A forum for discussing the Australian Alps Walking Track. This is a 655 km long track from Walhalla (Vic) to Tharwa (ACT)
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 8:24 am
Hi bushwalk.com community,
Second attempt at FKT starting tomorrow at 0600.
Just in case anyone has the time to follow, our Spot Trekker is:
https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/wLBlC ... mespot.comWill report back on track conditions and water availability.
Hoping to be in Tharwa on or about Monday 25 November.
Cheers,
John
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 1:20 pm
Giddee up JohnR!
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 1:32 pm
Lucky you, hope it all goes well. Already bookmarked your SPOT page so I'll becoming along as well
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 1:59 pm
WT *$&# is FKT?
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 2:15 pm
highercountry wrote:WT *$&# is FKT?

Fastest Known Time.
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 2:16 pm
highercountry wrote:WT *$&# is FKT?

FKT'd if I know.
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 3:48 pm
JohnR wrote:Hi bushwalk.com community,
Second attempt at FKT starting tomorrow at 0600.
Just in case anyone has the time to follow, our Spot Trekker is:
https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/wLBlC ... mespot.comWill report back on track conditions and water availability.
Hoping to be in Tharwa on or about Monday 25 November.
Cheers,
John
10 days? Are you driving?
That's 65 km a day.
Good luck.
Thu 14 Nov, 2019 4:34 pm
Wow

Good luck and stay safe, I'll be following your spot page....
Sun 17 Nov, 2019 10:14 am
Crikey this bloke is turbo charged!
Past the Nobs at about 11:04.
Mon 18 Nov, 2019 10:20 am
Impressive! Just saw you got through The Viking.
Tue 19 Nov, 2019 10:08 am
Have been following tracker every day.
Phenomenal effort!
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 7:22 am
~370km in 7 days, averaging ~53km/day! So on those averages he will take 12 days 10 hours to walk the AAWT. Paul Cuthbert's record is 11 days 18 hours but the thing is, JohnR has a lot of the hard walking behind him now and once he crosses into NSW, life becomes a whole lot easier.
If he stays healthy, he can definately break the record but its going to be close. It's going to start getting exciting from about Monday onwards.
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 7:47 am
This is impressive to watch!
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 2:23 pm
Amazing. All the slow sections are now behind and fire trails are much faster - Tin Mines for tonight? No likelihood of rain until Tuesday so a clear passage along the Main Range.
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 3:31 pm
Mark F wrote:Amazing. All the slow sections are now behind and fire trails are much faster - Tin Mines for tonight?
Wouldn't be surprised, although there's a stiff climb in between.
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 4:47 pm
north-north-west wrote:Wouldn't be surprised, although there's a stiff climb in between.
Looks like he is taking the Cowombat trail rather than the Pilot Creek/Snow Gums trails - somewhat gentler incline a bit less elevation gain.
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 5:35 pm
It's a teensy bit shorter, but isn't that cheating? It isn't officially the AAWT.
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 5:46 pm
Maybe the course directors can make him climb the pilot as a penalty . He’s probably already past there
Fri 22 Nov, 2019 6:23 pm
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. The official AAWT is a horrible road bash from Kosciuszko. If the weather is fine, nearly all parties go over the Main Range. From Schlink Pass it's more roads to Grey Mare, O'Keefes and Mackays. A better route is Gungartan, Tin Hut, Cesjacks and then north to the fire trail near Mackays.
There may be different rules for FKTers.
I hope he slows down a short way before his stopping point. He's about 5 kilometres from Tin Huts, which is 16 kilometres from Cascade Hut, mainly flat.
Sat 23 Nov, 2019 2:33 pm
Blimey , this dude is being chased by Satan himself!
Sat 23 Nov, 2019 5:19 pm
Shame he won’t be able to fully enjoy the many spectacular views, and the wonderful places to sit and enjoy the big wide world whilst he’s out there!
One of my wife’s friends recently did the Pacific Crest Trail with her partner, and commented that he was so focused on getting to certain points each night that it was thoroughly unenjoyable....she just wanted to enjoy it all properly.
Anyway, as the aim is FKT, I suppose there are sufferences to achieve this.
A
Sun 24 Nov, 2019 7:16 am
Run like you stole something John! Doing his own thing his own way! You ripper.
Hey Crolly do I have to go to a further link when I go to the one provided? Seems to be missing something of the trip on that first page.
Sufferance.
Sun 24 Nov, 2019 9:07 am
I tend to agree with Andrew A. The slow way takes in the spectacular scenery and the silence away from the mechanized world of artificially induced stresses in a way that is not a mad sprint. That is why I walk small sections of the AAWT at my own pace. Nonetheless this is an impressive effort in terms of speed and stamina. The man must be running the whole thing like an ultra ultra marathon.
Sun 24 Nov, 2019 9:33 am
Hi Lamont, the link should work but only tells you where he was at what time. I got the Chapman book to reference other info like distance etc
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Sun 24 Nov, 2019 9:38 am
Thanks Crolly.
Mon 25 Nov, 2019 8:50 am
At the end of day 10, Sunday 24th November, JohnR had walked from Whites Hut (478.9km) to Nine Mile Creek (543.1km). A total of 64.2kms. Big kms for a day but worth noting, this is one of the easiest stretches of the AAWT. And it continues easy walking up to Murray Gap (610km) and then it gets a bit harder for the last 50km.
I recall he left at around 5am on the 15th, so to beat the record of 11 days 18 hours, he needs to arrive at Tharwa by around 11pm on Tuesday 26th November.
That gives him 2 whole days to walk 117km. At this stage, he is on target to break the record.
Mon 25 Nov, 2019 9:08 am
crollsurf wrote:At the end of day 10, Sunday 24th November, JohnR had walked from Whites Hut (478.9km) to Nine Mile Creek (543.1km). A total of 64.2kms. Big kms for a day but worth noting, this is one of the easiest stretches of the AAWT. And it continues easy walking up to Murray Gap (610km) and then it gets a bit harder for the last 50km.
I recall he left at around 5am on the 15th, so to beat the record of 11 days 18 hours, he needs to arrive at Tharwa by around 11pm on Tuesday 26th November.
That gives him 2 whole days to walk 117km. At this stage, he is on target to break the record.
Walking 117km at 4kmh (for argument's sake) approx 29hrs. But I'm guessing he's jogging a bit, so less time required.
Mon 25 Nov, 2019 10:38 am
He will most certainly be FKT when he completes this mission.
Mon 25 Nov, 2019 12:30 pm
Over the Murrumbidgee about 13:30. Two biggish climbs and he's home free.
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