Winter Is Here ... and C19

It has been a while since the last post ... I got busy and then the whole SARS-CoV-2 shits-how started. You know all about it. 

Let's start on a good note: We got a beautiful new team member. Little Winter joined the crew in late May and although adventuring is a bit limited, we're still getting enough fresh air to be prepared for the trips ahead. Her older brother is pretty stoked to show her the ropes. 

Now going from Winter (Baby) to Winter (Season), I've restarted the Natural Snow Depth Tracker. Spoiler: So far there's just a bit of dusting and Falls Creek & Hotham have postponed their season opening until the 6.7.2020. In short we haven't missed anything. 

Obviously it's way too early to write this season off and hopefully it will be good enough for some backcountry fun. In doubt ask the Grasshopper because he has the latest intel on the fluffy white.

Victorian Winter Trips

Obviously the virus slashed most trips until now and the spike in community transmission doesn't spark confidence in organised trips going ahead. Currently the numbers are limited to 10 people as they're classified as outdoor gatherings. The Mountain Sports Collective has a series of events in the line-up. The upcoming Uni trips (MUMC & ROC) have a questing mark hanging over them. Carpooling isn't happening and nobody knows whether the trips go ahead at all. Alpine SAR Victoria has announced they're doing their main training event if restrictions allow it. The Alpine Club Melbourne has only two trips lined up but given the circumstances that's not too shabby.

Here we go:

• ROC Intro to splitboarding - Mt Stirling Fri 24 - Sun 26 Jul  
• MSC Slay Safe - Falls Creek 30th / 31st July
• aSAR Alpine Rescue Training - Mt Baw Baw Fri 14 Aug - Sun 16 Aug
• AVM Winter Camp - Feathertop Sat 15 Aug - Sun 16 Aug
• MSC Slay Safe - Mount Hotham 27th / 28th August
• ROC Christmas just in July - Edmonson's Hut, Falls Creek Fri 31 Jul - Sun 2 Aug
• MUMC Midnight Ascent - Feathertop Fri 28 Aug - Sun 30 Aug
• AVM Stirling Snow Camp - Mt Stirling Sat 29 Aug - Sun 30 Aug
• Backcountry Festival - Mount Hotham  Fri 4 Sep - Sun 6 Sep
• MSC Slay Safe - Main Range 24th / 25th September

Let's keep the fingers crossed 🤞 that the covidiots don't ruin it for us. I won't bother telling you how the access to the resorts works since that might change tomorrow and you're better of checking the right website from the start. Just keep in mind simply rocking up isn't an option this year.

Crowded Backcountry?

Mont Equipment Facebook Ad

With the immanent opening of the resorts and the limitations at the same time, it's not a surprise that the chatter in backcountry forums has picked up. Of course this includes the usual suspects getting stoked but there are also more than usual noobie questions - which isn't bad at all, better ask than being dead. On top of that are so many gear requests that I wasn't the only one wondering if this is above the usual.

If people use SARS-CoV-2 as an opportunity to finally make a move on their backcountry aspirations, it should not come as a surprise. I think this is a good thing since more backcountry lovers means a bigger voice for access and better availability of gear because there's money in it. In that spirit we should reach out a helping virtual hand and be nice to each other. However this also might come with a couple of challenges. 

First of all the meat-works outbreaks around the globe should have taught us that cold & wet indoor spaces are to be avoided. Yes - don't use the huts. I know this is hard for some but it's far better than killing Nanna. Some huts will have a sign limiting the amount of people who can be in there e.g. Bluff Spur Hut is limited to 4 people however the reasonable thing would be not to go in there at all. Also check out the box about Cleve Cole Hut below.

The second thing is that enthusiasm and interest are no substitute for knowledge and experience. The backcountry is littered with hazards, like rocks under the shallow surface, avalanches, hypothermia, carbon-monoxide poisoning, camp fire burns, icy slip'n slides or exposure. Only time will tell whether this is a good combination with beginners heading for the hills. Anecdotally SES Bright, BSAR and Police SAR Victoria expect some call-outs. 

That said if you're one of those beginners, check out events like the Alpine Club's Winter Camp or the MSC Slay/Safe program. They are really good and free for members.

Personally I don't expect this year to be a rescue disaster. Most rescues don't result in a major call-out anyway - as we've seen it on the Razorback last year. 

Slay Safe ⛄

Cheers Philipp

COVID-19 Parks Victoria have asked the Mount Bogong Club  to ensure that the rules put in place by the Chief  Health Officer are respected at the Cleve Cole Hut.  This means a maximum of eight people inside the hut 1.5 metre social distancing is maintained no cooking or sleeping in the hut  fill out the visitors’ book for contact tracing purposes. supply and use your own hand and surface sanitisers. Sanitise all surfaces after use - this includes toilet door handles. IF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET  THE CLEVE COLE MEMORIAL HUT MAY  BE CLOSED BY PARKS VICTORIA.

Alpine Club Melbourne

YAASSS! 💓🏔

We're stoked to announce that the Alpenverein Melbourne / Alpine Club Melbourne is a thing now! Last year we started this adventure and this month we put the final pieces together. The club is registered, has an ABN and is officially part of the Austrian Alpine Club and therefore also the wider Club Arc Alpine and UIAA family. 

We've come a long way and it's always good to remember why we started this in the first place. Most of us are one way or the other a member of the Austrian Alpine Club since it comes with the awesome Alpenverein Worldwide Service (insurance for SAR, limited medical and unlimited repatriation).

"We're already paying anyway with no local benefits so let's make it an Australian thing."

Top of Ama Dablam with
Cho Oyu in the back

That was the initial idea and soon we realised there isn't a real Alpine Club either - something which needed to be changed :)

• Having a true Melbournian Alpine Club encompassing all mountain activities
• Providing a great insurance under the umbrella of the Austrian Alpine Club
• Bringing adventurers together with local trips and events

The Alpenverein Melbourne is an all-ages, all-inclusive club which does a baby-hike in Plenty Gorge as well as expeditions to high altitude peaks. Now while you can do the baby-hike on short notice, you can't do the same for major peaks in the Himalayas, Alaska or the Andes. The club is committed to provide a pathway for mountaineers to grow and achieve their long-term goal.

Diving into the mountaineering world can be a bit daunting and especially since Australia is lacking the big mountains and glaciers although we do have some great training grounds. There's plenty of knowledge across the member so joining the club gives you an opportunity to tap into that.

Cheers
Anna, Emil & Philipp


Find out more at

www.alpenverein.melbourne

---

Glossary

AVM - Alpenverein Melbourne - Alpine Club Melbourne

AAC (UK) - Austrian Alpine Club (UK)

AVS - Alpenverein Südtirol - South Tyrolean Alpine Club

CAA - Club Arc Alpine

DAV - Deutscher Alpenverein - German Alpine Club

FFCAM - Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne - French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs

OeAV - Österreichischer Alpenverein - Austrian Alpine Club

SAC - Swiss Alpine Club

FAQs

Here are the updated FAQs about the Alpenverein Melbourne (AVM) from the previous blog-post. Please drop the club a line if you can't find the answer you're looking for: adventures@alpenverein.melbourne

• Does the insurance cover trips here in Australia? 
  Yes. Absolutely. It's actually worldwide. You'll find more general information here. There's also a specific article which looks at insurances from an Australian point of view.
• Is the insurance any different to the one of other sections of the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV)?
  No - all sections and groups of the OeAV have the very same insurance. Insurance-wise it doesn't matter if you're a member of the AAC (UK), the Section Vienna or the Alpenverein Melbourne. 
• Does the insurance include other leisure activities?
  Yes. All leisure activities in general are included. However there are some exclusions like paragliding, high altitude mountaineering (above 6000m) or arctic expeditions. 
• Does the insurance cover backcountry, side country, off-piste, ski-touring or other out-of bonds adventures?
  Yes. All of them.
• Why wasn't the AVM initiated as part of the German (DAV), French (FFCAM) or South Tyrolean (AVS) Alpine Club or any other alpine club?  
• Simple: The Insurance of the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV) is better for Australian based activities
• Why is it Melbourne and not the Australian Alpine Club? 
  The Australian Alpine Club already exists but has a strong focus on snow sports. Mountaineering and Alpine Adventures aren't something the AAC does. On the other hand the names Alpine Club Melbourne or Alpenverein Melbourne have not been used prior to the AVM.
• How does the AVM fit into the Victorian Club Landscape?
  The club has the mandate to establish and maintain relationships with similar or the same goals. While building our membership base we're also facilitation cross-club events and create new partnerships. 
• Can I join without becoming an OeAV member?
  No. The Alpenverein Melbourne is a local group of the Alpenverein Österreich - Sektion Innsbruck. If you join the AVM you're joining the OeAV.
• Can I join if I'm already member of another OeAV section?
  Unfortunately not. You'll need to switch to the Section Innsbruck in order to become a member of the AVM.
• Is the Alpenverein Melbourne incorporated in Australia?Yes - we are registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria. The registration number is A0107950D. The ABN is 93 853 885 730
• How is the Alpenverein Melbourne be structured?
  It's not much different from any other club you know. There are club rules, a committee and there are club events.
• What is the structure within the OeAV?
  The OeAV is made out of 197 independent member-clubs - so-called sections. One of them is the Section Innsbruck. The AVM is a local group within Section Innsbruck. See the diagram below.
• Why Innsbruck - why not any other section?
  This is the biggest section within the OeAV and we thought it might be hard getting this off the ground with smaller sections. We got and we still get a lot of support from Innsbruck so we think we made the right choice.
• Why do we use the German "Alpenverein" instead of "Alpine Club"?
  We're simply sticking with the Corporate Design Manual of the club. Even the pommies with their British Section couldn't escape that. Besides we do have some German native speakers as members.
• What do we do about the language barrier when we need to communicate with Austria?
  The current AVM Secretary is a German and the English of the guys in Austria is also pretty good.
• How much does the Membership cost?
  The prices for 2020 are:
  Individual € 78
  Family € 132*
  Senior € 64
  *Children are free if all parents (single or couple) are members of the same sections and the children are insured too. 
• For which time-frame do I sign up?
  In general you're singing up for the calendar year however there's a spring special every year. If you join after the 1st September, you'll get the remaining year for free and just pay for next year.
• Are there any local club trips?
  Absolutely. They are listed on the club's website.
• Where can I sign up?Right here - Registration Form - click on the link and on the upper right is the Union Jack to change the form to English.

Simplified Structure of the OeAV

What is this brand name telling us?

There are about twenty-million outdoor brands on the planet and the reality is their names try to inspire us to see the big adventure ahead ... that sometimes doesn't work out that well 😉 Here are my bad takes on various brand names and the associations they spark.

⚠ Warning! Dad-jokes ahead! ⚠

• 66° North - Hands down! That's Finnish vodka!
• Salomon - Careful with your kids. They might get chopped up.
• Kathmandu - Stinking city which feels like driving Mario Cart on weed.
• Patagonia - Sometimes it works out really well but most of the time it's windy, rainy, foggy, cold, muddy and miserable.
• Jack Wolfskin - Dates back to the Celtic tribes who dressed in animal skins served a painful defeat to the Roman Empire at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Not really useful these days.
• Arc'teryx - Old extinct glorified roasted chicken. Don't confuse it with the mighty bin-chicken - that'd be a hotel chain
• Mountain Hardware - Are you sure about this? Feels really soft ...
• Marmot - Awwww the cute little fluffy hearts of the mountains.
• Icebreaker - Just imagine a Russian captain on the bridge of his nuclear powered vessel having some sips/gulps of 66° North.
• Berghaus - Some random pommy wanted to sound German-cool and didn't realise we call it Berghütte. #fail
• Hyperlite Mountain Gear - this is ... surprisingly honest!
• Quechua - The sound a cane-toad makes when you pitch a tent on top of it (intentionally or not)

I know I know! Terrible. Not funny. I'll see myself out ...

Cheers 😂

Philipp 

Stolz wie Oscar!

tl;dr: fucking awesome event. do it.

In German there's a saying "Stolz wie Oskar sein" which translates to being proud as Oscar and it means you're really happy about something you achieved. Oscar is the oldest son of Shell and Andy and diagnosed to be on the spectrum. He is the spark why we're doing this ... and of course he's a pretty awesome kid.

Only downhill from here

Oscar's 100 Hut 2 Hut for Beginners 

You've never done an 100 km event before or you just want to push yourself. Welcome, you came to the right place. I've done some interesting stuff but it's always more fun to punish yourself when it has meaning. This post is for those who want to do the three-day Hut2Hut event and need a bit of an introduction. Let's face it: If you can do the two or even one day event, you already know what you're doing, right? That said I'm not a runner but I've finished in 2019. Now why are we doing this? It's pretty simple:

• Great Cause
• Great Course
• Great Crew

We got a little group of adventurers together to raise funds for two great local charities which are close to home and our hearts - Irabina and Mansfield Autism Statewide Services. Autism still doesn't get the attention, understanding and funding it needs so we did something about it. 

4 Mile Spur in the morning

We had six runners who started the race but only three got across the finish line. Yes this is brutal and one of the hardest 100 km events you can find in Australia. That said - you can't fail this event. The outlook of punishing yourself is so daunting that you're already a winner once you give it a try.

Five of us tried the three day event (overnight stops at Lovicks and King Hut) while Bich aimed to hit this in one go. The event is designed to push you to your limits and brutal cut-off times should infuse some anxiety so you know what autistic children have to face every day. The overall drop out rates seem to confirm that this is working. I had my low points where I was wondering why am I doing this but the reminder was always there on my race bib: Oscar. I am fortunate enough that nobody in my family is struggling with autism, mental health or any other issues but the thought that people appreciate my effort and I can raise money and awareness for some who are less fortunate kept me going.

Enough babbling.

The Course

Now let's get into. The course is very similar to the Buller Huts Trail which is a 7-day hike. Let's chop off 4 days and add a couple of 100m of elevation et voilà you got yourself a Hut 2 Hut course. You can have a look at my strava track here but that won't tell you much so let me break it down. I've marked the evil and gruesome sections in red. When you're on them remember that you can't win the race on these sections - but you can lose it! I'll get back to them in the training section. Although the first two days don't have official cut-off times, the sweepers will still clean you up at their discretion. 

Hut2Hut Course Overview

Day 1 - 37.5 km

• Start to 4 Mile Spur - this is basically the warm up. You're pumped and it's not much of an effort. Go for it. If you can bypass a lot of hikers, chances are you're not getting stuck behind them on the next section.
• 4 Mile Spur - you basically descend the highest elevation change possible in Victoria in one hit 1400m before breakfast which means your knees take a beating right from the start. The Staircase at Bogong is far less brutal >> train going downhill on rugged and steep terrain. 
• Howqua Valley - this is a pleasant single trail along the river. If you can, hit it. This is a prime opportunity to make some good time but leave a lot of energy for what's coming next. If it's a hot day, it is worth considering to put the foot down so you're on 8 Mile Spur before the heat strikes.
• 8 Mile Spur - what goes down, must come up. This is where the first big bulk of participants DNF (Did Not Finish). Avoid my mistake at Refrigerator Gap aid station and don't stuff your face. You still have to get up The Bluff. 
• The Bluff - from Refrigerator Gap you have to climb to the top of The Bluff. If it's a sunny day, you're getting cooked on top of being exhausted. Again don't rush it or you'll DNF. Once you're at the top, it's a fairly easy hike to the Bluff Hut where the Peninsula 4X4 Club will give you a warm welcome. 
• Bluff to Lovicks Hut - now you're on the home-stretch for day one. This is on a 4WD track so it's best to take it slow. Save your energy for the next day. Once you arrive, your camp hosts the Port Phillip 4WD Club will look after you.

Elevation Profile - Hut2Hut vs. Oxfam 2019

Day 2 - 34 km

• Lovicks to AAWT turn off - again you're on a graded 4WD track so go for it.
• AAWT turn off to Vallejo Gantner Hut - this is the easier part of the wilderness area. It's a single trail which can be run at times so you might as well go for it to avoid time in the heat later in the day.
• Cross Cut Saw - the track is rather technical which means it wears you out. Fast. Once you hit Mt Buggery, the terrain eases off a bit but you still have a good climb all the way up to Mt Speculation. After that it's a short ditch down to the aid station at Camp Creek
• Speculation Road - this is the longest flat stretch of the whole course. Unless you're keen to arrive at camp super early, take your time and prepare yourself for the next upcoming challenge.
• Muesli Spur - this is a Schlampe (aka fucking bitch). If you thought 4 Mile Spur was hard, you'll hate this shit. It basically is a rocky path which just goes steeper and steeper and steeper until it's almost vertical. Losing your footing will have dire consequences so play it safe. Once you're past the boulder-field, the hard bit is done and you're on the home-stretch.
• King Basin Road - this is only 1km once you hit the road again. Run into camp, get a hero's welcome from the Yarra Valley 4X4 Club and enjoy the evening among friends at King Hut.

Day 3 - 28.5 km

Now keep in mind that the third day has - unlike the others - rather anxiety infusing cut-off times. You need to be across the finish line by 12 noon which leaves you 7 hours and a lot of participants finish with less than 60 minutes to go. Your average pace needs to be at least 4 km/h including breaks! I'll give you my times and my recommendation what should be the latest time when you should leave the check-points so you're finishing (philipp / recommended latest / cut-off). 

• Climb to Craig's Hut (p: 6:30 / rl: 7:00 / co: 7:30) - this morning starts with a river crossing. Depending how your feet are holding up, you should choose wisely whether you're marching through or better take your shoes off. After that it's JAFC (juste une autre putain de montée). Technically easy and after a good night sleep this shouldn't be too hard ... except that now the clock is ticking!
• Craig's to Geelong Grammar Hut (p:7:20 / rl: 8:00 / co: 8:30) - It's a short stint over a 4WD track however there are a lot of loose rocks. This is definitely ankle-twist territory so be careful. At the same time it's also a good opportunity to make good time.
• Geelong Grammar to Howqua Gap Hut (p: 8:00 / rl: 8:50 / co: 9:00) - the section of the trail is pretty much similar to the previous one except much more downhill. If you can run steeper trails downhill fast, this is your place to shine.
• Howqua Gap Hut to Village Circuit Road* (p: 9:05 / rl: 10:40 / co: ---) - here you're basically bypassing Corn Hill on some old 4WD track and a lot of MTB trails. There's no steepness and you just have to keep a good pace.
• Home Run (p: 10:00 / co: 12:00) - this is the last one to one and a half hour of the event. If you haven't kept yourself hydrated and fed, you'll pay for that now. Once you made it to the summit, you got it in the bag. Now you'll be so stoked that you'll fly off the mountain over the finish line. Take it all in because you deserve it!

*This is not a checkpoint but gives you an indication how you're going for time.

The Training

Personally I don't think there's much of a point about training on the trail. The track markers are superb and you almost can't get lost - unless you master intentional stupidity. However I do recommend to do at least one of the red sections in advance so you get a feeling for the ruggedness of the terrain - especially if you haven't done things like that before. The other thing worth considering is to do day three as a test-run. If you make it in time, it's a good boost in confidence and if you don't, you know you got work to do.
Of course the the area around the Cross Cut Saw and Vallejo Gantner is pretty spectacular. If you can organise a car shuffle or swap, absolutely do it! 

My preferred training pack

In general I did two things: Normal running and hiking with a pack. I don't need to explain how running training works since there are roughly 2.405.215 training plans available on the internet. If you own a Garmin device, you'll find them at connect.garmin.com/modern/training-plan. Pick one ... or just start running. If you didn't run for a while, it sucks. I think it still sucks so get over it.

Hiking is similar - you just have to do it. This is also your only chance to refine the gear you're using with one exception: The pack weight - aim for 17kg to 20kg during training. This way you strengthen all those muscles which support the extra weight. Your race pack will be much lighter and if you've done your heavy pack-hikes, you won't even feel the race pack. I did 15 km to 20 km of hiking every weekend, preferably on hills with the big pack.

Around Melbourne you got a lot of choice for training hikes: Plenty Gorge, Mount Macedon, Mount Riddell, Mount Everard, Wirrawill Loop, Sugerloaf Reservoir and the infamous Mount Juliet. Yes there are a lot of mountains which isn't an accident. 

Only running and hiking is probably not a balanced training therefore you should think about whacking in the occasional, cross fit, bike riding, climbing, horse riding or whatever-else-you-like-session.

The Gear 

Ha! My favourite topic :) You're not taking much - especially if you have a support crew but that little bit will be pricey. The aim is to keep your pack as light as possible. Don't take anything which isn't on the mandatory gear list unless you absolutely need it e.g. personal medication or blister tape. Seriously - don't! The only additional two things I took was an inReach which came in handy once or twice and loo paper - "cheek clenching" is a thing in running. I'll leave it at that.

• Running Wear
  Let's start easy with the stuff you'll be wearing. Everyone got their own little recipe what works and what not. Just make sure you avoid blisters, (nipple) chafing and sunburn. Again the internet is full of wisdom. In doubt go to Bogong Equipment and have a chat to the staff - they're more than happy to take the time and chose what's right for you. This is especially true for shoes. If you want great ones, you're not getting around a proper shoe fitment.
• Mandatory Pack
  The upper limit for your pack should be 6kg dry (=without water). Yes we are absolutely counting grams! I've added a gear list which is linked below. If you're new to trail-running or ultra-light hiking, you probably need to go shopping.  Of course you can go with cheaper gear and a heavier pack however do you really want to wonder whether you would have made it with a lighter pack when the sweeper cleans you up? Only take an ultra-light sleeping bag and mat with you - the real sleeping gear can live in the drop bag. These two things can be cheap because you won't use them. Actually the lightest mat I found was a closed cell foam mat from Kathmandu for $11. After a bit of size-optimising I got it down to 120g.
• Drop Bag
  You need a complete spare set of clothing including shoes. Shit happens and you might want to replace some things before starting the next day. If you have a support crew, load it up. Your real sleeping gear should live here (see previous point) as well as other things like a blister treatment kits, body glide (anti-chafing), puffy jackets and whatever else you want to have at the camp. 

In general your gear should be dialled in weeks before the event, you need to know exactly what and how it works. There's no time for experiments otherwise you're risking a DNF. I did the dumb mistake and trialled new shoes ten days before and I almost had to take an unhealed blister into the event.

Hut 2 Hut Gear List

The Tactics 

There are a couple of things which helped me getting across the finish line. Some are obvious and some are more obscure. 

• Tailwind - this is an energy and electrolyte drink. It looks like coke and is almost as pricey but it works. It got me up Ama Dablam and it definitely helped getting me across the red sections of this event as well. You can buy it at Bogong Equipment. I know there are other products out there people swear by. If you found something which works for you, keep using it ... hopefully it's legal.
• Make a race plan - you're doing this in a team of two therefore you should agree what you're going to do in advance. When your fitness levels are similar this probably isn't an issue  however if there's a bit of a difference, you need to have a chat about it. Keep in mind the rules require you to stick together.
• Have a pre-race checklist - coming Friday morning you don't want to think about whether you forgot something. Things like anti-chafing measures, cut your toe-nails a week before and put your phone on charge on Thursday night, should all be on there.
• GPS watch - personally I found a GPS watch very helpful not only during the event but also leading up to it. It gave me a good idea where I am with my training and of course during the event how am I going. 
• Use poles - it's like vaccinations. Actual scientists say it's great so don't try to outsmart smart people. That has never ended well. Once you got the hang of it you'll never hike without them.

  

  Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc participants with poles

• Short checkpoint stops - this matters on the third day. In and out. You have no time to lose. Get your water refilled. Eat some lollies and off you go.
• Get bed-ready straight away - Once you arrive at camp, get ready for bed immediately. Pitch your tent, make your bed, sort your stuff for the next day and eat. After that you can relax.
• Go to bed early - yes you'll be stoked that you made it this far and you want to tell everyone about it or chat with your crew and fellow runners. There's 4G at Lovicks but that's not an excuse. OFF TO BED!!!
• Read the Handbook - I know nobody ever reads the manual but you can get a lot of questions answered. You'll just avoid the RTFM reply.

The Support Crew

In case you're lucky enough to have some 4WD friends who support you in this endeavour, here are some useful tips for them.

Messy Camp

• When driving watch out for runners on the trail. If you see one coming your way, stop and let them pass.
• Be at the overnight camp early to grab a good spot. You don't want to be too close to the check-point marquee (noisy) and too far from the food and toilets. 
• Don't let yourself get parked in. You might have to leave and collect someone or something.
• Don't rely on the race trackers. They are a bit behind and they drop out if there isn't any phone reception which is the case from the middle of Muesli Spur all the way to Craig's Hut. Maybe your runner carries a UHF radio but an inReach is better.
• Pitch the runner's tent, make their bed and have a camp-chair ready. If you can, collect your runner from the check-point and lead them to your spot.
• When your runners arrive at camp they might be in a bad shape. It's your responsibility to manage them. Get them into fresh and warm clothes, get food and water into them and handle other issues.
• Second camp/night at King Hut: If you have more than one vehicle, you can keep one up at Craig's within phone reception to monitor the runner's progress. You can relay that information down into the camp via UHF because it's a black spot. 

Do the 100km still sound daunting? They aren't if you chop them in smaller pieces. Aim for the next check-point, the next feature and repeat. At the end of the day there will be friends who want you to succeed. At the Bluff Hut you'll meet the Peninsula 4X4 Club, at Lovicks the Port Phillip 4WD Club and at King Hut the Yarra Valley 4X4 Club. This year at least the Yarra Valley 4X4 Club had to turn down members to volunteer >> these guys want to be there and want to look after you. This is definitely something you will appreciate. They're just awesome people!

When do you start training?
Cheers 🍻
Philipp

Pictures from 2019

 

Mountaineering & Climbing Insurance

Disclaimer: I'm neither an insurance broker nor a legal expert. The advice given here might be outdated (I wrote this in January 2019) or simply wrong. You definitely need to read the Product Disclosure Statements, Terms & Conditions and fine print yourself. 

As an Australian resident, travel insurance can be a nightmare when you're heading for an oversea's adventure. Yeah what a bummer - I remember the good old times where I paid 12 EUR via the German Automobile Club (ADAC) and was covered for trips up to 90 days per year with no exclusions! Unfortunately the offers, T&Cs and fine prints seem to change on a weekly basis so you won't find a definite "this is the best" insurance. 

Now let's cover the basics: Which type of trip do we want to insure? We're not talking about gym-climbing or guided trips. This is about self-guided mountaineering and back-country trips.

Where do you need cover?

The location you're heading to makes a huge difference. Europe seems to be simpler. Climbing in Nepal, India and China will trigger elevation limitations as well as expedition restrictions. US and Canada is not impossible to insure although it will be VERY expensive. 

What Do we need to cover?

This is where a lot of people get confused since not all insurances cover all three of these parts:

• Search and Rescue
  This is the first part when shit hits the fan. Somebody needs to get out there and get you off the mountain. Possible costs are charges for helicopters, ambulances and any kind of search.
  
• Medical Expenses
  This is everything once you get into the ER and thereafter. Normally this can get VERY pricey if you're not covered. Think about MRIs, extensive surgery and intensive care. These things can rack up tens of thousands of dollars bills in no time.
  
• Medevac
  Let's hope you don't need this but there's always a possibility that your recovery takes a long time. In this case it could mean you'll need an air ambulance flying you home and unless first class airfares are something you just pay and don't look at, you can't afford an air ambulance.

The good news is that it's not hard to insure SAR and Medevac. The bad news is Medical is not so easy because almost all Australian companies exclude Medical if it is caused by a mountaineering  or back-country accident. In a typical scenario you'll get off the mountain but then your life-savings will be eroded. Yes a standard insurance will refuse your medical claim even if they didn't pay for the search and rescue. Again: Reading the PDS, fine print, Terms and Conditions or however it is called is an absolute must!

One of the standard approaches is to find an Australian insurance company however after a a bit of digging and checking product comparisons, you'll see this is almost useless. A lot of companies exclude the use of ropes and climbing equipment, require it to be a guided tour, need you to stay on established slopes and don't venture into the back-country. E.g. I requested a quote for a three weeks self-guided trip to the European Alps from insurance4less and that came in at $554.47. Ouch! So you can get insurance but it's not cheap ... if you buy local.

My advice: Don't buy local ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sorry dear Australian brokers and insurers but your products are shit. There are a lot of foreign insurers who are less restrictive. Let's have a look at some options I was able to google and I'm sure there are more:

• Global Rescue
  This isn't an insurance per se. It's a membership which covers SAR but they do that very well. Instead of paying others, they actually have boots on the ground in areas like Nepal who organise your rescue. You can take out an additional travel insurance which covers Medical as well.
  
• GEOS
  Similar to Global Rescue they can cover SAR and Medevac. You do need a supported device like a Garmin inReach. You can a lot SAR-bang for your buck but still need to cover your medical. Fun fact: Their definition of expedition is something organised which you aren't doing for fun or leisure.
  
• Alpenverein
  The Austrian Alpine Club has a limited insurance which is already included in the standard membership. It covers 25 kEUR for SAR, 10 kEUR for Medical and unlimited Medevac. If you call yourself a mountaineer, climber or back-country lover, you should be a member. Especially since there is a Melbourne chapter.
  
• Allianz.de
  The German insurer offers a global travel insurance which covers Medical as well as Medevac and is rather indifferent who's taking it.  You can't take the yearly insurance if you're not a German resident, you're limited to one trip of 93 days and things like expeditions are excluded but for 49 EUR this is a sweet deal. Why haven't you heard of this? Because the sing-up form is in German. If you're only going to Europe, you can save two bucks and take up the Incoming Health Insurance which has slightly different T&Cs but they come in English. Careful! SAR is limited to 5000 EUR!
  
• MDT
  Similar to Allianz MDT also offers an Incoming Health Insurance which is valid in the same area (EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland). Again Medical as well as Medevac is covered and SAR is limited to 5000 EUR. The big catch is that everything is in German ... but they're cheaper: A three week family trip set's me back 67 EUR.
  
• HanseMerkur
  Another German insurer which offers Medical and Medevac with limited SAR cost cover (5000 EUR). After reading the T&Cs - which are available in English - I could not find any limitations or exclusions related to climbing or back-country activities. 

I'm very confident if you dig a bit further you'll find more foreign insurances which cover Aussie adventurers especially if you bother to check other EU countries. In any case you should sign up with the Austrian Alpine Club because their club-insurance covers the minor mishaps. 

What about Expeditions?

Most policies I could find explicitly exclude expeditions and peaks above 6000m. However this shouldn't be an excuse to just wing it and head off without insurance while hoping for the best. The German HanseMerkur has no reference to expeditions and that's worth asking if they cover it. The German Allianz indicates in their PDS that they might agree to insure expeditions at most likely a higher premium. Both definitely insure Australian residents. 

See? There are options! At the bare minimum you should now understand the difference between SAR, Medical and Medevac and that the bloody fine-print hides a lot of pitfalls. 

Feel free to have a beer so your head stops spinning 🍻 Cheers

Philipp 

Snow Camping with a Baby

Winterkind

Our recent facebook post (see below) about Emil's first overnight snow hike got a bit more attention than the usual blurbs. Now while it all looked fun and games, taking a baby into a sub-zero environment needs a bit of preparation and you have to meet a couple of prerequisites because enthusiasm and interest are no substitute for knowledge and experience.

• You need to be well experienced with snow camping and by that I mean not just having car camped in the snow some years ago. A mountaineering background would be preferable. Learning the basics of anything while someone else's life depends on you is never a good idea.
• Your baby needs to be 100% healthy. That means not even a cold or other "little things".
• You comfortably co-sleep with your baby (We'll get to that later again).

As much as these little munchkins are entertaining, they are also lacking two fundamental abilities: The capability to properly regulate their body temperature and the ability to articulate what's wrong. An ill prepared summer camping trip might result in a cold wet night while the same thing for a winter trip brings you closer to death or beyond faster than you want - with or without a baby on board. Keep in mind kids are funny little creatures and in the end what worked for us, might not work for you.

Check the Forecast

Example of suitable forecasts

While snow camping and winter adventures can be fun in substandard weather, it's terrible with a baby. Precipitation of any kind is not good so you want perfect conditions. Be especially careful of temperatures slightly above zero degrees. Cold and wet conditions are already extremely challenging for adults and can become fatal for infants very fast. Add a little bit of wind and you'll face a disaster. Most hypothermia deaths happen above and not below zero degrees. 

Crispy and consistent minus degrees mean the air is dry which is easier to handle. Obviously this is a bit hard to find in Australia so avoid getting wet by having no rain at all. And don't run into the trap of just looking at the forecast for the summit. Snow on the mountain is cold rain in the valley.

Find a Suitable Location

Federation Hut

There are plenty of spaces in Australia - or wherever else - to have a snow adventure but if it's your first one with your little star, you need to pick a location where you can get out in case you need to. For example Cleve Cole Hut up on Mt Bogong or McAllister Springs are not a great idea unless you're aiming for a Darwin Award. On the other hand J.B. Plains, Federation Hut or Mt Stirling are all good ideas.
Having a sheltered and not exposed camp-site makes obviously sense as well. A hut with a stove as a backup doesn't hurt either.

Plan Your Hike & Cater for Breaks

You know that everything you do with a child takes longer and hiking is no exception. Plan your trip accordingly including breaks for bubby. In order to get him out of the elements we use a simple bothy-bag which is deployed in seconds. This works for feeds and nappy changes as well. By the way: Keep the wet-wipes warm in your inner pocket. It's good for your ears.
We prefer to carry the little on the front since he's far easier to monitor. Every year you can read horror stories of frost-bitten or dead babies in backpack child carriers so this isn't an option for us. Front-carrying also allows us more payload: Compared to a child carrier on the back, we safe 2-3 kg plus there's more room for bulky loads. Obviously whoever carries the child get's the light-weight gear like the sleeping bags and down-jackets.

Get Appropriate Clothing

This is pretty much key to the happiness of your offspring. Dressing a baby for the snow is not much different to your own wardrobe: Layer up and adjust to the conditions. The saying "cotton kills" is still valid so don't do that and make sure the head is covered since it can make up to 20% of a baby's body surface.

Hiking with an umbrella

 Admittedly it's a bit difficult to source non-cotton clothing (which has normally a red "flammable" tag in it) for little ones in Australia but it's not impossible. When you can get your hands on this stuff buy two or better three of everything since you need spare outfits in case the little one gets wet or you're facing a poonami. 

On a side note don't use chemical or other heat-packs because you're risking severe burns. Even in emergency situations paramedics won't use them on little children let alone babies.

Checking if Specki is still alert, happy and warm enough or too warm is a bit of a challenge and you absolutely need to do this regularly! We use a Garmin Tempe sensor in his sock which displays his peripheral temperature on the GPS watch and avoids unwrapping him. If that's fine, the core temperature is good as well. There are other devices available e.g. the nurofen FeverSmart but think about putting it on the extremities. The human body can sustain frostbite without being hypothermic.  

As with adults the top-layer needs to be water and wind-proof which again is challenging to source. We used a stuff-bag as a vapour barrier for the lower part of the body which worked very well. Of course the old trick of wearing a hard-shell jacket which is two sizes too big above everything, does it as well - just don't forget the feet. If you can't avoid the little drizzle, an umbrella is a great option to keep your precious dry ... as long as it's not windy and there aren't wet plants across the track.

Fine Tune Your Sleep System

Emil likes his sleeping bag

If you don't co-sleep with your baby, bin the whole idea of snow-camping. The baby-mouse needs your body heat overnight to keep toasty. There's also no point in going cheap because this is your fall-back position. If anything goes wrong, you'll pitch the tent and keep the little one warm inside your sleeping system. For one small-sized parent one roomy sleeping bag will do the trick. Our system consists of these components:

• Base Layer - foam mats (Z-lite)
• Mats -  two inflatable down mats (Exped WinterLite) connected with some straps
• Sleeping bag - 0°C comfort rated bag at the bottom connected to a -25°C bag on top (Mont Expedition 8000 Std)
• Tent - proper 4-season tent (Mont Epoch)

I know this isn't exactly cheap gear but it kept the three of us toasty warm at -8°C. You really need to get this right since you can't check on bubby all night. Again the little one still needs to be rugged up and wear a hat, hoodie or both. 

Please be aware that co-sleeping, the use of soft bedding (down sleeping bag) as well as wearing hats in bed are not recommended by various health professionals since they are connected to an increased rate of sleep accidents of babies. There is a lot of information available around SUDI which you should know anyway. We deliberately waited with our adventure until he was eight months because age is a factor as well. 

Have a Backup Plan

Having a break

There are so many things which can go wrong with a child which means you need to have a backup plan already in place before you might need it. This is why we chose a location where we could have walked out in any weather. In the car was a spare set of cloths and a sleeping bag. In general going with a group of experienced and trained people is safer than doing it on your own. In our group we had four Alpine SAR members, two medical practitioners as well as other people with substantial mountaineering experience. Emergency communication included mobile phones, satcom, PLBs and radios. You might think that's a bit overkill and we could have trimmed it down a bit but then again why not if we have access to these resources?

Never hesitate to cancel the whole thing and go or stay home. If things don't go to plan, it's safer to call it a day and try another time. 

The margin which allows errors to be corrected without consequences gets pretty slim once you're out with Wursti.

It's Worth It!

I know that "I'm painting the devil onto the wall" and it's not that bad. You might wonder why bother going through all this effort and that's a fair question. For us it already created great memories and hopefully in future one very resilient child which appreciates the great outdoors. That's worth every minute of preparation in our books 😁

Cheers and see you in the mountains!

Emil, Anna & Philipp 

P.S.: In Germany there's a saying that if the first winter after your birth is a strong one, you'll be a winter-child. It looks damn good for Emil 

A Magic Place in France

Have you ever heard of the Chartreuse Mountains? Yeah me neither. Although you really should have! It is literally one of those hidden gems on the planet. If you're into hiking, it's honestly rather difficult to have a bad time in the French Prealps or Alps. Seriously: Everything looks unbelievable cute, people are super-friendly and then of course there's that thing about french pastry, croissants, pain au chocolat, wine, cheese, ... It's fucking civilised!  

Anna jumping the arch

Did I mention that the landscape is also fairly stunning? Ooops sorry but you probably already looked at the picture. This is an arch called "La Tour Percée" and with 32m it's the biggest natural arch in the European Alps. If that's not enough, the sucker is also a double arch. I know it's a bit over the top but this is how it rolls.

Why haven't I heard about this?!?

Good question! Because you can't see that thing neither from the village below nor from the ridge-line above. It is obscured by sitting in a bowl and was vastly unknown until 2005 the local mountaineer Pascal Sombardier made it know to a wider audience while researching unique destinations in the area. Believe it or not but the existence of "The Pierced Tower" has not been recorded before that. Everyone shrugged when Pascal was asking the local mountaineering community about the arch. Although twelve years have passed, La Tour Percée remains widely off the grid and doesn't appear in any major guidebooks. 

Where is it?

Once you know this thing exists, it's actually quite easy to find. You can just park your car in the little village of St Michel and then take a leisurely walk up some forest roads and hiking tracks. The last bit gets a bit sketchy but thanks to modern technology (GPS) even that isn't really a challenge. In all honesty a bit of climbing is involved and although it's only something like a very easy four metre pitch, it's not the greatest idea doing that without a rope. The consequences of falling are most likely fatal: if you miss the ledge, you're adding 30m of "air-time" and the rocks show some signs of holds snapping off.

However if you do make it, you'll be rewarded with stunning and bizarre rock formations. This is hands down one of the best day-hikes I've ever done and it gets right up there with the Routeburn Track in NZ (although that's not a day-hike). Just make sure you're not up there in foul weather otherwise the panorama will be a bit sad.

Now off to France > You'll love it ❤️🇫🇷
Cheers :)
Philipp

Location: Just north of Grenoble
Coordinates: N 45° 22.141' E 005° 54.253'
Accommodation: Camping Martinière
Parking: St Michel

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360 View:

More Pictures: 

Short Climbing Pitch

Abseiling

THIS! IS! BREAKFAST!

Sunny Days

Mont Blanc in the Background

View from the Campsite

The Arch