La Sportiva Mountain Series: Mt Feathertop

A bunch of amateurs turned up to run my mountain on Saturday, so I had to defend it.

If you love mountains, then trail running, climbing and mountain biking are what you do in the off season whilst waiting for snow. This is a given in Europe and North America, but seems to have been slow to take hold here. We don't really have an alpine culture and I guess our beaches are far more enticing. Plus we can always just escape to Japan.

The Oz kids (and they came from everywhere this weekend) who are starting to get into trail running here aren't necessarily into skiing, or even that into mountains. Rather they are seeking fit, likeminded people on some beautiful and very technical running trails.

Since Beau Miles ran the 700km AAWT in 7 days a couple of years back, the sport seems to be getting bigger, with quality publications like 'Trail Run' and companies like La Sportiva stepping in with sponsorships and fantastic new races like the Mountain Series.     

This year's Razorback Run had over 160 participants. With the Tour of Bright bike race down in the valley, the Vic Alps finally seem to be successfully campaigning as an alternative to the coast for those of us into fitness in great environments.

I scored a beautiful sunset on Friday for the drive up, and spent the evening carbing up with spaggetti and beers in front of the fire at Dinner Plain. Morry arrived much later and crashed besides the fire.    

My only real aim for this run was to try and beat the previous best race time of 2:33. I figured that it usually takes me about an hour for the 11km to the summit from Diamantina, however I seldom turn around and head straight back without mucking around with my skis first. And never at the same pace.

We had our briefing and equipment checks outside Diamantina at 0730. Quite a few people had camped overnight. The air was freezing, with a bit of added windchill - or perhaps that was just my nerves. Everyone looked thinner and fitter than me, and I imagine Morry was probably thinking the same thing.  

And then we were off. It was so awesome heading off in the front pack of 5 runners at a good pace on such a beautiful day. I frequently do this trail alone, so to be following closely in the heels of competitors in a pack was a real buzz. The front five were all obviously significantly younger than me, and I'm sure they were waiting for the old grey-haired codger and his crazy ski stocks to drop off. And maybe die. Perhaps they were worrying about having to do CPR.

But about half way along the Razor amongst the burnt stumps of the Bad Lands, just before the climb up to Twin Knobs, I was surprised to find myself hot on the heels of the leader, and still feeling good. 

The others had dropped off, and it was going to be a 2 man race.

Chriss still had my measure on the climb up to the summit and we nearly collided in the turn around the flag. But then on the descent, my skiing prowess came to the fore and I was right behind him. I was just about to think about taking him when I lost a stock and had to double back for it - and then my water hose got caught in a snow gum and the toggle ripped off, draining my entire water supply. In the end though, it was Chriss's younger legs (and obvious superior fitness) that pulled away.

I still ran a PB, coming in at second place - 3 minutes behind Chriss who ran a pretty amazing 2:18.

The 44km was won by our very own Kilian Jornet prototype, Blake Hose, in an astonishing 3:57 - and the 66km was won by Tom Brazier, again in an amazing time of 7:30.  There were a few tumbles (including Chriss who refused to shake my hand afterwards because his own was covered in blood), and one hospital admission attesting to the fact that these guys take their running very seriously. There were also a few seniors (even older than me) doing the 66km, which was a solid effort.

Chriss doesn't know it yet, but I've got him in my sights for next year. 

Nobody beats me on my mountain - and he'll be another year older. 

The first Mt Blanc Ultra took 7 months to sell out. These days it sells out in a minute. With the Alpine Challenge the longest and perhaps toughest run in the Southern Hemisphere, I figure it might be time to give it a crack next year before I am no longer able to qualify. 

Thanks to Mund, La Sportiva, Bogong, Buff and Trailrunmag for the prizes. 

The following are all iPhone photos, demonstrating the randomness of iO7.

Last run...

Despite it being a wonky old winter, my first ski this year was in May with Pete - which means 6 months of solid lines which isn't bad on the flattest driest continent. I also squeezed in a trip to Mt Jagungal in the Snowy Mountains with my 8 year old, and an epic climb and ski descent off the north face of Mt Blanc in July. So not all bad. Still, I feel this season is a portent of things to come - lots of wind, lots of rain, and the occasional dump contributing to an increasingly unreliable snowpack. I haven't renewed my Hero Pass.

I still needed closure for the season though, and scored a nice little window on Friday after a late season snowfall the day before. Whilst hardly a repeat of 'The Hunt For White October', it made the trip up the mountain very pretty.

Unfortunately I was on call Thursday night and didn't get home until 2 a.m., and then Balti fell out of bed waking me a few hours later. I headed off at 6 though and got to Diamantina by 10, with the Ovens Valley spectacularly beautiful in high spring. The rhododendrons and azaleas were particularly amazing against the blue sky, and Feathertop was breathtaking with a new white dusting.

After an overnight low of negative 6, things were still pretty chilly, however I didn't bother with any extra clothing and just had my skis, boots, some water and gels in a daypack. 

I set off at a good cadence and got to the summit in an hour and a half. The SE couloir (always visible from the Mt Hotham webcams!) was the obvious choice for a first line. From the summit, I skied down the ridge in a half pipe gutter of the old bergschrund to drop into this chute. The new snow had filled in any suncups and runnels and was actually still quite dry - and beneath was the nicest corn I have ever skied, all the way down over 300 glorious meters. It was so good that I did it again, with the 2 runs easily the best this season after France. There was still some good lines into Avalanche too, but perhaps better left for another day with a helmet and friend.

Under strict instructions to be back in Melbourne for a dinner party that night (and with a bunch of stuff in the boot that still had to be dumped at Dinner Plain), I decided that another run would compromise my pace on the run back to the car, and began the long haul back along the Razorback. 

Dinner Plain closing ceremonies...

With the frogs-in-law in Oz for the school holidays, we thought we'd take them up for a glimpse of our massive Victorian Alps. If they were disappointed by the unseasonable lack of any snowpack, stationary ski lifts, or our relatively puny peaks, they didn't let on. I think they were happy enough just to hang out with the wombats and go out for some nice meals washed down by fine Australian reds.

It was nice to watch the Granny on Saturday in front of a roaring fire with some of these same reds whilst snow belted down outside and Charlotte hammered away on the Bernina making dresses out of curtains for all, like the Von Trapp Kids.

I had a few runs out to 'Room With a View' to scope out Feather, and was planning on running the Razor early Sunday morning to ski the SE chutes - however Balti was crook Saturday night, and in the end I took my best ski buddy up the road for a few lines down Avalanche Gully, and then Harris's Horror. Both had a dusting of fresh moosh on corn, and over two hundred metres of vertical, and I was impressed enough by my wife's boot-packing. We then had a very pleasant pique-nique amongst the snow-gums, which is where Australia has it all over France as far as the alpine is concerned. A very relaxing weekend away...