Re: AAWT FKT (3rd attempt) Departing 4 December 2022

A forum for discussing the Australian Alps Walking Track. This is a 655 km long track from Walhalla (Vic) to Tharwa (ACT)

Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mark F » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 1:01 pm

Just reaching Dairymans Creek at 2pm. Should be at Oldfields Hut or Murray Gap when he stops for the night. Tharwa Visitor Centre for a late lunch tomorrow knocking about 10-12 hours off the record and just missing potential thunder storms tomorrow afternoon.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby neilmny » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 2:08 pm

He's gone cross county?? Through Dairymans Gap??
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 2:15 pm

Neil, I saw that and wondered where Dairymans Gap was. At or about Dairymans Creek he went east instead of north to the Port Phillip Trail. I wonder whey he went east. He may not have a paper map and the GPS may have died. Weather is good, open vistas between the Murrumbidgee and the Port Phillip Trail.

He is now in scrub going north to meet the Port Philip Trail east of Ghost Gully, or east to have a swim. It will be a long afternoon to reach Oldfields Hut, the best spot for starting the last day, 50 kilometres. If he does not reach Oldfields or nearby he will struggle to break the record.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mark F » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 3:00 pm

I suspect he is following an old ft/vehicle tracks that go past Millers Hut. They will bring him out just to the west of the bridge over Bally Creek. As long as you stay out of any swampy bits it is just as open and fast as the marked aawt route.

oops - just updated the track and it is not as I thought. He appears to heading fro the causeway across Tantangara Dam which is currently open (dam level 15%) but hasn't been for the past couple of years.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby crollsurf » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 3:31 pm

He's ended up on the Dam(n) Trail. I wonder if he knows about the trail across to Old Currango or if he'll cut his loses and head back to Mosquito Creek Trail. I guess we will know soon enough.
Last edited by crollsurf on Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 3:55 pm

Weird. I could understand if he followed the track to Old Currango and then cross country to Pockets - that's not bad walking apart from a few boggy bits, but he seem to be following Mosquito Creek north. Is he trying to pick up the Old Currango Trail? There was sod-all of it visible last time I was in that area.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Baeng72 » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:02 pm

Port Phillip Trail to Pockets Saddle road to Murray Gap trail to Oldfields Hut?
I know less about this region than Google Maps, so I'm blaming Google if that's nonsense.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:08 pm

From where he is, I'd head east to the junction on Pockets as soon as I was clear of the reservoir. From there he'd easily make Murray Gap tonight.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mark F » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:13 pm

I reckon he will head NE cross country to connect with the end of the Murray Gap f/t. Should be clear, easy terrain on the dry dam base
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Baeng72 » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:29 pm

Mark F wrote:I reckon he will head NE cross country to connect with the end of the Murray Gap f/t. Should be clear, easy terrain on the dry dam base

He's heading NE. Damn you google maps! :)
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 4:57 pm

Nope, he's picked up the track south of the Blue Waterholes junction. Which may be slightly easier walking but is a lot further. Really strange bit of navigation this.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Lophophaps » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 5:42 pm

On 22 November I said:
"The consensus is that providing one walks or skis from Walhalla to Tharwa or southbound, nearly any route is acceptable. This is especially the case in NSW, with the first variation just taken, Cowombat Trail."
He is now back on the AAWT, having missed about 16 kilometres of the AAWT, Dairymans Creek circa 580 to the Currango junction 596. If he finishes before 11 pm tomorrow, will this be an AAWT fastest time?

He's about 11 kilometres from Oldfields, a long punishing day but he should make it.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 5:48 pm

I don't have a problem with the validity of the record claim, just can't make sense out of his navigational decisions. There are places where he's gone cross country when the track would have been quicker, and places where he's hit the track when continuing cross country would be quicker.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Baeng72 » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 6:15 pm

north-north-west wrote:I don't have a problem with the validity of the record claim, just can't make sense out of his navigational decisions. There are places where he's gone cross country when the track would have been quicker, and places where he's hit the track when continuing cross country would be quicker.

It looks a bit baffling that he was nearing Murray Gap, then turned away and went to Mosquito creek trail.
But not being there I have no idea it it was intentional, accidental or a pack of wild dogs changed his mind.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby crollsurf » Mon 25 Nov, 2019 6:24 pm

six maps has that shortcut to Pockets as swampy so that's probably why
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Lophophaps » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 5:03 am

John left very early and is now over Murray Gap. There are two relatively easy climbs and the one to Orroral Ridge being the last major obstacle. Late arvo in Tharwa, a cup of tea, and then he can walk back. It's only 12 days!
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby GBW » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 5:13 am

Amazing to watch. I did see parts of Blue Waterholes area was closed for horse control until 30th November. Maybe that's the reason for the change of route.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/ca ... cal-alerts
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 9:58 am

10:45 approx, at the Orroral Rocks turnoff. That leaves 18km to Tharwa. He's going to romp it in - even I could do that well before dark.
Hope there's a big welcoming committee and somewhere he can have a long, hot shower.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 11:37 am

*&%$#! close now. Baroomba Rocks carpark at roughly 12:40pm.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby crollsurf » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 1:13 pm

5km to go!!! I'm getting excited, I can only imagine how he is feeling now. Although he's probably trying to hold it all back and staying focused to make sure nothing goes wrong. It's quite a steep downhil to the finish line.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mark F » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 1:14 pm

He has just crested the ridge running north from Mt Tennant - downhill all the way to the finish.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 1:19 pm

We should have had a sweep on his finishing time.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby bigwallclimber » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 1:32 pm

2.5km to go
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Baeng72 » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:10 pm

At visitor center!
Is that the official end of hike?
Anyway, amazing effort!
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby north-north-west » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:12 pm

The Eagle Has Landed.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mark F » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:21 pm

The visitor centre is where you get your stamp but I think the official start is at the aawt sign board on the edge of the car park near the gate - but I'm not quibbling - a great achievement.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Lophophaps » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:23 pm

No quibbling - it's just a few minutes from the bitumen to the visitor centre. There's rather a lot of regulars watching this, with considerable justification. He was at Oldfields at 4.02 am, finished at 3.08 pm, near enough to 50 kilometres in 11 hours, 4.55 km/hour. This is after 610 kilometres from Walhalla! He broke the record by eight hours. A brilliant feat of endurance.
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby Mr Bean » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:47 pm

Impressive, a stunning walk!
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby davidn3875 » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 2:51 pm

Congratulations. :)
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Re: AAWT FKT (2nd attempt) Depart 15 November 2019

Postby crollsurf » Tue 26 Nov, 2019 4:20 pm

Just added up the vert and John ascended around 27,655 m. I guess he descended a similar amount.

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