs. Overnight Summer, Overnight Winter, Alpine touring, Bushcraft... with a "packed" column on the right hand side. Doesn't include food though, I do that separately.

As I pack, I tick off each item so I know I have everything. It stops my mind spinning the night before. Did I pack this, what about that.

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Hey Moondog,

I just PM'd you about the trip before reading this - totally sucks that you had to cut it short. I was really excited because I've just bougt AT skis, skins and boots.

I've been a CPAP user since 2014, and can't sleep without it. I bit the bullet last year and sprung for a Resmed Airmini and 2 pilot 24 batteries. The setup weighs about 1750 grams and the 2 batteries will last a scant 4 nights - about 7 hours a night at 10cfm or so. I side sleep when camping on a regular neoair and find that I often have fewer than 5 events per hour and on the OT earlier this year I even had nights with 0 or 1 per hour. The setup isn't cheap, but it's better than the alternative. The only issue is managing condensation in the tubes in cold weather. Because of the weight penalty, I've gone ultralight-ish. HMG pack, MLD Trailstar etc - lots of DCF. The gear may not last like my 20 year old Macpac Glissade etc, but a starting weight of 14.5kg's with all safety gear and 700ml of single malt for my 5 day 4 night OT trip was luxurious. Once I had eaten a few days of food, I thought I had forgotten to pack something each morning when I put my pack on.

I've got a spare Resmed Airsense 10 Elite, 20 amp hour and 12 amp hour LifePO4 batteries and the Resmed 12 volt adapter you could borrow if you're taking the sled. It weighs just over 5kg's and would give you 4 to 5 nights - depending on your settings. The Airsense 10 doesn't have a humidifier, but you can't use them in the cold anyway.

Cheers Tino

Hi Tino
I'll reply by PM

Moondog55 wrote:minor mistake #2 was not taking more food because I was very hungry all the time and ate 3 days food in 2 days, massive sugar cravings.

A big sign bad things are coming. Glad you could suck up your ego and bailed.

I am better now, what ever it was I have been feeling OK for a full week now and headed back for some late / Spring skiing next week