Intro from Davo

Dave Osmond
Jan 31, 2005
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OK, I'm going nuts too. I thought I would leave it to the participants
to bragg about their achievements, but it seems they're all too modest.

On Thursday last week a group of us finally confirmed that we'd go up to
the Blue Mtns so that Adrian could finally stop bugging us about doing
the 3 peaks epic.

To fill in some detail, the 3 peaks event is approximately a 85km slog
up 3 whopping great big mtns, Mt Cloudmaker, Paralyser and Gouougang,
with something like 4500m-5000m of climbing and descending. The first
and last ~30kms is mostly on firetrails/tracks, while the middle section
is contains the 3 huge mtns and contains some bush bashing and river
crossing through seriously remote country.

The plan was for Ads, Gramps and Baldylocks to attempt to do the
run/walk in something like 24 hours, but number 1 priority was to finish
it (after 2 unsuccessful attempts in the past), leaving Katoomba railway
stn around 11pm.

Emma wanted to do it solo at her own pace, and planned to leave around 2
hours earlier.

Julie Quinn, Peta Jacobs and myself would be support crew, and Julie and
I also wanted to run the first ~36km or so of the 6 foot track to see
what that was like.

Anyway, the short story is that Emma is a complete freak.

Despite getting partly lost/confused for about 90 minutes, due to the
fact she was ahead of schedule and reached a navigationally difficult
section before dawn. Actually I think it was more a case of not being
able to find the best way up one of the peaks, but we'll call it lost to
bring her back down to Buckeyball status. But despite losing those 90
minutes or so, she ended up doing the challenge in 23:40.

She rudely arrived back in Katoomba just as the support crew were
sitting down to dinner, so we made the restaurant staff very nervous,
thinking we were about to do a bolt, as we kept on ducking outside to
wait for her arrival.

Having said that, Ads, Gramps and Baldylocks were also complete legends.
They finally successfully conquered the challenge, with Baldylocks
finishing in about 26 hours and a very tired and sore Ads and Gramps
finishing about 40 minutes later, at about 1:40am.

I think they were too tired to feel happy about their achievement that
night, but they all looked pretty happy with themselves the next day.
They looked pretty rooted too.

Anyway, no doubt their reports will make for interesting reading, but it
was amazing to witness the start and end of these incredible feats. It
made me supremely gratefully I had the courage to turn down their offer
of doing the epic with them.

Davo


Gramps report

Trevor Jacobs
Jan 31, 2005
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Thanks DavO for those preliminaries.

Now let the story unfold of the 29/30th January 2005 attempt at the 3
peaks, from the point of view of Gramps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
After many years of story telling and sustained pleading by Ads, a few
of us finally acceded to the notion... hey we might just do this thing
he's been harping on about. It think it was the addition of Goobs to
our running group that made the difference actually - she made us take a
bit more notice of what Ads was on about as she had done it herself,
some time earlier.

We seriously questioned though Ads insistence of doing it in summer.
Ads reasoning was based about maximising daylight hours to aid
navigation and speed. But surely the heat would tell against that??
Ads thought no, because it was usually cooler up there and navigation in
the daylight was a whole lot better than at night in that territory. Ok
- fair enough - sounds plausible. Maybe we'll try it.

An opportunity arose for the weekend of 29/30th January 2005 where those
most interested all seemed to be available for the heroic attempt -
namely Ads, Baldylocks, Goobs, Whingeburry and myself. It was only a
few days before then that we get an message from Ads "Holy crap, are we
really gunna do this??". I think he was expecting (hoping?) that we'd
all pike. But it was only Whingeburry who piked due to AIS training
commitments and his short race plans, including his debut at the puffy
6" track (only kidding).

We replied to Ads - yep sure let's do it!! So the die was cast - it was
officially a goer!! I must admit though that I was somewhat
apprehensive about the whole deal given the strangely building-up nature
of my previous "epics" with DavO and Ads and a few others. The first
one was an 8 hour mountain bike ride in the Brindabellas through snow -
that was pretty epic in my mind, but really nothing compared with what
was to come. The second was a 100km mountain bike ride through the
Goodradigbee Valley south to Blue Waterholes and back along the
Brindabella Ranges. This one took about 13 hours and was pretty
torturous.

Ads was strangely less noisy now that we were actually going. It was
only later that he admitted to me that he was scared of doing it. If
he'd said that beforehand I don't know what I would have done. Anyway,
that's pure speculation now and consigned to history.

Not having done anything like this before, I tried to convert my work
backpack into a suitable camelback bearing 3 peak bag. It soon became
obvious though that this bag would not be up to the rigours of it, and I
didn't want it spewing forth its contents down the side of a cliff half
way through. So a quick trip to get a comfortable new backpack from PP
was soon completed followed by a quick shopping trip with Ads and Peta,
and we were set to go. Peta had kindly hired a nice Tarago for the
trip.

DavO had kindly volunteered to assist together with Peta and Julie
Quinn, who was concentrating on 6" training (sensible move!!). After
somehow squishing all our gear into the car, off we go Friday afternoon.
Just as well I forgot to bring any sleeping gear for afterwards, as I
don't think there was any room for it anyway. We got to Katoomba about
8om and after a quick dinner Goobs was off at 9am from the official
starting point the Katoomba Railway Station. After a few photos she
moved off with a steady but swift gait. The threesome - Ads, Baldylocks
and myself, planned to go about 12 midnight.

After unsuccessfully trying to get into the caravan park (the office
closed at 8pm, and then an official got a bit aroused by us looking
about and came out to tell us that it was full, and anyway, the computer
had been switched off so that surely meant that we couldn't get in!!
Well, they really wanted our custom didn't they!!). So off we go to
check out Goob's progress and to set up camp on Narrowneck.

It took ages to catch up with Goobs - she was flying!! We came up
behind her running up a fairly big hill, one the we would be walking up
rather than running. We wished her well and once again prepared for our
own departure.

As it turned out, we just couldn't wait until midnight to start, so we
decided to go at 11pm. It was actually about 11.05pm when we actually
started after faffing about a bit too much. I got a shock at the weight
of my bag - I'd never tried to run or even walk with such weight before,
let alone go for so many hours in such mountainous country, so I thought
that this would be interesting. I felt a bit better though when we
compared weights of our respective bags and they were all similar. We'd
agreed to take more stuff rather than less just to be on the safe side.

Our general plan and aim was to try and do it in under 24 hours, and
Goobs was too, apart from being the first solo woman to complete it.

As we passed so easily through the streets at night I couldn't help
wonder what state I'd be in a day or so later coming back the other way,
assuming I'd get that far. Actually I never really doubted that I could
do it - there was only one moment near the end of the whole thing that I
seriously entertained that thought, but the thought arose not for the
sake of me but that of the others for having to put them out so much
waiting about for us at the end. But I was VERY apprehensive though, of
it, especially after taking careful note of some of Ads', Baldy's and
Jules' throw away lines in the car on the way there, like:

"We will be regretting not getting some sleep tonight!!" (Ads)
"Bleats of doubt about ability from up the back??" (Jules)
"We should find a pub, drink beer, then take off when the tennis match
is over" (Ads)
"This is a whole lot harder than any rogaine you've ever done"
(Baldylocks)
"We could catch a movie instead??" (Ads)
"It is insignificant the last bit to the railway line" - this was by far
the most prophetic statement - man was that SO NOT TRUE!!

I won't go into any detail of where we went and how long it took as I
have no idea really, as my aim was to follow blindly, conserve energy
(and my mind) and just get through it. I'd never done anything like
this before and had never been in this area so it was all brand new - I
was just sucking it all in and solely concentrating on survival and
getting through it in one piece. My partners will I'm sure describe
separately our route and its beauty (and potential nastiness) in detail.

I started with 2 layers of tops on, as I thought it would get cold. 10
minutes later I was stripping off, sweating like mad. That's the way it
stayed day and night - hot and dripping, and minimal need for clothing
apart from protection from sunburn.

The drop off Narrowneck down the cliff into the valley using the spikes
was very interesting - but no worries really whilst feeling good despite
the dark. WE agreed it would be much easier coming back up it,
especially if it was still light. But I couldn't help wonder that it
could actually be a very different story from that? Time will tell!!

The rundown into Coxes River was really nice. We heard dogs howling all
over the place, sending shivers up my spine. Nev from work had
described to me the day before how he got bailed up there once by a pack
of dogs and had to throw rocks and yell at them to get away. I was
having ugly thoughts of what Goo might be facing out there on her own -
no match for a pack of hungry dogs? Perish the thought - I made a
mental note to keep my eyes and ears peeled for possible problems, and
was hoping like mad that all would be ok for her.

We'd arranged with Goo to place post-it notes at key points along the
route. It was magic to find these every few hours and work out how she
and we were going. It soon became obvious that she was kicking our butt
big-time pace wise, but we decided to proceed steadily and not race.
She was a seasoned bushy in these parts and knew what to do and what was
ahead.

The first steep bit heading off up Mt Cloudmaker was a real slap in the
face for me!! This was super steep and went on and on!! Good god, hope
that its not all like this!! After ages thankfully it flattened out a
bit and the going got easier. It seemed to take quite a while to work
our way to the top, but we did it and what a relief to sit down and
relax a bit, eat and drink properly, whilst Baldy scribed in the log
book.

Looking out across the ranges, the other mountains looked scary. It was
such a long way back down then up again!! Argh well, let's get stuck
into rather than puff about the place. Mount Paraliser was soon to be
discovered to be aptly named - hands and knees stuff in many places. I
got quite used it actually - just like when I as kid climbing in and out
of creeks etc, only this time it went on for seemingly hours and hours!!
It felt particularly debilitating when your foothold broke and you slid
back down a few metres and then had to try again. It was daytime now
and I had to drink large amounts to sustain these efforts - and it was
so HOT!!

We bagged Mt P after about 12 hours, thinking that well, maybe 24hours
is possible as long as we can sustain the effort. But also thought that
that was unlikely as the 8 hour rogaining rule would probably kick in
here as well - time will tell!!

The spur back off Mt P was a ripper - we were going to veer right early
to try and short cut to Kanangra Creek, but didn't because this ridge
was so sweet. A bit later, looking back up from whence we came, we
suddenly felt blessed that we didn't take that veer right, as it led
straight over a cliff!! Good call.

All the time coming off Mt P we were examining Mt Guouougang - it looked
HUGE. The first climb up from the creek was brutal. I was suffering in
the heat and all fours scrambling again. Baldy seemed to relish the
ups, whereas I relished the downs. By the end none of relished anything
really, except the thought of finishing.

But eventually we got up little Mt G (another mountain whose name
alludes me now) and then looked up Mt G proper - and there was still a
very large climb left!! But we got there, and came out in the thick
thick low scrubby bush. Baldy had a brainwave which paid big dividends
- going west and finding a pretty clear run to the trigg to the north.
We'd heard of others, especially in the dark, taking ages to slog
through this bush. Took in the magic views standing on top of the of
rocks.

We'd given up hope of breaking 24 hours, and thought Goo might not do it
either, as we were going at a similar pace. Goo had lost over an hour
going up Mt C, but incredibly had made it back up since then - man she
was FLYING!! We were simply incredulous as it was so tough out there -
she was a MACHINE!!

Our return trip back to Coxes River was pretty miserable despite being a
long downhill. The steep bits were painful as Ads and I both had
terrible blisters by now. We had wet feet from the first crossing of
Coxes, and it was now telling on us. Baldy seemed to be coping a bit
better.

We'd been having pretty long stops at the trigs and creeks, and the stop
at Kanangra Creek just before Coxes was a long one - drinking heaps and
fuelling up for the long last climb. I'd runout of water half way down
from Mt G, so this re-hydration stop was so sweet.

So, recapping, we'd completed the 4 major drops and 3 of the 4 major
climbs, and I was wrapped with that. I knew we could do it now - no
doubts at all.

We set off on the last major climb. I was up the back barely holding
onto the others. Then I thought - stuff this - this is puffy - I'm
gunna crank it up and see if it gets better. So I did crank it up and
hit the front of the 3 amigo peleton, and blow me down I felt really
good! Now the others were strung out behind me and Ads was muttering
something about not running like this before so why should we now?? But
they did, and it felt like that we were really moving for ages. Great
stuff. But then I had a bit a flat spot again, and they hit the front
and I was almost slipping off the peleton.

But this was great - it really got us back on track again for a while..
But in retrospect I think it prob the cause of a major collapse of Ads
and I in particular soon thereafter. We got back to the spikes at the
base of Narrowneck and I thought - gees - this could be tricky - it was
dark, I was a bit stiff and very tired, and prob a bit uncoordinated
(?). Anyway, we all took it steady and every hold was executed safely
and we finally scrambled over the last few gaps in the rocks to the top.
I had this mighty feeling of elation that we were almost there!!

We sat down and ate and drank. But when we got up Ads and I discivered
to our dismay that ou bodies had switched off!! Ads had a cold
shivering spell, while I had a hot one, and we both couldn't run!! Poo.
DavB was champing at the bit as he was moving like Carlos Lopes compared
to us!! After some mental calcs Ads said the finish was still 3 or more
hours away. Nargh... I just couldn't understand why Ads was saying that
- it can't be. We were so close - it'll only take an hour or two to do
the last bit, surely?? Bur he was right - we were going pathetically
slowly.

It was hilarious though... Ads looked like a prostitute... he was
chaffing so badly that he was trying to run with his legs wide apart,
whilst running on the sides of his feet (looked like he had high heels
on - hence the prostitute image) to try and avoid his blisters, whilst
executing a front wedgy with his shorts to minimise chaffing!! Hahaha
what a site. WE joked about him being the G-string man in the 6" track
and told him to take his shorts off as it was dark and it was late and
there was nobody around anyway!! But he persisted with his charade. So
funny.

I was trying to run a bit walk a bit, but really only felt up to walking
as I was starting to feel a bit crook whilst running - hmmm - that's not
a good sign. But after a while with gentle persuasion from ads I
gradually got going.

Meanwhile Baldy was going easy in comparison in front so we agreed that
he should take off and post a good time (25 hours) and we'll just get in
whenever we can. So off he went and soon disappeared. But a bit after
that I got going a bit better and could run more. I was also motivated
by Ads' thoughts of bailing at the caravan park if not before. We were
thinking that we were too much trouble for our crew to come and collect
us at such a late hour from the railway station, That was when I had my
first real thought of bailing. But I couldn't do it - I said yo Ads -
lets wait til we get to the gate and decide then. So that was agreed.

The faster (snail) pace got us to the gate a bit sooner than expected,
and I started running a bit faster and this soon blew away my thoughts
of not completing it, and I was so relieved to hear Ads agree to finish
it off. So off we went, only 5km to go. Its amazing how far that is
when you are that far gone mentally and physically. But we plodded on
through it, despite a very frustrating delay when we git lost in a
compound of "WCC" - some fenced off community centre - whilst trying to
find the shirt-cut back through the streets. Ads did a nice impression
of a L Hewitt outburst for a while til we sorted it out and got back on
track. Its funny how we got so bamboozled so close to the end!!

Peta and DavO had just collected Baldylocks from the finish, and then
they found us a few km from the end, and nicely drove up ahead showing
us the way and taking some photos. It was great to have their company
and friendly faces there right at the end.

I clearly recalled at this point Ads' prophecy: "It is insignificant the
last bit to the railway line". How wrong wis that!! Gotta laugh
though.

We were coming up the fog bound main street now looking for the clock
hanging over the street signalling the top of the rise and the drop to
the railway station soon thereafter. But before we got there we had a
few people congratulate us as we plodded along - I assume that the
locals see these sort of weird antics late at night (well come to think
of it, anytime of the day for that matter) quite regularly!! Then
somebody off the street joins us and is running with us!! Man they're
sure friendly about here!! But he has another motive - he is asking us
if we've seen a young girl anywhere with certain colour clothes on etc -
unfortunately we tell him no, sorry, we haven't seen her especially
where we've just been!! We run (well.. move past) a taxi driver with
his door open - hoping for business maybe?? - and he gives a long look
but seems to understand what is transpiring.

Then we see the street clock, and soon thereafter we hobble over to the
railway station sign, and WE'VE DONE IT!! How sweet was that!! Simply
an amazing feeling. Good god - YES, YES, YES - WE HAD ACTUALLY
FINISHED!!

We go back to the caravan park - the official seemed to have got his
computer going once again, had also discovered that indeed his caravan
park wasn't actually full, and then thankfully let our crew in!! They'd
made a bed for me in the car and I thankfully drop into it after a nice
long hot shower, shave and tooth cleaning (don't like the sticky teeth
feeling from all the sweat things consumed). The toes and feet were a
ness and hurt in the shower, but it was great to clean up nonetheless.

After about an hour I hear a knocking sound and after a while return to
world to realise where I was etc etc, and see the concerned face of Peta
saying Ads had collapsed on the road and they need the car to go to the
hospital. I'm really concerned by this and spring out of the car to
find Ads flat on his back on the road in his undies!! Scary sight. But
he's fully aware and awake and explains to me that this is simply the
best place he's found so far that would ease a sharp pain in his chest.
I'm still very concerned for him in case it might be something serious,
but actually he seemed pretty ok apart really. So we swap beds - I go
into their tent and they get in the car so they can take off if need be.
A bit later I hear the car start and move off. Hmmm...

We're all very relieved to hear later that he was checked out at the
hospital and the problem was entirely muscular. It must have been from
the weight of the pack and the pounding incurred over the day. I don't
think he fully informed the Doctor of the extent of his exploits the
previous 40 hours.

Next morning we were all up pretty early and ate some of DAvO's lovely
muslie before heading off for a yummy breakfast. After a bit of
sightseeing at Govett's Leap, and bit of bragging by Ads "I've been up
all three sisters!!" proving that he was obviously ok and just attention
seeking (kidding again), we head off back to good 'ol ACT to get ready
for work the next day.

I worked out the splits Sunday night, cos I couldn't wait to do that (it
was just way too interesting) and they are attached. The plot shows how
Goobs pace and ours were roughly similar to Mt G (despite Goobs getting
bushed for over an hour coming up Mt C) and then whereas she maintained
her pace to the end, we collapsed and slowed dramatically.

Goobs has now officially risen well above Bucky-.ball status on the
Puffy Scale by virtue of the fact that she is a proven MACHINE that has
infinite endurance physically and mentally. It was a privilege to have
witnessed her feat first hand and to have a part of it. Her record will
stand for centuries I predict.... those reading this report in years to
come will verify that... you'll look back on this report written long in
the past and will also realise just how privileged we feel to have been
here at the time and seen it happen. So cool.

Today (Monday, after work) I discover my feet are still swollen from the
numerous blisters and the pounding, and that I have blisters in places
never contemplated before - like, would you believe, on the sides of my
nose (bridge) from the jiggling of my glasses!! Now that's weird!! I
remember now DavO slinging off at my fat ankles last night - saying that
he hopes that they don't explode during the night and wake everybody
up!! Not nice DavO, but I guess it is slightly funny.

I think the biggest lesson for me from this "event" is: wear good
runners, ones well worn in with a proven history of not causing
blisters. I wore my rogaining runners in the belief that they would be
well worn in by now after the destruction that they caused in the 24hr
rogaining champs in SA. But nup!! They are still lousy for this sort of
thing and are confirmed recalcitrant blister makers.

Well that's it... another epic down. I don't know if epics come any
bigger that this. I don't think I want one any bigger actually, well,
at least not for a while. I don't know if I'll ever do the 3 peaks
again, but better not judge that too hastily I guess. I heard talk of
tunnel somewhere down under Narrowneck... surely that could be factored
in somehow!! Haha... only kidding.. I know how such things seem to
attract to adventurous types to ride and run through them on the way
somewhere.

Cheers and happy ready everyone.

Grampths


Emma's report

emma.murray@ga.gov.au
Feb 2, 2005
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Ok, finally here is my three peaks report. Its really long cause I want to
be able to read this report when I am an old granny and reminisce about all
the details... so you will have to read through this epic I am afraid.


"A Day in the Mountains"

The Three Peaks

28th-29th January 2005

Here is some background which I nabbed from someone else's story: Over 40
years ago, a group of Sydney University Bushwalkers (SUBW) set and met a
challenge to climb three peaks in the Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness Area of the
southern Blue Mountains, and return to Katoomba in a weekend- 48 hours. The
walk is bursting with tradition, some crazy folks not content with the
traditional 48 hour allowance, instead attempting to run it in record times.
The walk starts and finishes at Katoomba Railway Station and is 82km long
with over 4000m of climb and 4000m of descent over very rough country. The
three peaks, Cloudmaker (1164m), Paralyser (1155m) and Guouogang (1291m) are
separated by the Whalania and Kanangra Ck systems- both around 300m above sea
level, and to get out and back from the three peaks involves a decent into
and out of the Cox's river valley.

Four punters started their attempt of the 3 Peaks on the 28th January. They
were Adrian Sheppard, Trevor Jacobs and David Baldwin, who were doing it
together and also myself, who was doing it solo. We all wanted to do it as
fast as we could only taking daypacks and planning not to stop much. I
started at 9pm and the three guys started at 11pm. I was glad they started
behind me as they were kinda like a safety net as long as I didn't let them
pass me and having them out there too was certainly a great morale booster.
DavO, Julie, and Peta came along too and did their own thing in the Blue Mtns
while we were out doing the three peaks. They saw us leave and return from
the railway station and were generally the best sort of people you'd want to
come back to after a three peaks. Thanks guys you are the greatest.

Most people would think it takes a lot of guts to attempt the three peaks -
but to tell you the truth, I didn't feel at all gutsy in the car on the way
to Katoomba, I felt decidedly fearful of what lay ahead. I knew I was up for
a huge challenge because I had done the 3 peaks before. I did it in 2001
with Scott Morrison. However, this was a relatively relaxed affair compared
to what I wanted to do this time. Scott and I took 44 hours and 30min to
complete the traverse, which included an 8 hour sleep. This time I was going
to do it on my own and as fast as I could - I was hoping for under 30 hours
but wasn't really sure if I could achieve that, I wasn't really sure what was
possible.

I left work early on Friday afternoon telling everyone I was "off for a
bushwalk in the Blue Mountains" not really wanting to explain what I was
actually doing. I arrived at DavO's place to find everyone trying to fit all
their gear into the little bus we had hired. It looked like a repeat of our
drive to the Australian Rogaining Champs in the Flinders Rangers but this bus
didn't have windows you could climb in and out of so we rationalised one of
the house-sized tents and all the water jerrys so we could actually sit in
the bus with all the stuff, which was probably mostly food for Adrian. I
don't think there was a time the whole weekend where he didn't have a
bread-based product in his mouth.

My banter in the car on the way to Katoomba was all over the shop. I wasn't
really following what people were saying, I would just look at them and nod
while my mind thought and worried and pondered about huge mountains, wild
dogs and pigs, walking/running and navigating in the dark all on my own and
those impossibly steep slopes that go on for hours and hours. I was somewhat
comforted listening to Julie talk about all her upcoming events. Over the
next few months she will be doing all these huge long events almost back to
back. Perhaps what I was attempting wasn't all that crazy after all, but
perhaps I was sitting in a car full of crazy people. I chose to believe the
former.

We arrived in Katoomba and found a nice Thai restaurant to have dinner in.
It felt weird having such a civilised sit down meal. It was such a contrast
to the next 24 hours of sweat, grunt and the odd swear word. I couldn't
really enjoy the meal with all these scary thoughts in my head. Could this
be my last supper? Then it was time for me to go. We walked up the hill to
the Katoomba Railway Station, which is at the top of the main street. I
walked with Gramps cause he always gives good encouragement and comfort. I
had to tell him the news that I wasn't able to bring an EPIRB because Dan had
taken it with him to Western Australia for fieldwork. He had also taken our
GPS. Our pink sticky note plan was now our only safety strategy, along with
mobiles if there was any reception out there.

I started at 9pm after some happy snaps in front of the railway station sign.
I ran past small groups of people wandering along the street and having
dinner in cafes and restaurants with open air shopfronts. They were all
having a nice social Friday night of drinking and eating and eventually
sleeping. Not me. I put them out of my head and went forth into the dark
and the deep, expansive, Blue Mountains Wilderness.

Well I had one last brush with civilisation as I left the lights of Katoomba
and started the long haul on the fire trail out along the Narrow Neck
plateau. The others couldn't get a campsite at the caravan park so they
drove along the first bit of the Narrow Neck to camp there. I said hello as
they drove up beside me but they had trouble getting over some rough road so
I soon left them behind and was on my own again.

It was foggy and I had to take my head torch off my head and use it as a
handheld torch for much of the way along the Narrow Neck. You can see heaps
better this way. John Brown showed me this trick during an ACT Champs
rogaine once. I think Baldy told him, Baldy is full of good knowledge like
that.

Anyway, I have walked along Narrow Neck a million times on the way out and
back from bushwalks when I was a Uni student living in Sydney so I was well
aware that it will seem like forever before I get to the end. So I just put
my head down and jogged. I got to the end around 10.40pm and wrote the boys
a pink sticky note to tell them what time I got there. I descended Taros
Ladders no problems - these are metal spikes stuck into a cliff face so that
you can climb down off the top of the sandstone plateau. Then it's a nice
run down a walking track to Medlow Gap where I wrote another sticky note. I
got there around 11.15pm. I had already started hoeing into my food. I
became a bit worried that I might run out before I finished. I was eating
more frequently and more in quantity than what I usually do during a rogaine.
Throughout the night and the following day I ate something almost every hour
and also drank regularly.

The night was humid and warm and my clothes were saturated the whole time.
In fact I was covered in sweat for the whole time I was doing the 3 peaks.
After Medlow Gap I found the head of the track through the Wild Dog
Mountains. I ran along the track and tripped over logs several times flat
onto my face. I was a bit more cautious after that and was also very careful
to stay on the track. It was quite pleasant running along this narrow
undulating track through the bush in the dark. I filled up my water bladder
at Mobs Swamp at around midnight and left another sticky note. The next
section of track was even more enjoyable to run along as it winds around the
side of a hill through open forest and then undulates over a ridge to the top
of Yellow Pup ridge, where you start the huge decent into the Coxs River
valley.

Down, down I went, running back and forth along the switchbacks that seem to
go on forever. The moon showed itself for awhile and I could see the huge
bulk of the mountains on the other side of the Coxs River. They were looming
up before me, almost like scary monsters. I wrote another sticky note when I
got to the Coxs at 2am and forged the river leaving my shoes on. It was
pointless taking them off as my feet were wet from sweat anyway and its more
comfortable walking over the river rocks with shoes on.

I walked along the riverbank for a bit and came to the junction with Kanangra
Creek. I spent quite a while making sure I was where I thought I was as I
didn't want to climb the wrong ridge. Once satisfied I started the long haul
up Strongleg Buttress, which takes you to the summit of the first peak - Mt
Cloudmaker. I knew I would be climbing for several hours so once again I
just put my head down and climbed and climbed. This terrain certainly
requires a lot of patience and persistence. You don't get anywhere fast and
when you start an uphill you will be going uphill for ages and when you start
a downhill, be prepared to spend at least the next hour going downhill - and
a very steep downhill too.

Once at the top of Strongleg I was out of the quartzite terrain and onto a
bit of sandstone country again (for the geologists - the 3 peaks route
crosses the unconformity between the Permian sandstones of the Sydney Basin
and the underlying Ordovician to Devonian rocks of the Lachlan Fold Belt at
least 4 times-exciting huh). This change in rock-type meant some travel
through the thick heath vegetation that typically grows on top of the
sandstone so it's a good idea to stick to tracks if you can find them. Also,
the navigation is difficult across the flattish vague terrain that you have
to cross to get to the summit of Cloudmaker. I followed a footpad and
carefully monitored my progress on the map. I managed to stay on a track all
the way to the lovely Dex Ck campsite. This was the first time I had
actually been to the campsite because on previous trips we always managed to
miss it and just bash up through scrub to the summit. So I didn't know where
to find the track to the summit and ended up bashing along the ridge west of
Dex Ck (it turns out the track is on the other side of the creek - I should
have done my homework and I would have saved about an hour and lots of
swearing).

It was about here that it became light and I took my head torch off. I got
to the summit at 6.30am. Here I proceeded to write an entry in the
Cloudmaker logbook, eat more food, take a photo of myself, write a sticky
note and also read an SMS that Trev had managed to send me from the top of
Strongleg Buttress. They were only an hour or so behind me now. I wasn't
able to reply tho there was no longer reception. Doing all these things
became a bit of a routine at the top of each peak. In order to remember
everything, I called it the "food, photo, phone, sticky note and log book
procedure".

Then I was off again, carefully checking my bearing, as last time I was here
I forged off in completely the wrong direction and it was lucky that Scott
had pulled me up. This time I had nobody to correct me. I made my way down
to Roar knoll, which is one of the series of knolls named by Myles Dunphy as
Rip, Rack, Roar, and Rumble. I am so glad Myles named most of the features
in this beautiful and spectacular place, he gives it justice. Then I turned
down the ridge towards Marooba Karoo, a sandstone bluff where you once again
cross the unconformity. I thought about leaving the guys a sticky note stuck
on the rock to advertise the fact but then I thought it a bit nerdy. They
didn't end up going down the same ridge anyway, they used Stormbreaker
Buttress further to the south. Both ridges meet Kanangra Creek at Thunder
Bend, so we both used the same ridge (South Paralyser Buttress) to ascend Mt
Paralyser.

Down, down I went. I was so happy walking/running down the ridge in the
morning light, enjoying the spectacular scenery of the Kanangra area and just
the wildness of the bush around here and how the enormity of the place makes
you feel so small, humble, and insignificant. Even the large bulk of
Paralyser looming up before me didn't squash my spirits. I saw a pair of
lyrebirds, one of them a male doing some showing off. I could also hear many
more lyrebirds too. Finally, I splashed into the very pretty Kanangra Creek.
But before doing so, I had to negotiate one of the steepest dirt slopes
possible. In fact I think the dirt slopes that exist in this area are
impossibly steep. They should actually be rock cliffs and not made of dirt
at all. I filled my water bladder in the creek. This water had to last the
trip up and down Paralyser. Then I started the next relentless climb. This
was the ridge where on a previous bushwalk I developed the idea of the "pack
animal mindset". When faced with a long, steep and horror-filled climb, what
you do is pretend you are a donkey or a lama or some beast of burden who
unthinkingly and relentlessly just keeps plodding on up the hill, one hoof in
front of the other. This was also the hill climb where I coined the
description "grovelling". This is when the slope is so steep your nose is
almost touching the ground in front of you and the footing is so loose you
often keep loosing your footing and you end up kind of grovelling on the
ground up the hill. It wasn't that bad this time tho since I wasn't carrying
a large pack full of camping gear.

Compared to Cloudmaker and Guouogang, the climb up Paralyser is short and
sweet... I mean steep. I got to the top at 9.30am, then proceeded to perform
the previously mentioned three "fs" plus sticky note and log book entry.
There was no SMS from Trev this time. I was just over 12 hours into it and
about halfway through distance wise. A 24 hour time might just be possible?
I took off down north Paralyser Buttress and the sight of Mt Guouogang in
front of me made me doubtful. As I descended, it was like the mountain was
trying to psych me out, it just kept getting larger and larger and it seemed
a hard ask to get back to Katoomba in less than 12 hours. Finally I got down
to Whalania Creek and filled my water bladder again. This time it also had
to last both the ascent and decent and the day was heating up now. Starting
the climb was psychologically a little better this time as this was the last
peak - but it was also the biggest one. I chose to go up Bullagowar Ridge
but in hindsight I think Narroo Buttress would have been much quicker. It is
more direct to the summit. I have never been up that ridge before tho and it
looked awfully steep and like it might have some hairy rock scrambles, so I
went with the devil I know.

For a lot of the time I wondered about the guys behind me and how they were
going. I expected them to pass me at some stage. But then I became worried
they might get dehydrated on Guouogang as they would be doing it at a hotter
time of the day and they seemed to need more water than I do. On the way up
Bullgowar I encountered a large red belly black snake. I was only a few feet
away when I realised it was right in front of me. It had its head up and
tongue out. I detoured around it and made a mental note to be more watchful
in future. I negotiated the Razorback and managed to avoid most of the scrub
on the summit to reach the log book at about 1.05pm. I stood on the huge
rock cairn where you can get a pretty good view of the whole area and sent
Trev an SMS since I actually had reception. I thought about sending some of
my bushwalking friends SMSs saying I was on Guouogang but decided it would
take too long. I then completed the rest of usual summit procedure.

I backtracked along the Razorback half expecting to see the guys going the
other way, but didn't. So I must be still quite a ways in front. Then I
received a voice message from Trev saying they were two thirds of the way up
Guouogang. I kept going down Guouogang Ridge, negotiating a navigationally
tricky bit where you have to make sure you find the right ridge, then down to
the Coxs River and a brief swim in Kanangra Creek near where it meets the
Coxs.

It was about 3.30pm and here I felt quite good and also relieved because now
I was on the home run. All three peaks were behind me and all I had left was
relatively safe and easy tracks and fire trails. Admittedly I still had
another 1000m of climb to get back on top of the Narrow Neck tho. I took off
my gaiters thinking that I had no more scrub and hopefully no more snakes but
then immediately after crossing the Coxes I saw another red belly black!

I wrote another pink sticky note to the guys. I didn't envy them as it was
hot and they were still way up on Guouogang somewhere. Then I turned my back
on the three peaks and took off up Yellow Pup ridge. I decided the
switchbacks were pointless as many of them were almost flat and you gained
little height with each one so I just climbed up the nose of the ridge and
only used the last few switchbacks which are pretty good. Then back onto the
nice undulating walking track, but this time I got to do it in the daylight
and didn't trip over logs. I got to Medlow Gap around 6.30pm and wrote the
shortest sticky note possible as a 24 hour traverse was looking possible and
so I was in a hurry to get back.

I was still feeling good and rapidly completed the last significant ascent to
Taros Ladders. I got to the ladders around 7pm and found a sticky note that
the guys hadn't seen. I had written that I was there at 10.50pm. So it had
taken me an hour and 50 min to get to this point on the way out, I had at
least 2 hours to get back before 9pm. This is looking good!! This certainly
spurred me on, even tho I knew the run along Narrow Neck is relentless and
seems to just go on and on. It undulates too. So after climbing atop the
Narrow Neck plateau to the fire trail I put my head down and just started
jogging and managed to jog most of the way back - walked some of the hills.

I knew it would be tight so I didn't even want to stop for a pee. But then I
thought if I didn't I might wet myself in front of DavO, Peta and Jules when
I got to the railway station so I decided it was worth it. I sent an SMS to
Peta that I was nearly there. Her reply SMS was quite ecstatic. They were
having dinner near the station. It was a weird feeling running through the
streets of Katoomba. It was just getting really dark and people were out
socialising and dining again. I ran past them up the main street of
Katoomba, they must have thought I was some weirdo, obsessed running person
(hang on... that might actually not be far from the truth), or maybe they
didn't even notice.

Julie was there with the camera when I arrived at the station at 8.41pm. Wow
what a nice reception. Then DavO turned up and we went back to the café
where Peta was finishing her dinner. All I wanted was a shower, so DavO took
me back to the caravan park. Then Peta and Jules got back and they were so
nice and helpful, they had even set up my tent and sleeping gear and Jules
gave me some bowls of pasta, which went down a treat. Then into bed while
DavO, Peta and Jules awaited the arrival of the guys. They had rung from the
top of Taros Ladders so still a couple of hours. I was so happy to be going
to bed. YeeHaa...