30/08/1984 – 2/09/1984 Guthega Power Station – Valentine Hut – Grey Mare Hut – Strumbo Hill – Valentine Falls
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo country
Distance: 73km Total Ascent: 3080m Total Descent: 3080m
Participants: Greg Christlo, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report)
Day 1: Thursday 30/08/1984 Guthega Power Station – Valentine Hut
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 1807 m
Total climbing: 686 m
Total descent: -1021 m
Average speed: nan km/h
Having just come out from a five day trip around Whites River hut I camped overnight at Island Bend waiting for my next ski buddy to arrive. Greg rolled in to camp at 10:45pm and after a half hour chat we drifted off to sleep. Slept well without last night’s constant dripping and visits by the “mouse” so were up and busy by 8:30am. A beautiful calm fine day greeted us. To make the most of it I hung out some wet and damp gear for drying. By the time we had had breakfast, organised our food into bags and packed completely it was almost 11:00am. Incredibly, we were both fully occupied for all of this time, it just goes to show how much time goes into organising these trips.
We left Guthega Power Station at 11:30am and 90 minutes later we were at Disappointment Spur hut. The road up was in very ordinary condition with icy patches amongst soft stuff and not much grip on offer forcing us to work pretty hard uphill and ensuring lots of sweating despite skiing in shorts and T-shirt. Hopefully there was enough sunscreen on and the thin socks – plastic bag – woollen explorer socks seemed to keep the blisters at bay although some rubbing was felt.
We passed two girls who were off to Valentine. We passed Whites River Hut at 2:30pm before resting at Schlink Hut. Here we were especially thirsty due to the heat of the day. Drinking heaps of Schlink water. A little later, just before we left, a party of three rolled in telling us how members of their group were coming down with a one day “digestive upset” they blamed on the water at Schlink.
Greg heading to Grey Mare
Things started to freeze in the afternoon. We ended up with a solid, crusty base topped with all the powder from earlier in the week. Skiing conditions were very difficult all day, with most downhill runs very slow in wet tracks, until Duck Creek where it was in the shade and much faster. We found the three guy I’d met yesterday in Valentine Hut. Pitched the tent about 100m away just on sunset at 5:30pm. The end of six hours of solid skiing with heavy access. Greg had tired on the climb up the saddle heading over into Duck Creek but after a few days out already I was feeling pretty fit and ready for more.
Greg provided an interesting dinner of satay squid with hot tangy source and macaroni. Had a couple of hot drinks to rehydrate and wash it all down. Our targeted stop of Grey Mare proved elusive due to difficult snow, tiring skiers and loss of daylight. Hopefully we will get there tomorrow. The weather has been superb all day but we are expecting a cold night perched high on Valentine Hill.
Day 2: Friday 31/08/1984 Valentine Hut – Grey Mare Hut
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 1759 m
Total climbing: 292 m
Total descent: -340 m
Average speed: nan km/h
Awoke to somewhat less sunshine than anticipated and to the observation that our “carefully selected” campsite proved a little less desirable than anticipated.
I must have got up out of the wrong side of the sleeping bag this morning misplacing lots of things. As we had finished packing and were “ready” to leave I couldn’t even find my own sunglasses. After completing unpacking, these were eventually found under my sleeping bag at the bottom of my pack!
It took about 3 1/2 hours to Grey Mare Hut via the road marked on the map and several upstream excursions to void wet feet. The snow was icy in the morning but softening and becoming wet in the afternoon. I also managed to break another cleat on my boot.
Grey Mare Hut 31/8/1984
I began to feet very nauseous just after the last creek crossing, ready to spew after being very sluggish most of the day.
Spent most of the afternoon lying around feeling too sick to do anything. Went for two short skis just below the hut but tired very quickly on uphill returns. In my sleeping bag in the tent by 3:00pm after virtually lying around on the thermarest on the snow. Felt a little better in the evening, even had two glasses of orange juice (Tang). The only food I stomached all day was the morning porridge and some scrooge at 10:00am. Yes, the water around Schlink should not be consumed!
Day 3: Saturday 1/09/1984 Grey Mare Hut – Strumbo Hill – Valentine Falls return
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 1817 m
Total climbing: 856 m
Total descent: -858 m
Average speed: nan km/h
Awoke around 7:00am and straight up, too many hours in bed perhaps. Had porridge but suffered from a headache until mid afternoon.
Very hard crust on the snow, almost skating stuff. Headed off on a morning trip with Greg and Ken Harris whom we met at Grey Mare. We got as far as Strumbo Hill, which provided excellent views of Jagungal and the Main Range. The snow starting to soften on the return leg of our 13km trip. Rain arrived along with a front, causing some concern on the way back from the morning trip.
Jagungal from Grey Mare Range ~31/8/1984
Lunched on cheese, tomato, alfalfa and strassburg sandwiches back at the hut where two Victorians rolled in and joined us. This shamed us into action, so we headed up behind the hut to the first ridge-line for a look. It was now raining steadily, with very wet and heavy snow – yuk, so back to the hut.
Come 4:20pm we left for an excursion down to Valentine Falls and return to see the sunset. Our very hurried return was in vain as the sunset was uneventful.
Dinner was based around smoked Frankfurt and vegetables with apple, pear and custard for dessert.
Pulled the tent down in record time in the early afternoon as the rain started. Spent the night in Grey Mare hut.
Ken was interesting to talk to, if not very sunburnt. His cheap sunscreen just didn’t work and with a plastic bag on his feet he tagged along with us for the day. He was out on his first ski trip for four weeks, by himself, making the most of his long service leave.
The hut’s toilet pit is the deepest I have ever seen, plunging about 10m down an old mineshaft.
Day 4: Sunday 2/09/1984 Grey Mare Hut – Guthega Power Station
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 1808 m
Total climbing: 842 m
Total descent: -1152 m
Average speed: nan km/h
Awoke 7:30am for porridge, fried strassburg on bread with cheese and tomato. Left Grey Mare hut at 10:00am heading down the valley to cross the Geehi River just above the Valentine Creek junction on my “carefully” selected “stepping-stones”. This was OK until about half way across when I decided to throw my stocks to the next bunch of rocks so I could grab them by hand. With skis sticking out of the backpack and all for the big leap. The Geehi River had other ideas, the stocks were washed away, horror!
Ken managed to grab one while the other went drifting off downstream. I found it wedged against a rock on the other side of the river about 150m downstream. So it was back up to the crossing, down again to recover the stock, very lucky. The climb up the hill was pretty steep but OK. It was pleasantly cool and overcast until we reached the top of the hill before Valentine Hut. Down into Valentine Creek (almost not able to see the cornice by this stage) and up Duck Creek in steadily worsening weather with blowing sleet and visibility down to 10m at times.
Greg complained that the sky was clear when he went to the bog and raining when he came out.
The snow was slow and wet but Greg’s Silver wax seemed to help, with me lagging behind most of the way back to Schlink. Lunched there on Lebanese bread again and had some tea with heaps of sugar. The weather had by now really closed in. The other six people there were all heading out as well. Managed to ski all of the way down the road with a single fall, which must be a first. It just shows what slow wet snow can do for you! Back at the Power Station at 4:30pm.
Parted company with Greg after a quick milkshake in Jindabyne.
Arrived at Bombala at 7:10pm with an urgent message to ring Mum before dinner. God no! Horror! Whats wrong? Can’t stand that feeling of imminent bad news. Turns out Chris and Joanne have decided to get married on 10th December and no later, because they know that Peter and I have a trip to Nepal planned just a little later.
The plan was a couple days visiting Grandma before heading up to Club Lake via the lift at Thredbo. After heading towards Cooma on Wednesday after lunch, with heavy cold rain falling and getting heavier and 5cm snow alongside road. Some questions at the Cooma Visitors Centre and the realisation I probably wouldn’t make the last ride up at 4:30pm I ended up driving straight home arriving just before 7:00pm.
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