The Acropolis - Trail Run

[Phil]

Hi guys

Just thought I'd share a bit of a report and a few pics of my trip from Wednesday (5th October). As some of you know I was looking at options of where to head off for a bit of a trail run - http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7713 - thanks everyone for your input. Well I narrowed it down to 3 options and my competitive nature got the best of me and I ended up having a crack at the most ambitious option

I picked up a large McChicken meal from McDonalds drive through in Launceston at 4:20am (which was interesting to stomach at that time of the day ), hit the road, and was on the track at Cynthia Bay at 6:40am with the hope of being able to summit the Acropolis and back in the day. I had originally hoped to catch the 9am ferry up the lake but the operator had nothing scheduled so I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd be on foot up and back down the lake, meaning a total of 59km (according to guide books) would have to be covered.

Obviously being a trail run/day trip I only carried a small pack and was able to travel quite light; I made steady progress up the lake which was a lovely start to the day as the sun was rising and arrived at Narciussus at 9:10. I left Narcissus at 9:30, and after meeting a slithery little friend on the Pine Valley Track, reached the hut there at 10:50.

The conditions were quite favourable, it was a mild day with little to no wind, so after a sandwich and some sugary treats, decided to leave my pack at the hut, throw a chocolate bar and some jelly beans in the pockets of my running shorts, and head up the track to the Acropolis. The final climb involved traversing a few small sections of snow, but was quite straight forward (although it was enough to turn the only other person back around that day), and I reached the summit at exactly 12:30.

I was able to spend an hour on top, and again, there was little to no breeze. For those who have been up there, you know as I now do, the views are extraordinary! Certainly the most amazing peak that I have been up (which isn't that many in the whole scheme of things).

I left the summit at 1:30, got back to Pine Valley hut at 2:40, and then Narcissus at 4:00. This is when my body started to hit the wall! After a half hour rest/eat break, I headed back down the lake, reaching Echo Point at 5:30 for a 20 minute rest, and then Cynthia Bay at 7:25. The trip back down the lake was TOUGH! The last couple of hours was just one big 'mind game' with my body which was begging to stop (or at least walk), but I tried to keeping pushing on to get back by 7:30.

All in all, an amazingly rewarding and satisfying day out!

Anyway, here's a few pics (apologies as they are just taken on the iPhone)..............

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Sunrise over Lake St Clair

I'd A love to climb that one day

Looking towards the goal

Last edited by Phil on Sat 08 Oct, 2011 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Phil]

few more pics.......

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Olympus

Pine Valley Track

The Acropolis

[Phil]

and a few more...........

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pretty average views really...........

ok, so I didn't really reach the summit

some more pretty average views......

[Phil]

last few pics.........

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average views in all directions actually

Pine Valley

Calm conditions, the only ripples were because I plonked my feet in the water!

[shazcol]

How many days was the recovery after that epic day?

[Lizzy]

WOW!!! You should get sponsorship from Maccas!! I myself prefer a MUCH more leisurely pace like about 3 days for that...lol
Photos are a good ad for iPhone too- nice work & looks like great weather for it.
Lizzy

[doogs]

Big effort Phil, you are a lunatic What's next? The Western Arthurs in a day

[stepbystep]

What's next? The Western Arthurs in a day

Similar distance

[Tony]

Awsome run Phil, well done.

Tony

[Son of a Beach]

Well done Phil. I think you're mad, but at least you're enjoying your insanity in some great places.

The Acropolis certainly does have one of the most impressive views of anywhere on a good day.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Wow, great run - and pictures too!

You Tasmanian's are so lucky to have all this within reach in a couple of hours. I'd do this every weekend if I lived down there.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Big effort Phil, you are a lunatic What's next? The Western Arthurs in a day

My brother in law has done Frenchmans in a day, the Picton circuit in a day, Federation in a day, and the Western Arthurs in 48 hrs, so keep it up Phil and you might just achieve this lunacy!!

[Nuts]

Gram weenies, gear freaks, peak baggers, geo taggers, trail runners and other obsessives... is anyone just normal on here?

[weetbix456]

awsome stuff phil!i really didnt need anymore crazy ideas

[mjdalessa]

Awesome! When I first saw it I thought you would have caught the ferry, but no, your ran the lake! Catch the ferry and try Geryon south in a day or maybe Pindars. The abels seems to think Pindars can be done as a day walk

[ILUVSWTAS]

Awesome! When I first saw it I thought you would have caught the ferry, but no, your ran the lake! Catch the ferry and try Geryon south in a day or maybe Pindars. The abels seems to think Pindars can be done as a day walk

Errrr I think you've misread something there.... 3 hrs one way from pigsty... and pigsty is 6-7 hrs each way. I guess technically thats only 18hrs........ BUT

[stepbystep]

Unlikely as a daywalk, just might back Phil to run it though, he'd get to LaPerouse and back 'easy'. Bap and I walked out from Pigsty in a bit over 4.5 hrs in the rain, no running involved.

[weetbix456]

golly gosh...

[mjdalessa]

Don't have it right here, but I think it went something like 'La Perouse or Pindars may be possible as a day walk with the long days of summer...' I agree, it would be a challenge, but still...

[tasadam]

I saw you did this on Facebook Phil, and was going to point out one bleedin obvious thing (well, to the rest of us anyhow), Acropolis is NOT a run!

... is anyone just normal on here?

That would be us. Oh, er, actually, maybe just me, aren't you Nuts??

Phil, here's an interesting comparison for you, you would have had a hard time running in the conditions we found.

Phil's run

PineValleyTrack-800.JPG (127.39 KiB) Viewed 20348 times

September 2010

_D7C1580-800.JPG (105.41 KiB) Viewed 20348 times

[ILUVSWTAS]

Don't have it right here, but I think it went something like 'La Perouse or Pindars may be possible as a day walk with the long days of summer...' I agree, it would be a challenge, but still...

Laperouse certainly could be done in a 12-16hr day . Pindars is 5-6hrs return from Laperouse though.

[Rick]

Awesome effort mate.....I am sore just reading it!

[bushwalker zane]

God, I love Tasmania, it's such a small world!

I met you, just as you returned from the Acropolis as the track joins back onto the overland! Part of the guiding course.

Haha!

[Phil]

God, I love Tasmania, it's such a small world!

I met you, just as you returned from the Acropolis as the track joins back onto the overland! Part of the guiding course.

Haha!

Hey Zane

Yes, I remember! Did I also see your group at Echo Point Hut later int he day?! Gotta love Tassie!

Phil

[bushwalker zane]

You sure did, we had 3 groups. I hope the rest of your run went well!