I’m running this as training for my upcoming expedition to the Zanskar valley. I will prioritise spots to people coming on the Zanskar trip, but there should be room for other club members to join too! :D
We'll be "ralking" to the very romantic Valentine hut over a single day :D . We will run all the flat and gently downwards sloping sections and walk all the uphill and steep downward sections : basically run all the easy parts and walk the hard parts.
Total length of the route will be approx 35 kms, with more than 1000m elevation gain. I plan on completing this route in under 10 hours (I'm hoping maybe we can try to even do it within 8 or 9 hours :D)
In order to come on this trip, you need to have prior experience in covering long distances on day trips, either through bushwalking or running. 35 kms is quite long and it's not going to be easy! To come, you must have done something of a similar difficulty to this before. You don't need to be super duper fit or fast but the ability to consistently keep going for several hours, and to endure some pain is necessary here.
I will cancel the trip if bushfires flare up in the region, if air quality in the region is at a hazardous level, or if the weather is very hot/dry. Be prepared for the trip to get cancelled if conditions aren't good!!!
This is going to be a long day trip. I imagine that we will be quite tired on the way back, so it would be desirable for some people to come along who can take over from the main drivers if they feel exhausted. If we don't have people that can take over driving, I would suggest that we drive up to Kozi on saturday afternoon and car camp nearby, possibly at Island Bend campground, which is a 10 minute drive from the trailhead at Guthega power station.
When you sign up, please let me know:
- your experience level in bushwalking/running
- if you have a car and can drive or if you don’t have a car but can drive
-if you have a park pass
Click here to see the route we will be taking.
There will be no pre trip meeting; everything will be organised via email or fb messenger.
Leave Canberra at 4:30 am on Sunday morning. Drive to Guthega power station: 2hrs and 45 mins driving, with a quick 15 minute coffee/toilet break somewhere along the drive. Begin ralking to Valentine hut (we will begin walking by 8:30am at the latest. We will have a quick lunch at valentine's hut and possibly go for a quick dip in Valentine creek if we have the time. Then we will ralk all the way back to the cars and drive back to Canberra. The intention is to finish in UNDER 10 HOURS. If we do not reach valentine's hut by 1:30 pm, we will turn around wherever we are. Safety first!! We will not push on and put ourselves in danger if we end up being slower than expected :)