Nigel Christmas
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Maps & Equipment Food Reflections & Planning
Maps:
I carried the following only as they were required. Naturally you leave them with the food drops as dictated. You could save some carrying weight by photo reducing the majority of them and re-printing them. I chose not to go with this method and I am glad I didn’t. Many areas you find you are referencing the map for all of the additional information they convey apart from the line the track takes i.e. topographic line, streams, point of interest and eastings and northings, coordinate system (maps are mix of MGA and ISG). I would have had great trouble finding water a few times without the information the maps convey. I find enjoyment looking at maps and each evening before going to sleep I would study over the following days maps.
I carried an old Garmin GPS for reference and I used it a few times for confirmation more than anything. I highly recommend carrying one as it allows you to re-fix your position on the maps in case you have a few stuff ups and become ‘lost’. It is a lot less stressful when you can just pull it out of the pack and turn it on rather than trying to back track to the last known good point. A lot of the track in Victoria basically has no track so you are also a lot more secure bashing across country especially when the last marker you saw was a long time ago (very common). The other very important aspect is to read up on and understand the new Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA 1994) coordinate system and the differences between the old ISG system. The map set I carried had a mix of both and the GPS was old and only capable of being set on ISG. The main difference between MGA and ISG datums is around 205m. So if you ignore the datum the GPS could give you a reading that might be 200m out on the map you are looking at and this could create a lot of confusion especially if you are looking at it to figure where you went wrong. Basically the conversion from ISG to MGA shifts 205m NNE; to convert ISG add 113m to the easting and 180m to the northing.
I also spend a lot of time going through the maps and placing a series of dots upon them in red permanent marker to define the tracks path. I also wrote the previous and next map upon them and numbered each map sequentially. In the AAWT guide book I also marked the maps in it to show where the topographic maps associated to it start and finish. This took a long time but was worth the effort and reduces confusion during the walk.
1
2 Mt Gregory 25k, VicMap1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
3 Mt Easton 25k, VicMap
4 Connors Plain 25k, VicMap
5 Skene South 25k, VicMap
6 Skene North 25k, VicMap
7 Tamboritha-Moroka 50k, VicMap 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
8 Howitt-Selwyn 50k, VicMap
8a Dargo Plains-Cobungra 50k, VicMap 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
9 Bogong Alpine Area Outdoor Leisure Map 50k, VicMap
10 Benambra-Leinster 50k Vicmap
11 Dart Gibbo 50k, 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
12 Suggan Buggan 50k, Dept of Lands
13 Thredbo 50k, LPI (old 1st edition map)
14
15 Khancoban 50k, LPI (old 1st edition map)
16 Old Adaminaby 25k, LPI
17
18 Cabramurra 25k, CMA (old 1st edition map)
18a Ravine 25k, LPI 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
19 Tantangara 25k, LPI
20 Rules Point 25k,
20a Pepercorn 25k LPI 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest. Reference for Blue Waterholes area only.
21 Rendezvous Creek 25k, LPI
22 Corin Dam 25k, LPI
23 Williamsdale 25k, LPI 1:1 Colour A3 of section of interest.
Clothes:
Boots: Scarpa Trek Pro. Break these in and wear full time for 1 month before the walk. Have some treatment at Mt Hotham and Thredbo for leather shoes to prevent drying and cracking.
Socks: 3 pairs of walking socks and a pair of explorers for camp only use.
Knee high pantyhose: a few pairs and extra in food drops. These are worn full time under socks and prevent blisters extremely well.
Pants: Zip off long pants lightweight quick drying. One pair only.
Underwear: two pairs Ex-Officio quick dry. These don’t get wet against the skin and stop chaffing.
Shirts: Helly Hanson; one short sleeved and one long sleeved. Probably could have left the long sleeved one at home. You can wash these and put straight back on. No chaffing etc at all from back pack.
Thermals: one long sleeved top and one long legs bottom.
Jumper: One
Waterproof overpants: one set. Probably could have left at home but if had encountered prolonged bad weather may have needed.
Beanie: good quality snow suitable one.
Hat:
Gloves
Goretex
Jacket:
Gaiters: Essential as amount of scrub bashing is very high. Pants and legs would be destroyed without them and boots full of foreign objects/dirt. Recommend breathable ones.
Gear:
Backpack: Macpac Torre
Tent: Macpac Minaret 4 season due to warmth and likelihood of snow dumps. I used a plastic footprint under it.
Sleeping bag: at least -5 rated. I would use a better bag if doing it again as it was to marginal i.e sleeping with thermals, beany etc on and jacket over legs is not fun.
Sleeping mat: Full length therma rest 3cm. Don’t skimp and use the short ones as it gets bloody cold at high elevations. Also a therma rest is physically smaller than a solid blue foam matt. Worth the weight for a good sleep.
Camera: IXUS 50 1mb card and a spare battery. Carried this in my pocket the whole way as you are more likely to take photos if you don’t have to put he pack down.
Stove: MSR dragonfly. Ran it on shellite only as no smell to ruin food and far easier to light than kerosene. Simmer function is important.
Saucepans: MSR titanium set.
Knife/fork/spoon.
Sandals: For around camp and water crossings. Make sure they have straps of some sort so they don’t float away downstream.
Small piece plastic: to sit on during lunch etc when everything is wet. Weighs stuff all; keep in side pocket of pack.
Lighters: x2 in small waterproof vitamin caontainer
Matches: backup
Pack liner
Water filter: MSR MiniWorks. Cleanable in field with no tools.
Water bottles: 2 x Nalgene type. Screw top screws directly onto the water filter.
Cutting board: to cut up lunch. Small section of thin type (1mm) available from supermarket.
Toilet paper: Interlaced rectangular flat packet (like in public toilets). One per person per food drop.
Torch: strap on head type. Don’t get the type with battery at rear of head as it is useless in bed.
Compass: I had this on a rope around the neck for quick reference.
Pens/Pencils
Letherman tool. Fix anything
First aid kit. Added more tape, a sheet of Duoderm (burns and blisters), extra snake bandage etc. Better to have to much than to little in this instance.
Soap: Clothes and yourself
Bags: Drawstring to separate food groups. I split mine into breakfasts, lunch/snacks and dinners. Different colours are also a good idea.
Waterproof map cover
2 litre water bladder and bite valve: The $15 cheapie is fine. Just sit on top of the pack under top flap and feed to side strap so you can drink without stopping. Make sure it has an on/off valve at mouthpiece.
5 litre wine cask bladder: carrying camp/dinner water and also gives ability to make a dry camp on ridges it you so desire.
Aeroguard
EPIRB: don’t even think of not having one, cheap life insurance.
Towel: Sea to summit about the size of a film canister yet works well.
Head net: Sea to summit. Weighs stuff all. I would have become demented without it due to flies in sections. The flies didn’t care about repellant at all.
Lip balm
Toothbrush/paste
Cableties: a few for unforeseen repairs.
Length of cord: clothes line, unforeseen repairs
Liquid skin pressure pack: you get a lot of minor cuts scrapes on the walk.
Duct tape: a few meters wrapped around the liquid skin container.
Spare shoelaces
Needle and thread: thick and strong thread. Yes I did use these.
Spare batteries for torch and GPS. Distribute these through food drops.
AAWT book by John Siseman: Don’t leave home without.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Maps & Equipment Food Reflections & Planning