AAWT Fastpack (FKT): Depart 4 December 2018

[JohnR]

Hi bushwalk.com community,

Myself and 3 others are making a very ambitious attempt to set a new unsupported FKT (fastest known time) for the AAWT commencing from Walhalla on Tuesday 4 December 2018 at 0600.

Current unsupported FKT is 11 days and 18 hours. This means we will need to reach Tharwa before midnight on Saturday 15 December 2018.

For those who would like to follow our progress (or lack thereof - the principle mission is to move at a fast but enjoyable pace), I will separately post my Spot Gen3 tracking link in the next few days.

I have done most of the Victorian and ACT parts of the AAWT before, but not so for NSW.

Must give a thank you to those that have posted all the AAWT information on this website. Particularly Big Kev. Reading his feral blog is almost more informative than the Chapman/Siseman Guide Book (not taking anything away from the Guide Book - it's obviously a necessary and excellent resource for anyone tackling the track).

Cheers,

JohnR

[Drummo62]

Good luck John. I was on the AAWT in 2016 when Paul and Tom ran past and as an ultra runner I was aware of their running pedigree.

Records are made to be broken - will follow your progress with interest.

[climberman]

enjoy, travel fast and travel safe!

[Lophophaps]

John, stay safe. Due to snow melt some rivers may be high. However, last time I looked the river level trend was down. The most demanding parts are around Razor Viking. NSW is mainly on tracks. There's not many tracks from Tywnum to Dicky Cooper Bogong. There's one easy short trackless section at the Murrumbidgee. Bad weather on the Main Range may stop you. NSW has lots of huts, so given your speed you should slow down 200 metres before the hut. North of Witzes Hut Snowy 2.0 development has chopped up the track. Maybe go cross country.

[bigkev]

Hi bushwalk.com community,

Myself and 3 others are making a very ambitious attempt to set a new unsupported FKT (fastest known time) for the AAWT commencing from Walhalla on Tuesday 4 December 2018 at 0600.

Current unsupported FKT is 11 days and 18 hours. This means we will need to reach Tharwa before midnight on Saturday 15 December 2018.

For those who would like to follow our progress (or lack thereof - the principle mission is to move at a fast but enjoyable pace), I will separately post my Spot Gen3 tracking link in the next few days.

I have done most of the Victorian and ACT parts of the AAWT before, but not so for NSW.

Must give a thank you to those that have posted all the AAWT information on this website. Particularly Big Kev. Reading his feral blog is almost more informative than the Chapman/Siseman Guide Book (not taking anything away from the Guide Book - it's obviously a necessary and excellent resource for anyone tackling the track).

Cheers,


JohnR

Thanks for the kind words about my blog John.

Good luck on your trip. We are certainly at different ends of the walking spectrum, I'd still be struggling my way up Mt Erica and you'd be rocking into Tharwa I'm thinking

Looking forward to following your trip vicariously through your Spot tracker. Stay safe.

Cheers

[neilmny]

Good luck John, my armchair is ready.....this will be very interesting.

[JohnR]

Thanks for the words of encouragement and helpful advice from everyone.

My spot link is:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... 408627DukE

Ready to be humbled.

Cheers,

John

[bigkev]

John is off and running - already at the Thomson River.

[Lophophaps]

The biggest climb on the AAWT is happening now, some 1300 metres from the Thomson River to the summit of Mount Erica. After that it's much easier for a while. Does anyone know where he intends to camp tonight?

[neilmny]

Really zipping along - about 21k in 4 hours (according to my mapsource maps).............

About 64km since 6:17 this morning..........

[Drummo62]

Looks like he is currently having a break at Fiddlers Green.

[dashandsaph]

Coming up on Catherine Saddle early on day 4!

[Drummo62]

Current holder of the FKT, Paul Cuthbert in 2016, was at Barry Saddle before sunset on Day 4. John looks like he will be at Barry saddle in about an hours time so he is moving well.

[crollsurf]

Current holder of the FKT, Paul Cuthbert in 2016, was at Barry Saddle before sunset on Day 4. John looks like he will be at Barry saddle in about an hours time so he is moving well.

Thanks for the update Drummo62. I've been following his progress but not having walked down that way, had no idea of how he was actually going
This kind of info is very helpful. So he is on track to break the record! That's good

[bigkev]

Looks like John has headed over to Cleve Cole...there is a bit of dodgy weather passing through at the moment according to the BOM radar.

He is still flying along though, he started from Cope Saddle this morning!

[Drummo62]

I think Kev is right and John took shelter from the storms at Cleve Cole but his tracker hasn't moved yet. Hopefully a SPOT issue and he is ok and moving.
He is now a bit behind where Paul was in 2016 as on Day 7 Paul had brekky at Mt Wills hut. Still time to make it up if he has rested at Cleve Cole.

[JohnR]

Hi Guys

I pulled out yesterday due to run ending blisters. Still a great experience.

Hats off to everyone who has completed the AAWT journey. It has so many challenges that require a diverse skill set to overcome.

Hopefully I get the opportunity to give it another crack.

Cheers,

John

[dashandsaph]

As a plodder along the AAWT, I applaud your great effort and well done to get as far as you did, as fast as you did. I look forward to round 2.

[neilmny]

Hi Guys

I pulled out yesterday due to run ending blisters. Still a great experience.

Hats off to everyone who has completed the AAWT journey. It has so many challenges that require a diverse skill set to overcome.

Hopefully I get the opportunity to give it another crack.

Cheers,

John

Well done John,
Bad luck about your feet and congratulations on getting as far and as fast as you did.

[Drummo62]

Hi Guys

I pulled out yesterday due to run ending blisters. Still a great experience.

Hats off to everyone who has completed the AAWT journey. It has so many challenges that require a diverse skill set to overcome.

Hopefully I get the opportunity to give it another crack.

Cheers,

John

Huge kudos for having the courage to enter the arena and while you may have not made it his time you dared to have a go. I had you ahead just ahead of schedule at Barry Saddle. Well done, enjoy some rest and there is always next time.

[bigkev]

Well done John.

Just to do what you did is a massive achievement. Having walked it recently I was amazed at your progress.

Cheers
Kevin

[wazzawalkin]

Hi Guys

I pulled out yesterday due to run ending blisters. Still a great experience.

Hats off to everyone who has completed the AAWT journey. It has so many challenges that require a diverse skill set to overcome.

Hopefully I get the opportunity to give it another crack.

Cheers,

John

Hi John,
Your first posted mentioned you plus 3, so are the other three still going?

Wazza.

[Mr Bean]

Hi Guys

I pulled out yesterday due to run ending blisters. Still a great experience.

Hats off to everyone who has completed the AAWT journey. It has so many challenges that require a diverse skill set to overcome.

Hopefully I get the opportunity to give it another crack.

Cheers,

John

Very impressed with the effort you did. My partner and I are planning on doing a part of the walk shortly, so we were amazed at what you did. Did you have food drops along the way, or did you plan to bomb it with 12 days supply?

[JohnR]

To answer the questions:

1. Wazza, yes the other 3 are still out there. Their Spot Tracker is currently not working, but I think they are likely to be around the Bogong / Mt Wills area. I left them in the afternoon of day 2 as we ascended Mt Shillinglaw.

2. Mr Bean, yes I had multiple food drops (around 2 days apart).

Happy to answer any other questions, given I benefit from and enjoy reading other posts on this site.

On nav, I found the track relatively easy to follow 99% of the time.

On water - Hellfire Creek is flowing strongly. Water is still available at the Viking Saddle (and likely to remain the case for at least the next 2 weeks). 3 of the 4 tanks through the Barrys / Selwyn area are full or near full. The second tank (which I think is the Barry Mountain Tank that has been destroyed for some time) is empty.

[wazzawalkin]

To answer the questions:

1. Wazza, yes the other 3 are still out there. Their Spot Tracker is currently not working, but I think they are likely to be around the Bogong / Mt Wills area. I left them in the afternoon of day 2 as we ascended Mt Shillinglaw.

.

Thanks, John,

I would guess it was them that I bumped into on Sunday morning.
The Wife and I were out 4wd'ing and had just pulled up at the Saddle on the Selwyn Creek Rd where it crosses the AAWT when 3 hikers arrived.
They mention they were trying to beat the fastest time but had dropped about 10 hours behind.
We chatted for a few minutes, provided some local advice before we both headed off on our separate ways.

Wazza

[LLSC]

John, that is a huge effort you put in. I am amazed. I have walked the AAWT but at a much slower pace. I was following with fascination until the Spot stayed put. I'd be interested in any info you are happy to provide. In particular, your equipment (how much weight you were carrying; choice of tent/tarp?; cold weather/wet weather gear; stove and fuel (did you use a stove?); torch and batteries (I saw you were walking at night a bit: some of this might have been tricky, once you are off the formed 4wd tracks); batteries for your Spot; how much food and what type?, etc etc etc. Thanks for sharing with us: it is a pleasure to participate vicariously (i.e. sit and watch the computer screen and start dreaming). Best of luck for your next go, whenever that is.

[JohnR]

Hi LLSC,

Apologies for the delay in responding.

I was carrying 8kgs without water.

Gear wise I used the OR helium bivvy, spark 3 sleeping bag (with silk liner), Exped SynMat hyperlite mat, stove was the jetboil zip, wet weather gear - only lightweight Mountain Hardwear Plasmic Ion jacket, other clothes included lightweight thermals and down jacket. Everything fitted in the Ultimate Direction Fastpack 35 litre. For head torch the Pretzel Tikka on low power was fine for walking at night.

Food wise - dehydrated at night and wraps with jam and cheese during the day. Also many gels and cliff bars consumed. Long life chocolate and coffee milk in food drops. Breakfast was self-mixed oats, sugar, shredded coconut, sultanas.

The 3 others I left Walhalla with on 4 December got to Thredbo on Saturday and pulled the pin there. A great effort - circa 450km in 12 days.

Cheers,

John