Detailed written race course description

[Aaron]

I was wondering if anyone knew where to find a detailed written description of the race course.  The provided topos are excellent but I would like to get an idea of trail type and quality as well to go with them.  Mostly interested in what conditions we'll be running at night.

It could be posted somewhere already, but I haven't been able to find anything.  Not knowing the area, I'm looking for all the info I can get to tune my training.

thanks,
Aaron

[Tom]

Hi Aaron,

I am sorry but we don't have any detailed course descriptions only the maps.  What I do have is the following basic outline and I'd be pleased to talk you through any parts of the course that you are still uncertain about.  My number is 0401 908 623.
 
The Fairmont Resort, Watkins Rd, Fitzroy St, Gladstone Rd, Golf Links Lookout, Pool of Siloam, Prince Henry Cliff Walk, Leura Cascades, Round Walk, Prince Henry Cliff Walk, Federal Pass, Leura Forest, Federal Pass, Scenic World Boardwalk, Federal Pass, Golden Stairs, Glenraphael Drive, Tarros Ladders, Little Cedar Gap, Mount Debert, Medlow Gap, Medlow Gap trail, Dunphys Camp, Ironpot Ridge, Ironpot Mountain, Ridge towards Tinpot Hill, 4WD tracks through farmland, Galong Creek, Green Gully, Megalong Valley Rd, Nellies Glen Road,  Six foot track, Nellies Glen, Cliff walk (Stuarts Rd track), Stuarts Rd, Peckmans Rd, Katoomba Oval, Cliff Drive, Katoomba Falls Kiosk, Katoomba Falls Walk, Katoomba Cascades, Cliff View Walk, Echo Point, Giant Stairway, Dardanelles Pass, Leura Forest, Federal Pass, Link track to Old Sewerage Treatment Works, Old Sewerage Treatment Works Track, Sublime Point Ridge fire trail, Kedumba Pass, Kedumba Valley Rd, link track to Kings Tableland Road, Kings Tableland Road, Queen Victoria Hospital, Tableland Rd, Hordern Rd, Rocket Point, Wentworth Falls, Undercliff Walk, Overcliff Walk, link to Shortcut Track, Conservation Hut, Nature Track, Edinburgh Rock, Liians Glen, Liians Bridge, Grand Cliff top Track, Fairmont Resort.

Hope this helps you out.

Cheers,
Tom

[Aaron]

Thanks, Tom.

My wife and I are just trying to make a final decision if we're going to race.  When we decide to (likely), I'll give you a call and maybe you could walk me through the sections.  I was kind of looking for what sections are fire road, what are single track, where are the stairs (how many), are there potential bottle necks, that kind of thing that helps you with race planning, visualization and strategy.  Hard to get just from the maps alone.

Thanks for the offer and hope to talk to you soon.

cheers,
Aaron

[Elizabeth]

While the maps are good and on the event day and the course markings are excellent (based of last years experience) on 2 occasions now I have attempted to do the last 30kms in training and have been unable to find the elusive "Link track to Old Sewerage Treatment Works" track to join up with the Sublime Point ridge fire trail.  This IS a section you may do in the dark but other than on event day, I believe this is an unmarked (not public?) track - I would also love to be proved wrong as I hope to go back again in a couple of weeks, so if anyone has information to the contrary, would love to hear it??? please.

Thanks,

Liz

[Tom]

Hi Aaron,

I'm more than happy to talk you through all of these things.  Just to make sure, did you know there is a late fee which goes on at midnight tonight?  It is $50 per person which is substantial but it does mean that most people enter a bit earlier which helps us get more of an idea of final numbers so we can start to finalise our planning.  There is no problem entering after this but I just hope people are aware of the price increase from midnight tonight.

Hi Liz,
I am sorry, I did start writing a proper description of this and it just disappeared on me.  I have to go now but just  a quick description is: The link track is an unmarked and not an official National Parks track.  Simply so that the average walker stays contained within the general Federal Pass track area and doesn't disappear off into Never Never Land in the valley below (where The North Face 100 goes).  If you can get to Leura Forest via the Dardanelles Track, you then turn left from the Leura Forest onto Federal Pass towards Fern Bower.  This section of Federal Pass crosses one bridge immediately and goes past a picnic table.  Then head a further 300m and cross a 2nd bridge.  Within 5m after crossing this 2nd bridge you need to turn right onto a foot pad which is hidden behind a Federal Pass sign (don't go up the stairs).  There are 2 minor junctions as you head down the hill, the first after about 30m where you turn right and down to cross a creek and the second where you go straight ahead instead of taking a wide track to the right.  About 600m after turning off Federal Pass you get out into a huge cleared area which is the old sewerage treatment works.  The track is grassy at first but it sweeps down and around the left hand edge of the large clearing and then heads off up a gradual hill back into the forest.  We just need to make sure that a track doesn't form at the start of this link track so please tread softly on the section immediately after turning off the Federal Pass.  Good luck.

Cheers,

Tom

[Markus]

I am going up with a friend this weekend to run the last 33 km (CP4 to end) and reading above comments - is there a offical map we can purchase to navigate and avoid getting lost? How easy is it to get onto the wrong track through the Jamison Valley?
Cheers and safe training everyone
Markus (www.run4vision.com)

[Andrew]

Hi Tom

Thanks for this information, it's a pity I didn't have it last week when I had planned to run from CP4 to the finish.  I bumped into a couple who were doing the same as me, but they could not find the track either.  The problem seems to be that the track names on the map does not always coincide with the signs along the way.

If anyone else is planning to run this section I'd strongly recommend taking Tom's notes with you.  As I, and I'm sure most of us, will be running this section in the dark it's going to be a big help to have at least run it in daylight.

Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to have the chance to do this before the big day.

Good luck one and all,
Andrew

[Markus]

I managed to run the last 33 km on Saturday in ideal conditions and thanks to Rod the Hornet on Coolrunning I got perfect track description which made the whole training run a breeze. The bridge however is still down so the last couple of km's needed some improvision. Today we did the first 12km of the race and managed to get back after 20km just before the rain hit the mountains. It is going to be a great race in a few weeks time - the scenery is stunning and the track is bloody hard in some parts.