2nd Annual CTC Round Mt Somers Challange 7th Febuary 2010

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No.85

2nd Annual CTC Round Mt Somers Challange 7th Febuary 2010

 

 

Well today I made another attempt to do the CTC Round The Mountain Challange. This Involves doing the trip above, which is usially done in two days, in one day at the fastest pace you can manage. 25KM distance and almost 2000M accumlated hight gain. Last year I bailed out at Woolshed Hut and after doing the whole thing in a day last October, in about 8 1/2 hours , I decided to give it another go this year. There was no way I was gonna win, as some of the people tramping this are just soooo fit and sooo fast, I didn't have a hope in hell of competing with them, but the organiser said she had done it in 7 hours, so that was my target.

There are two races held, one being for those mad enough to run it and then the trampers who must carry some nominal tramping gear. This year the first runner was home in just under 4 hours and the first tramper was home in just under 5 hours. These times were faster than last year, especially the tramping times.

So off I went with a group of 11 trampers, from Sharplin Falls carpark and was soon left in the dust of  the 6 fastest guys and girls. I was also getting well ahead of the rest of the group and so I spent the entire day tramping alone as I was too slow for the elite and too fast for the others. I got to Pinnacles Hut in 1 hour 24 minutes, my fastest time yet. Fortunatly it wasn't as hot as last year, so that made it a bit easier. My time from Pinnacles to Woolshed hut was also 1 hour 24, including break time at Pinnacles. So getting to Woolshed hut in 2 hours 48 was ahead of schedule. A short lunch of about 12 minutes was had at Woolshed and then off for the big climb up to the bus stop and around to the south face, my next target being the Ackland Shelter. As I neared the shelter I realised I was still going very well and decided to see if I could get to the shelter in 2 hours, although I wasn't too sure how far ahead it was. I got to the Ackland Shelter in 2 hours and 5 minutes, much in need of food and drink. I spent 10 minutes here and looked at the map to see how far was still to go and it was still a way to go and I was now 5 hours 15 into the trip. The last strech included a long climb up a bush covered saddle and onto Stavely hill, which I did in about 30 minutes. On Stavley hill is the sign post at the track intersection where it goes up to Mt Somers, I reached this at the 6 hour mark and wanted to be back at the carpark within 1 hour, the sign suggested 2 1/2 hours, If I did it in half this time I wouldn't make it in 7 hours. It's a long spur going down from Stavely hill and by the end of it I hated it, but I was going full out now ,running on adrenelin, and once I hit the bush with still 30 minutes to go I started to beleive I could make it. Head down, watching where I was putting my feet, I failed to notice the watcher ahead of me on the track and nearly shit meself when she called out to me, I knew then I was almost there and I came bursting into the carpark in an official time of 6 hours and  46 minutes. I did It, sore feet, aching legs, jock rash, nipple rash, and another one behind the sholder from my pack, but I did it.