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+++ 195412 [2018/08/10 13:12] – tyreless
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+===== Destination Unknown. =====
+- Len Scotland.
+It was the 6-Hour weekend at Albina Lodge. Only three of us were there at the time and Richard asked me if I would like to "make a trip". We left the hut rather late in the morning, about 10 o'clock, poor visibility, and cleaning and tidying of the hut causing the delay. Richard would not tell me the destination: sorry, it was a surprise. We headed north on a climbing traverse under the brow of Northcote to the Northcote-Lee saddle, then behind Lee and up over Carruthers. We ran down towards Sunshine, then continued northwards keeping well up near the tops. Finally our leader came to the spot he intended going over and we all made a beautiful zig-zagging run down a spur between Carruthers and Anderson which brought us to a lunch spot looking up towards __Sentinal Peak__. Now I knew the objective, but I thought it was rather too late to be making the attempt. We lunched in the warm sunshine on a spot free of snow and gave up the idea of climbing and running the Sentinal because it was too late.
+After lunch Richard decided to climb "some" of the peak, say as far as the saddle, so off we set down narrow snow tongues on the side of the ridge - down to the creek dividing us from our objective. It was late in the season and the creek was fast flowing and mostly open. We managed to cross on a snow bridge, and donning skins we started our climb - 1,000 ft. measured by altimeter. The snow this year had fallen "all at once" instead of the more usual falls followed by consolidating frosts. Consequently, although my skins gripped the top layers of snow, these were not cohering to the under layers of snow, and I managed to climb only with the greatest of effort, having to use both sticks all the time. If I let up for a moment I would slide back, even though I was taking as shallow a traverse as possible on such a steep slope. Richard and his wife did not have as much difficulty as I did which I think was due to their weighing only 8 stone compared with any 12 1/2. Time and time again I made a resolve to stop at the end of the traverse and give it up, but each time I turned and started a new traverse saying "only as far as the saddle" for hadn't Richard said we would only go that far, due to the lateness of the hour.
+At last we reached the saddle and had a short rest but now, instead of going down, he made __up__ along the ridge! The snow was different here, affording a good grip, which was just as well as the ridge is no more than 2-ft. wide with an almost sheer drop on the north side, and the steep slope we had just climbed to the south. Soon the ridge became too steep to climb with skis straight ahead, so we herringboned with tips over each side, later changing to side stepping, only the centre 2-ft. of the skis being on the snow, the heels and tips hanging in space. So we reached the top, which seemed to me about 10-ft. across. Richard took a photo of us at the cairn.
+There was a strong wind blowing so we soon made ready for the run down. I suggested we return the way we had come up, but Richard indicated the steepest slope and said "We go down there". Before we started I felt as though I would be embarking on my first parachute jump, but once started I was alright. Richard, Trudy, then myself went over the edge and made a beautiful 70-ft. side-slip traverse, then round into cristies, zig-zagging back and forth across the slope. I was enjoying the run and had passed Trudy and was up near Richard when I saw the snow on the slope near him start to slide after him. I called out a warning, but as he made a turn the snow ran over his skis and it kept pouring in from all around and carrying him down at a rapid rate. I had managed to pull up, and was horrified to see Richard rapidly growing smaller as he disappeared down the slope. The snow kept puring into the gully with a rattling, hissing sound, and eating its way up the slope we had already run for about 300-ft. I looked at it towering above us, expecting the lot to come down and engulf all three of us, whisking us off, indeed to Destination Unknown. I turned round as Trudy stopped, and she looked her concern as she asked "What happened"? I pretended to be very matter of fact as I told her the snow had held Richard's skis and taken them down, but I had visions of him being swept into the creek with tons of snow on top of him.
-......01.1111111MMMI
-DESTINATION UNKNOWN.
-- Len Scotlaad.
-  It was the 6-Hour weekend at Albina Lodge. Only three of us werJ there at the time ard Richard asked me if I would like to "make a trip". We left the hut rather late in the morning, about 10 o'clock, poor visibility, and cleaning ard tidying of the hut causing the dela: Richard would not tell me the destination: sorry, it was a surprise. We headed north on a climbing traverse under thebrow of Northcote to the Northcote-Lee saddle, then behind Lee and up over Carruthers. We ran down towards Sunshine, then continued northwards keeping well up near the tops. Finally our leader came to the spot he intended going over and we all made a beautiful zig-zagging run down a spur between Carruthers and Anderson which brought us to a lunch spot looking up
-towards Sentinal Peak. Now I knew the objective,biat I thought it
-was rathea;-171-5-77n7making the attempt. We lunched in the warm sunshine on a spot free of snow rind gave 11.13 the idea of climbing and
-GO LIGHTWEIGHT
-ON YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY TRIP WITH
-VEGETARIAN FOOD S.
-NUTMEAT AND NUTOLENE IN 8 AND 16 OZ. TAS - CONCENTRATED MEAT SUBSTITUTES.
-BROWN BEANS, LENTILS AND LIMA BEANS - LIGHT, MOISTURE FREE - EASY TO PACK, KEEP INDEFINITELY.
-FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER: MIXED NUTS, ALMONDS, RAISINS, MUSCATELS,
-FANCY FIGS AND DRIED FRUIT SWEETS, SANITARIUM FRUIT CAKE.
-AND FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS "YOUR DEJGHT" - ATTRACTIVE BOXES. OF GLACE FRUITS, MUSCATELS, DRIED FRUITS AND ALMONDS. ALSO PRESENTATION PLASTIC BOXES OF MUSCATELS AND ALMONDS
-THE SANITARIUM
-FROM HEALTH
-FOOD
-SHOP,
-HUNTER STREET SYDNEY.
-.
-running the Sentinal because it was too late.
-After lunch Richard decided to Climb "somenof the peak, say as far as the saddle, so off we set down narrow snow tongues on the side of the ridge - down to the creek dividing us from our objective. It was late in. the season ana the creek was fast flowing and mostly open, We managed to Cross on a. snow bridge, and donning skins we
-started our Climb - 1,000 ft. measured by altimeter. The snow this
-year had fallen "all at once" instead of the more usual falls followed by consolidating frosts. Consequently, although my skins_ gripped the
-.L
-top layers of snow, these were not cohering to the under I.yers of snow, and I max-if:Aged to climb only with the greatest of effort, having to use both sticks all the time. If I let up for a moment I would slide back, even though I was taking as shallow a traverse as possible on such a steep slope. Richard and his wife did not have as much difficulty as I did which I think was due to their weighing only 8 stone compared with any Time and time again I rade a resolve
-to stop at the end of the traverse and give it up, but each time I turned and st7a..stred a new traverse saying "only as 'far as the saddle" for 1-ladn't Richard said we would only go that far, 'due to the lateness of the hour.
-At last we reached the saddle and had a short rest but now, instead of going down, he made up along the ridge! The snow was different here, affording a good grip, which was just as well as the ridge is no more than 2-ft. wide wi.7,th an almost sheer drop on the north side, and the steep slope we had just climbed to the south. Soon the ridge became too steep to climb with skis straight ahead, so we heatringboned with tins over each side, later changing to side stepping,oY,3g the centre 2-ft. of the skis being on the snow, the heels and tips hanging in space. So we reached the t op, which seemed to re about 10-ft. across. Richard took a photo of us at the cairn.
-There. was a strong wind blowing so we 'soon made ready for the run down. I suggested we return the way we had come up, but Richard indicated the steepest slope ard said "We go down there". Before we sL:artecl I felt as though I would be embarking on my first parachUte jun7), -b7:_t once started I was alrjght. Richard, Trudy,. then myself went over the edge and made a beautiful 70-ft. side-slip traverse, then rotaid e_rto cristies, zig-zagging back and forth across the slope. I was enjcyl s.Irr, the run and had. passed Trudy and. was up near Richard when I sa iae now on the slope near him start to slide after him,
-celled out a Tvarning, but ELF he ns de a ttirn the snow ran over his
-and it ke:st pouring in from all arbund and carrying him down at a vapftd rate., I had managed to pull up, and was horrified to see Rietard rapidly growing simnel., as he disappeared down the slope. The aoi 1-zel:tt pet:es:17:12; into the gully with a rattling, hissing sound, arrl eating its way up the slope I've  had already run for about 300-ft.
-at i tcwoing ibove us, e's:pect1n.2. the lot to come down and engrj...f all three of us 9 whisking us off, indeed to Destination
-u- Iturned. s3ostafl' as Trudy stopped, and she looked her concern
-f:17 esotpood? I 10 rebended to be ve:r..ry matter of fact
-as I told 1-1r the trilow- had ?oeld RieiacI skis and taken them down,
-but had visions of him being swept into the creek with, tons of snow on top bf him.
-.
-IF YOU ARE GOING PLACES C ONTACT
-SCENIC  MOTOR TOURS, --7=WAYSTEPS, --riTTOOMBA.
-DAILY TOURS BY PARLOR COACH TO THE WORLD FAMOUS JENOLAN CAVES AND ALL BLUE MOUNTAIN SIGHTS.
-TRANSPORT BY COACHES FOR PARTIES OF BUSH- WALKERS TO KANANGRA WALLS, GINKIN OR OTHER SUITABLE POINTS BY ARRANGEMENT.
-FOR ALL INFORMI,TION
-WRITE TO P.O. BOX 60, KATOOMBA. TELEPHONE 60, KATOOMBA.
 Gradually the hissing noise subsided and we saw the snow had gone down in level about 12 inches over quite a large area of the slope. The edge was within inches of my ski.
 By this time Richard had disappeared round a curve in the gully, but he now came into view again on the slope we had climbed, his skis still imprisoned in the heavy snow. Trudy was all for running down to him, now that the slide had stopped, but I thought if we went on it we were likely to start another slide, so we took a horizontal track across the slope to the next gully which we had climbed earlier.
-Running down this gully we had a further unusual incident; some snow disturbed on one of the turns rapidly built up into a large snow ball which, but for a timely warning, would have knocked Trudy over. We were hurrying in case Richard needed help, and we had to dodge the snow ball as well as each other as we sped down the rest of the slope
-Richard was O.K. except for a slight strain to his ankles caused by trying to wrench his skis from under the heavy snow Whilst being carried down. He had lost" 500-ft; of the descent in his avalanche trip. We ran the rest of the slope, crossed the snow bridge again, and after a long slug we reached the hut again at 6 P.m.
+Running down this gully we had a further unusual incident; some snow disturbed on one of the turns rapidly built up into a large snow ball which, but for a timely warning, would have knocked Trudy over. We were hurrying in case Richard needed help, and we had to dodge the snow ball as well as each other as we sped down the rest of the slope.
-Later I ventured the opinion that the slope was not skiable because of the unusual snow conditions, but Richard said it would always be dangerous whatever the conditions. Richard is from Europe, and a one time champion skier. On earlier trips he had shown his surprise at the steep slopes we could go on in Australia without causing avalanches, and had given several reasons, some of which were the cover of vegetation, the rocky nature of the slope, and the
-.
+Richard was O.K. except for a slight strain to his ankles caused by trying to wrench his skis from under the heavy snow whilst being carried down. He had "lost" 500-ft. of the descent in his avalanche trip. We ran the rest of the slope, crossed the snow bridge again, and after a long slug we reached the hut again at 6 p.m.
-lighter falls of snow. It has often been written and said"There are no avalanches in Australia", and many a time When on a steep slope I had taken comfort in this authority.
-Last year we again had very heavy falls of snow, and I saw many snow slides which were heavy enough to bury a skier. Also last year Frank Leyden saw the result of an avalanche Which was big enough to wipe out a hut full df people. It had come down in the night off Mueller's Peak and the blocks of snow were each as big as the hut. I shudder to think that some of us had wanted to build the hut on that very spot but Fate, in the shape of the architect, had said No, as there were too many loose rocks about, one of Which might fall and hit the hut.
+Later I ventured the opinion that the slope was not skiable because of the unusual snow conditions, but Richard said it would always be dangerous whatever the conditions. Richard is from Europe, and a one time champion skier. On earlier trips he had shown his surprise at the steep slopes we could go on in Australia without causing avalanches, and had given several reasons, some of which were the cover of vegetation, the rocky nature of the slope, and the lighter falls of snow. It has often been written and said "There are no avalanches in Australia", and many a time when on a steep slope I had taken comfort in this authority.
+Last year we again had very heavy falls of snow, and I saw many snow slides which were heavy enough to bury a skier. Also last year Frank Leyden saw the result of an avalanche which was big enough to wipe out a hut full of people. It had come down in the night off Mueller's Peak and the blocks of snow were each as big as the hut. I shudder to think that some of us had wanted to build the hut on that very spot but Fate, in the shape of the architect, had said No, as there were too many loose rocks about, one of which might fall and hit the hut.
+----
+=== Scenic Motor Tours. ===
+If you are going places, contact Scenic Motor Tours, Railway Steps, Katoomba.
+Daily tours by parlor coach to the world famous Jenolan Caves and all Blue Mountain sights.
+Transport by coaches for parties of bushwalkers to Kanangra Walls, Ginkin or other suitable points by arrangement.
+For all information, write to P.O. Box 60, Katoomba. Telephone 60, Katoomba.
+----
 FEDERATION NOTES FOR NOVEMBER.
 - Allen A. Strom,