12/10/1984 – 14/10/1984 Charlotte Pass – Carruthers Peak return
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo country
Distance: 28km Total Ascent: 1570m Total Descent: 1570m
Participants: Debbie Christlo, Greg Christlo, Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Peter Davies, Gillian Ible, Wayne Ible
Friday 12/10/1984
Swung by Wayne Ible’s place in Gerringong which we left about 4:00pm to drive over Berry Mountain and through Kangaroo Valley to Goulburn. Picked Peter up from Canberra.
Packed the largest variety of homemade treats ever – peanut butter yum balls, rum balls, muesli slice, pecan cookies and multigrain scroggin. We picked up ski gear for Ible’s in Cooma before arriving at Island Bend and putting my tent up since it was a bit breezy and I hadn’t put Peter’s up before. Very comfy with Wayne, Gillian and I in.
Day 1: Saturday 13/10/1984 Charlotte Pass – Mount Clarke Cirque – Carruthers Peak
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 2131 m
Total climbing: 717 m
Total descent: -716 m
Average speed: nan km/h
Gillian was very apprehensive as to what she was getting herself in for. Greg and Debbie arrived about 2:00am. We were away from camp in excellent weather at 8:30am.
We abandoned an earlier conceived idea for a morning of down-hilling at Charlotte Pass instead skiing up along the road until almost opposite Mount Clarke, then across a large snow bridge and onto the campsite below Mount Clarke Cirque. After an early lunch was taken we were out to pound the slopes in good spring weather but with a little gusty wind around. Gillian was feeling off all afternoon with a headache, so she crawled up in the tent. Did two small runs down Mount Clarke Cirque’s rear wall. Then to the top of Carruthers Peak checking out the run down into Club Lake (which was still completely frozen over). By now it was late afternoon with the snow getting variable and crust beginning to form, so we just enjoyed the run down the eastern ridge to tent, arriving at 5:45pm.
Greg & Stephen 13/10/1984
Dinner consisted of pork cord-en-bleu with sweet and sour vegetables (10/10). 600mL green ginger wine, Gillian feeling better by dinner time.
Day 2: Sunday 14/10/1984 Mount Clarke – Carruthers Peak – Charlotte Pass
This route was reconstructed from memory using Google Earth Pro and GPS Visualizer.
Max elevation: 2132 m
Total climbing: 850 m
Total descent: -854 m
Average speed: nan km/h
We were up early at 8:30am and out onto the slopes in sunshine and calm conditions. Three runs down Mount Clarke Cirque before returning the top of Carruthers Peak where it was very gusty and windy. Made a successful run down to the lake (only a couple of minor spills) with Gill, Ibs and Debbie watching and taking pictures from below. Left one excellent set of tracks top to bottom which made the whole trip very worthwhile.
Lunched, packed and away by 2:00pm. Crossed the snow bridge we used on the way in which by now had really sagged with the Snowy River flowing underneath.
Snowy River crossing 14/10/1984
To car by 4:00pm and home to Dapto at 11:30pm after detouring via Kangaroo Valley and Gerringong. Unpacked, showered and in bed by 1:00am.
Both Wayne and Gillian were very surprised at how comfortable the experience was. Wayne even managed a couple basic telemarks and Gill was a lot more confident on her skis by Sunday afternoon.
Calculated angle of Club Lake run from map as 37 degrees.
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