The BOARDWORLD Forums ran from 2009 to 2021 and are now closed and viewable here as an archive

   

Australia’s Gnarliest Runs

Avatar

Good read here of some nice steep riding in Oz. NSW edition.
http://huckanddyno.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/the-gnarliest-runs-in-oz-part-1-nsw/

 
Avatar

All of that shit is bigger and steeper than it looks and climbing it is really fcuken hard work.  I need to be lighter and fitter to take that on again, I did pretty well according to the guy I went with but the internal toll it took to go at that pace was pretty big, I was totally finished after that day.  Oh and one other thing it doesn’t mention is the wind ha ha!

 
Avatar

nice write up, for some reason i just assumed people didnt really hike to ride here in aus. silly me i guess. some of those faces look quite good!

 
Avatar

I was going to shoot Watsons Crags with an expedition sponsored by Nth Face in 2011 but broke my ankle the week prior.

The guy who organised it spent 6 months hiking supplies to a designated camp spot so we could survive up to 3 weeks (rationed) or 2 weeks comfortably and wait for a good weather window. It was decided a better option not for me to go on a broken ankle (I made that call), there was also my bung knee I dislocated 12months earlier and would have been carrying 50kg of camera gear and batteries on top of my camping gear.

It ended up a good call by me because the plan was to set camp and wait for a good snow fall then drop it the day the weather cleared.

In 2011 the early season was the best July in memory. The week they set out in August the season did a u-turn, r41n started rotting the snow and high winds and sunshine wrecked the huge build up from July.
They stayed out there 5 days before deciding it wasn’t going to happen, if snow fell, it fell on hard pack, sun affected sheets and would be 100% avalanche prone.

I believe the supplies are still buried waiting our next mission. Only the leader has taken on work with a mining company and doesn’t know when our next chance will come or when he will be free for winter. And I don’t have the co-ordinates of the stash.

Australia has good bc, you just have to earn it.
A heli ride over the range gives some idea. There is more snow cover here than the swiss alps.

^The Crags

Sentinel is meant to be a 1km shoot straight down, the only way out is to boot pack it straight back up.

 
Avatar

One day (upon purchasing and receiving training with probes/beacons etc.) i will head out there. mark my words!

Earning your turns excites me.

 
Avatar

One day (upon purchasing and receiving training with probes/beacons etc.) i will head out there. mark my words!

Earning your turns excites me.

 
Avatar

Maybe I should I have read this earlier…......  red face

 
Avatar
spaz - 27 May 2013 04:56 PM

I was going to shoot Watsons Crags with an expedition sponsored by Nth Face in 2011 but broke my ankle the week prior.

The guy who organised it spent 6 months hiking supplies to a designated camp spot so we could survive up to 3 weeks (rationed) or 2 weeks comfortably and wait for a good weather window. It was decided a better option not for me to go on a broken ankle (I made that call), there was also my bung knee I dislocated 12months earlier and would have been carrying 50kg of camera gear and batteries on top of my camping gear.

It ended up a good call by me because the plan was to set camp and wait for a good snow fall then drop it the day the weather cleared.

In 2011 the early season was the best July in memory. The week they set out in August the season did a u-turn, r41n started rotting the snow and high winds and sunshine wrecked the huge build up from July.
They stayed out there 5 days before deciding it wasn’t going to happen, if snow fell, it fell on hard pack, sun affected sheets and would be 100% avalanche prone.

I believe the supplies are still buried waiting our next mission. Only the leader has taken on work with a mining company and doesn’t know when our next chance will come or when he will be free for winter. And I don’t have the co-ordinates of the stash.

Sentinel is meant to be a 1km shoot straight down, the only way out is to boot pack it straight back up.

I would be looking at packing that sandwich for the picnic for this mission Spaz.

How long are the hikes? All day? half day?

 

 
Avatar

Watsons Crags is an all day hike in (up to 8hrs) another day out. I’ve heard of fit men crying from exhaustion, siting down in the snow and hoping to die, on the hike home.
It takes a strong person to motivate others, it’s hard enough to keep yourself going - its easy to walk past someone in that situation.

I understand why people die out there, it’s a mental challenge for the strongest of mind. Stopping to help someone halves your chance of survival.

Kosci is a half day (leave 10am return 4pm). But it does not give an indication of what 8hrs hiking, up hill, in snow/ice is like or if an individual can handle it.

Hardest I’ve done is 8hrs, on sheet ice, into a 80kmh wind to cover 4km.

Chocolate and a rum flask is better than a sandwich. In life/death conditions your digestive system doesn’t work and instant energy is needed. Hot soup and noodles at camp and dried fruit. Have a few joints pre-rolled (your mind isn’t affected by cold when stoned), water, water, water and sports drink - melting snow in your mouth dehydrates and uses energy.
A few weeks of dieting with lots of protein leading up to it then carb loading the days before.

Ever heard the term “when hell freezes over” - I’ve seen what that would look like. Maybe offer the sandwich to Ice-Satan.

 
Avatar

Hmm spaz you need to get on twiiter and explain all of the above to the crazies on twitter going on about how that Canadian hiker who has been missing for two week in the snowy mtns, should be alive!

Even though he left his car wearing only jeans a tee shirt and one light waterproof shell.

https://twitter.com/search?q=#PrabhSrawn&src=hash

 
Avatar

Spaz’s survival tips: Alcohol and drugs…....okkkkayyy.

 
Avatar
AJ2theC - 30 May 2013 10:38 AM

Spaz’s survival tips: Alcohol and drugs…....okkkkayyy.

hahah well if you are on the way out you suppose well enjoy the last few hours.

 
Avatar

LOL

 
Avatar

What does a Saint Bernard (Avalanche Rescue Dog) carry in the barrel on it’s collar?


Canadian Hiker isn’t alive imo.
Jeans are the worst clothing below 5℃
a/ they are made from cotton.
b/ the weave transfers heat

Whit cotton T-shirt and a windbreaker !
It’s the complacent that die out there, people don’t respect our back country.

 
Avatar
spaz - 07 June 2013 09:47 AM

What does a Saint Bernard (Avalanche Rescue Dog) carry in the barrel on it’s collar?


Canadian Hiker isn’t alive imo.
Jeans are the worst clothing below 5℃
a/ they are made from cotton.
b/ the weave transfers heat

Whit cotton T-shirt and a windbreaker !
It’s the complacent that die out there, people don’t respect our back country.

The Saint Bernard carries Brandy or Wine .... and maybe a rare spliff. That last part was all lies.


 
Avatar

Or rum.
Never heard of wine being in it, I don’t think wine acts as a warmer while brandy, rum or schnapps do.