I know of two other DB members that have entered so far???? I will update the list.... 7k Joey Hoppet Snow Princess 21k Australian Birkebeiner Mrs Boonie (moonbelle) Alex.C chriscross 42k Kangaroo Hoppet Rolo Mr Bent Knee panda Boonie Brumby Jack
I'm pretty unlikely this year unfortunantly considering I haven't been out for a skate yet at all. Maybe I'll get some training in when it actually snows at Lake Mountain...
42k. Might manage to actually break out the skates this weekend. Fingers crossed for some low snow on Thurs.
I think you might be in luck Alex C for Friday onwards. This chart says 20 to 30 cm for Lake Mountain on Thursday http://www.weatherzone.com.au/charts/twcGrads.jsp?model=gfs&chart=snowcast&hour=48 Another 5 cm on Friday http://www.weatherzone.com.au/charts/twcGrads.jsp?model=gfs&chart=snowcast&hour=72 another 5cm on Monday http://www.weatherzone.com.au/charts/twcGrads.jsp?model=gfs&chart=snowcast&hour=144 10 to 15 cm on Tuesday http://www.weatherzone.com.au/charts/twcGrads.jsp?model=gfs&chart=snowcast&hour=168 Hope my interpretation of these charts is correct!!
Yee haw! Finally can get some hoppet practice. Actually, finally gonna get *any* useful skiing. Also, some potentially wallet-opening news from Hoppet Central:
Typically I'm more interested in the "Hoppet Dozen" wine selection Pretty much any Hoppet ski gear with the skiing kangaroo on it is a hot commodity overseas.
Yeah I'm thinking of heading up to LM on Sunday after doing some more tele'ing at Buller on Saturday. Will decide whether to do the Birkey after the weekend...
Second loop of the hoppet marked and groomed for the first time this afternoon.... Boonie's taking on the big fella again this year. Mrs Boonie (seen once or twice on this forum as moonbelle) is skiing the birke
Not me this year (or last year, year before that etc.) May head to Lake Mountain on next weekend though.
I've only ever done the Joey Hoppet before so no tips from me.... From what I did yesterday... pace yourself & make sure your feet are comfortable... managed the first bit, failed on the second.
There are two decent hills, the first fondly called 'The Paralyser' which is at about 11km and climbs from near Watchbed creek/rocky valley dam up to the Park between Holland's knob and Marm point. Once up there most of your work is done. The second hill is steeper but shorter at about 15km and climbs from the dip near Edmondson's hut up onto Heathy Spur. Once up there it is almost all downhill though with one or two tricky corners. The first 10km are fairly easy, mostly flat with a few undulations but I'd make sure you don't use up all your petrol tickets on this bit.
So, did you go to LM today Alex C? Where's the best trails? I'm managing to get there for a few hours tomorrow. Hope the weekenders didn't muck it up too much. I've heard it was getting fairly soft and sloppy by the end of today.
Yeah I did in the afternoon, after a run on the King River in the morning and Buller the day before. Took it pretty easy as it was my first day on such light skis in ages, just did the homes trails, and some of of Jubilee, Woolybutt and Muster. The lower areas were generally a bit soft and patchy, out the back was alright however. Didn't cover enough of the mountain to give a good trail breakdown though.
Too busy before the race, you will all have to wait too long for me after the race I'm guessing most will be at the Presentations at Mt Beauty??? I've managed to miss Mr Bent Knee and Rolo before
I was going to suggest a post-race lunch somewhere around FC on the Saturday... I'm unlikely to be down at the presentations myself..
Hmmmm if you can organise something that doesn't involve me spending any $$$ (or very little) then I'm in Post race lunch is normally at the Bakery in Mt Beauty
Looks like i'm going to have an interesting time of it this year, got a single half day of skating 2 weeks ago at Lake Mountain but everything has just gone away so I can't get any more practice in before the weekend... <img src="https://www.ski.com.au/xf/styles/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="\:\/" title="smirk" height="15" width="15" /> Edit: Me fail English? That's unpossible.
And it's going to be slush!! The course has been changed due to lack of snow on the second loop of the hoppet. Currently the planned course for the 42km is the birke x 2. So you head out to sun valley as per usual then out to watchbed creek and up to the park, back down heathy spur to the nordic bowl, then repeat it. The second lap will be fun with sloppy snow and struggling birke and hoppet skiers all over the place. If you have some flouro wax, saturday will be the day for it.
I'm out woke up this morning with bronchitis/flu and some other revolting bug.... hardly surprising really. I think for once I will use my head and not battle on regardless.... but see if I can swap to a shorter race see how I feel when I get there tonight I guess.
Second lap wasn't too bad, actually...there was a lot less Birke traffic than I thought there would be Great win for Simbo, and a bit unfortunate for BD to miss the podium, but it's also good to have internationals getting up there. Sensational day all round.
(random photo near the start) Was a great day, I found it nice and fast at least early on, and you just can't beat weather like that! I've very happy to finish (the birkey) at least Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, especially as i've only tried to do it in 2003, when it was shortened heaps due to the howling blizzard...
None of you Hoppet Skiers passed me, however Boonie finished not that far behind me, I think I was just getting a drink (almost lapped me). Alex C finished 8 minutes ahead of me if he is who I think he is The Paralyzer isn't half as bad as I expected but the climb up Heathy Spur??? wasn't much fun still not as bad as the climb up The Porcupine though Do you guys think that track will still be skiable next Thursday (8th) if we get snow and not that other stuff???
Maybe, but I'd expect the grooming to drop off as there's no revenue from Parks tracks. Always fun skating across the tops on the early morning hard-pack in Spring R
Eh? I'm not sure what you mean about no revenue from Parks tracks. FCRM have permission to groom out in the national park and do it with their own Kassborher. There's no more or less revenue for FCRM grooming in the alpine national park than there is within FC resort - trail passes and resort entry are the same regardless. Besides, they always groom up nelse track to the park, from which it is about the same distance to turn around and go back down to watchbed creek as it is to continue over the top of heathy spur. Typically they stop grooming the second loop of the hoppet within a few days of the race (obviously not an issue this year) but continue to groom the birke loop while there is cover. They will probably cut out the little extra bit up to the base of Mt Nelse and just cut across from near 'Football Park' to Heathy Spur. If we get some snow out of this that track will almost certainly be groomed but it won't be any good for skating off track until the new snow compacts. BJ - I was wondering if you'd figured out who I was....just snuck home in that sprint finish too. That's two years in a row I've had to sprint at the end, which is not what you really feel like doing after 42km, but after that length of time and distance you don't really feel like letting the other fella breeze past you either
Hehe my nick on her should make it easy to work out who I am, however just noticed theres two possible, so to leave any doubt out I was the faster (relatively) one.
I was under the impression that if people were merely using the FC trails to access the national park, they were not obliged to pay trail pass fees - hence designation of "park access route" on the trail maps. Ballpark in the top 40, and about the same as last year
That is correct, but FCRM are nice and groom out there anyway. They groom a loop out to Pretty Valley as well (stockyard loop) and started doing that because some of the touring fraternity were concerned about southern hydro oversnow vehicles made it unsafe for skiers when the munched up snow froze overnight. Ian Grant's solution was to offer to groom it. Falls Creek wants to be regarded as *the* place for XC skiing and it really doesn't cost a huge amount more to do these extra bits but earns decent brownie points.
