The Tramping Report

Avalanche Peak Challenge 2006

The marshals were roused at 5.30 for the 2006 Avalanche Peak Challenge. Dave Watson was straight into his usual high energy mode, and it was infectious.

We'd all spent the night in the Arthurs Pass Outdoor Education Centre. It was the perfect place for us as it's right in the centre of the village and almost next door to the start line and helicopter pad.

The weather looked set for a sparkling day.

I was scheduled to fly early this year so was all packed ready to go while the runners were still snoozing.

After a flight of only a few minutes the helicopter hovered on the ridge right at the top of the Crow Slide to set us down.

There was only a slight breeze and the bright sunshine made it far warmer than in the valley nearly 1000m below.

I'd been assigned, with Sam, to the 'mid slide' position. Mid slide refers to a point part way down the Crow Slide.

When we heard the tramper contestants were on their way we headed down and ensconced ourselves behind the protection of a rock outcrop.

It took only an hour and twenty minutes from the start line for the first of the male trampers to reach us.

It did seem anticlimactic watching the solitary figure of Peter Dickson, quietly absorbed in picking his way down the scree. No fanfare or cheering crowds were there to witness the occasion.

He did have a good lead on the next competitor so no doubt he was enjoying the moment for himself.

The first female tramper down the scree was hot on the heals of the first two or three guys, all of them a lot more heavily built.

Our vantage point was perfect for seeing people's different styles in dealing with the treacherous footing on the loose scree slope.

Of course these front runners (I mean trampers) were doing it really well.

The male runners start time was two hours after the trampers. When they arrived on the scree they brought a different and obviously more competitive approach.

But the coordination, balance  and commitment on many was superb, and they flew down at an impressive rate.

The last people down the scree were a few slower trampers. That's different from last year when as 'tail end Charlie' I followed two runners down.

Once the competitors have all passed through generally the marshals follow on behind and walk on out to the finish line at the Bealey Hotel. However I thought I'd solve problems with my transport by walking 'backwards' over Avalanche Peak and back down to the village. Pat McIntosh was going out that way too so it was good to have some company for the walk.

I did make sure I took time to enjoy the spectacular, if familiar, views as I went.

At the Bealey Hotel it was 7.00 pm before the last of the trampers, and 'tail end Charlie' arrived. And like last year it was good to see race director Chris Cox there to welcome them.

It was a great day and an excellent event to be a part of. I'd recommend it.

Avalanche Peak Challenge 2005

It was before 6.00 am when the first marshals were up in Kennedy Lodge and the CTC hut. Stars twinkled in a clear sky. The full course was definitely on for the 2005 Avalanche Peak Challenge!

The Arthurs Pass village cranked into life for its busiest day of the year. It must be one of Dave "Wattie" Watson's busiest days too. He was to spend most of the day riding shotgun in a helicoptor supervising all of the day's logistics from the air.

Most of the 40-odd marshals, the drink stations and emergency equipment were flown in.

Honora was one of the early ones away. She was off to spend the day at mid-slide - one of the most scary sections for those new to the mountain.

Two and three at a time the marshals disappeared into the sky, til it was just me loading the drink containers into nets for their flight.

At the start line the trampers and runners filed through the gear checker's tent, to sign in, have their numbers issued and their required gear examined.

Bryce Curran was a familiar face in the crowd.

I'm a tramper, not a runner, and of course most of the contestants were runners. So I didn't know many there.

Bryce was more a tramper too but he'd taken up the challenge to run it with a group of his friends.

(Bryce finished the 26 km, 1100 m climb & descent, in 4 hrs 40)

But anyway, I was glad to spot someone I knew. I was keen enough to help support the run this year, but it made it even better knowing at least some of the people facing up to the challenge of it.

They're off!!

And so was I.

My job was 'tail-end-charlie'. Immediately the last runners were gone, I set off after them carrying the complete list of starters. I had to sweep through, clearing each of the six blocks. At each check point, I'd ensure all the recorded numbers that had passed matched the list of 300-odd that had set off.

Each check point missed one or two numbers, and these were sorted by radioing other checkers on the mountain.

As it turned out, only three contestants actually pulled out. And they were before getting beyond the first check point at bush-line.

For me, it was a tough old grind getting up the steep 500 m climb to bush-line. I was carrying a 15 kg pack and the temperature was rising. But Linda had a really cheerful bunch with her and I dallied 10 minutes there before carrying on.

The next 600 m climb to the summit was not quite as steep, but certainly didn't feel any easier. I paused for 5 minutes at low-peak for drinks before tackling the rocky ridge to the top. Radio messages from the summit had been sounding a bit impatient for my arrival. So was I, as I was needing food (2 hrs exactly from starting up). But it wasn't as comfortable a place to pause as bush-line, so I only wolfed down some tuna, and as soon as Gareth (Rappers) had checked the numbers I was off again.

Round on back-ridge Richard Wills and Ian Dephoff were guarding the deadly wrong slide. And just a bit further on I caught up with the the last of the runners. They were having problems with the slippery footing and travelling a bit off their pace. The view is astounding here so it's a shame they weren't able to lift their eyes from their foot placements.

There was a big team at top-of-slide. But no doubt, if they'd had problems down below, they would've had plenty to occupy them. Kerry checked off the numbers here and I bounded on down.

Half way down Steve and Honora emerged from behind their sheltering boulder at mid-slide. This is definitely a hard hat area. A short time later Dr Pat loosened a large rock that had Richard running sideways on the scree two hundred metres below.

Down in the Crow, Deidre and Sandi checked off their numbers while our last runner jogged off. This check point had the biggest group of first responder and pre-evac medics of the whole course. And that made a lot of sense when you thought about the numbers going down the slide in such a short time and, with many, their competitiveness pushing them beyond their normal boundaries of control.

I'd thought from here I would have a good brisk walk out, with my growing retinue of marshals. But before long we caught up with a slow travelling group from the trampers section.

We tailed the six people from 2 separate groups to the finish line at the Bealey Hotel. Wattie asked me by radio if they wanted lifting out by helicopter. But no way!

I had to admire their stoic determination to keep going for the finish. Three of them had never been in country as rough as that before.

The plastic tape guiding us out of the riverbed to the Bealey Hotel was fluttering forlornly, with no-one about. But up the hill at the finish line Chris Cox, the race organiser, was waiting there to greet and congratulate them. That was a nice touch.

Us marshals got a free dinner and drink for our long day. That was a nice touch too!

I've got to admit I felt like I'd done something. After all I had tramped 26 km, climbing 1100 metres, with a 15 kg pack in 8 hrs.

But I was glad to help out with the Avalanche Peak Challenge this year, especially after all the unpleasantness from those in the CTC who tried to torpedo it last year.