That Mad Belgian

[jmac]

Definitely double packing. I left him a note on top of the ridge yesterday and he's reached it and messaged me an hour ago. I also left him a few small treats which he is refusing to accept; will hand them on to next humans he sees:
"You funny man. Gonna giv the food to someone. Unresupplied. U made my week. PCT unmaintained is more dangerous than Fed Pk. Now back down to get big pack."

J.

[MrWalker]

Definitely double packing. I left him a note on top of the ridge yesterday and he's reached it and messaged me an hour ago. I also left him a few small treats which he is refusing to accept; will hand them on to next humans he sees:
"You funny man. Gonna giv the food to someone. Unresupplied. U made my week. PCT unmaintained is more dangerous than Fed Pk. Now back down to get big pack."
J.

Now you've made him carry extra weight until he meets someone, probably until Cradle Mt.
At least he's over that ridge line now, although the track is still not easy until he gets to Taylors Flats. The route up to Paddys Lake was quite good condition last time I went up, so he'll be OK there, until he gets up in the snow. I hope he's read the warnings about not going across the exposed area in bad weather.

[jmac]

Yes. Perhaps the cheery note will counteract the burden of a few grams of treats. Let's see how he goes up Black Bluff.

[beardless]

Garmin map indicates he is camped just past the Black Bluff turnoff.

[Overlandman]

Looks like he is now moving forward without having to go back to pick up half the load.
Good luck with the rest of the hike.
Regards OLM

[MrWalker]

The track up to Paddy lake is much better condition than the other earlier sections of the PCT. But he did well to climb 800m with his big pack, without doubling back. Now he says he is camping in snow at 1200m and both feet are wet and frozen. He has a long flattish section from there but it must be covered in snow at this time. I hope he's enjoying this.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I wonder if he knows that snow is falling to 300m on the weekend.....

[doogs]

He's on top of Black Bluff tonight, probably figured out the forecast by now!

[MrWalker]

He's on top of Black Bluff tonight, probably figured out the forecast by now!

I hope he notices the amount of precipitation due this evening. Apart from the difficulty of walking in deep snow (unless he has skis) the snowdrifts could be deep enough to cover some of the snow poles.
He really should head back down to Taylors Flats for a few days. If he thinks he might continue he could leave most of the food, packraft, etc where it is, and he will be able to climb back quickly when the snow clears (next summer?).

[doogs]

He'd be able to use his packraft as a sled and move at a reasonable pace across the snow on the Black Bluff plateau. There'd also be a good chance that he has the route on his gps so can stick to the track.

[Mechanic-AL]

In the never ending contest of man vs. the enviroment I,d be backing the enviroment in this one.
Anyone offering any odds ??

[north-north-west]

In the never ending contest of man vs. the enviroment I,d be backing the enviroment in this one.
Anyone offering any odds ??

Given the weather we've had, he's gotten further along than I expected. But it will be taking one hell of a toll, and he must be significantly behind schedule. We'll see what happens while he tries to traverse the highest country on his route.

His schedule is to finish around mid-September. That gives him less than 50 days to cover some 500km (with summit climbs; it's more like 550km with the added coastal circuit). He's now on his 18th day and hasn't done even 70km. His supplies are not going to last.

[Nuts]

Day 14? I think he has snowshoes. Still If he ends up slogging through deep snow with yowies (and that weight) even getting to CM would be a real chore.

[Mechanic-AL]

I wonder if his quest for self sufficiency rules out the use of OLT huts along the way ? Camping in soggy frozen gear with a ( probably) empty hut and a heater with a chance to dry out near by would be a huge sacrifice

[north-north-west]

Day 14?

I've lost count. He was originally scheduled to start walking 30th July. May have set out late. But he's still taken twice as long to do the PCT as he would have allowed, and isn't even at Bare Mtn yet.

[Warin]

I wonder if his quest for self sufficiency rules out the use of OLT huts along the way ?

Think he used that rope on the PCT .. and there are bridges and walkways .. so I think the huts will be fine to use.

[MrWalker]

I wonder if his quest for self sufficiency rules out the use of OLT huts along the way ?

Think he used that rope on the PCT .. and there are bridges and walkways .. so I think the huts will be fine to use.

I'm sure any permanent fixtures would be fine, like bridges, huts, ropes and pit toilets, but because this is unsupported, he won't use anything that would need to replaced, like any heating material in the huts.

[MrWalker]

Day 14?

I've lost count. He was originally scheduled to start walking 30th July. May have set out late. But he's still taken twice as long to do the PCT as he would have allowed, and isn't even at Bare Mtn yet.

He started on 4 August and he has just finished Day 14 on 17 Aug, so he must have used about a quarter of his food. So his pack will be much lighter now.
The slow sections were due to doubling back along Leven Canyon and also near Mt Lorymer. That section has many trees across the track making to really hard to crawl through with a day pack, let alone a double pack, so I am not surprised he did it one pack at a time.

From here on he has no scrubby stuff until close to and after four-ways camp, where he may slow up again. So the main issue for now is how well he can get through the snow.

[north-north-west]

He started on 4 August and he has just finished Day 14 on 17 Aug, so he must have used about a quarter of his food. So his pack will be much lighter now.
The slow sections were due to doubling back along Leven Canyon and also near Mt Lorymer. That section has many trees across the track making to really hard to crawl through with a day pack, let alone a double pack, so I am not surprised he did it one pack at a time.

From here on he has no scrubby stuff until close to and after four-ways camp, where he may slow up again. So the main issue for now is how well he can get through the snow.

Yesterday he started near the top of Winterbrook Creek and didn't even reach Bare Mtn. At that rate it's at least another three days to Fourways. From there to Pencil Pine will be interesting. The timber track to Ronny Creek will be easy going. Then he'll be back on ice and snow.
He just doesn't have enough food to get through unresupplied.

[jmac]

He wore his drysuit yesterday; an excellent decision, great way to conserve body warmth. Seems not to have moved yet today.

"day 14-17 Aug. Spent the day in the expedition drysuit. Up to 40 cm snow. Used
snowshoes until more wet plants than snow. Fog, zero sun. Rain now. Wind. 1
wombat. All is wet."

[tastrax]

Just past Bare Mountain

https://eur-share.inreach.garmin.com/louphi

[Tortoise]

I don't recall much in the way of shelter on Prospect Mount. In for a wild night, I think.

[north-north-west]

Maybe the weather in the mornings is being particularly vile, but I usually check his possie around 10 - 10:30, and he's usually still at his campsite. He's missing a lot of walking time.

[MrWalker]

Maybe the weather in the mornings is being particularly vile, but I usually check his possie around 10 - 10:30, and he's usually still at his campsite. He's missing a lot of walking time.

He seems to keep moving until dark before setting up his tent, then wastes a lot of daylight in the mornings packing up again. He didn't get going until 1:30 today. Probably spent all morning digging his way out from under the snow.

[tastrax]

day 15- 18 Aug. Woke up under 5 cm of snow. Left camp when snow stopped but it
never really stopped. All day the same: buttongrass, snow, mudpools. I dream
of a dry and hot place.

https://www.facebook.com/LouPhi.Loncke/

[north-north-west]

Weather doesn't settle until Wednesday. Looks good after that, if one can trust BoM.

[Overlandman]

day 15- 18 Aug. Woke up under 5 cm of snow. Left camp when snow stopped but it
never really stopped. All day the same: buttongrass, snow, mudpools. I dream
of a dry and hot place.

https://www.facebook.com/LouPhi.Loncke/

Thanks Tastrax
Keep up the Facebook notes as there are a few forum members not on Facebook
Regards OLM
P.S more snow overnight with Dove Lake carpark covered.

[north-north-west]

He must be listening to us. Got going earlier to day and is now within a kilometre of the road.

[north-north-west]

A big day. From north of Beecroft through Fourways and the Pandani Grove, and now only about 4.5km from Pencil Pine. Will he stay on the PCT or use the vehicle track into the campground? Will he push on through tonight or make camp on the Speeler Plains and leave 'civilisation' for tomorrow?

[Overlandman]

Can he have a steak and spa at Cradle?
Read where his air mattress has a leak and needs to be blown up regularly.