Hi all,
I've snared myself a Groupon deal to do a 15 day trek (actual trekking probably more like 13-14).
I was wondering if any Melbournians have done this trek and how you prepared beforehand? I've heard 1000 steps mentioned many times but wondering about any other suggestions as well.
Thanks for your help in advance!
Edit: Leaving in Mid-Feb so have 4 months to train up.
Thanks for the tip Heracles. That's a good tip re: trekking on weekends with a loaded backpack to train up! Although we have porters that might be a great way to increase fitness in a short time.
It depends when you do it but don't bank on having a a set start and finish day… Mainly due to planes not being able to get in and out of the airport at Lukla.
If you are in ok shape you will be fine. It's all about how well you adjust to the altitude and Aus ain't much good for that. If you have time get there early and so a smaller trek to help adjust. Also have a supply of the altitude drugs which you can buy in Nepal.
It's a well trodden route, not sure why anyone would need a guide or a package deal for that matter, maybe has its advantages in peak season. You meet people along the way you end up trekking with and just stay in tea houses.
Buy the top walks in Victoria book. 1000 steps is for people with no imiganation who want to look the part in their $1000 work out outfit! There are plenty of good walks around Melbourne, just don't ask anyone actually raised in Melbourne, they tend to all know the same 3 places.
You need to do treks at a similar altitude. Altitude is the killer.
If you have time get there early and so a smaller trek to help adjust.
It's not if you have time, it's you pretty much need to do this unless you are a very experienced hiker.
I personally think it's very silly having a Groupon deal for this because people who aren't physically fit but love a bargain will buy it.
Have a look at http://iantaylortrekking.com/training-advice-for-your-everes…
1000 steps is a good start
You Yangs is also nice not very hilly.
The Grampians perhaps
I reckon you need 6-8 months of training if you haven't done anything like this before.
Thanks knick007. We have around 4 months to prepare so certainly pushing it a bit. Thanks for the links I'll look into it!
I was a bit hesitant when booking but I think we have decent fitness so hopefully weekly training over the next few months will mean we will be ok!
Thanks Hardlyworkin. I'm in decent shape but maybe my partner will need to train up a bit more.
Plan on arriving 1-2 days earlier and then buffer of 2 days afterwards for the Lukla issue. I liked the package as it was 1k to cover Lukla flights, all accom and also guide and porters which we will certainly need as people who aren't experienced trekkers let alone at altitude.
Thanks for the tip about Top Walks in Victoria!
It's almost impossible to know how you're going to go with altitude. You could be fine on this walk but suffer terribly when you do it a second time - if that's a month later or 10 years later. There's nowhere near Melbourne to experience high altitude anyway.
Overall I would class the walk as an achievable challenge rather than particularly strenuous. Experience with spending several hours on your feet will be a big advantage, then your experience in carrying a pack and walking up and down hills. If you spend lots of time on your feet at work (eg working as a waiter or a nurse) then that will be a huge help. The path is mostly quite rocky and hard, so even wearing hiking boots on concrete footpaths around Melbourne will be a help. However 1000 steps is tiny, perhaps you mean 10,000 which would be a much better daily goal in the lead-up. I'd suggest finding some hills to hike up and down on weekends as you can, trying to hike for 10-15km or 3-5 hours, carrying a pack. Fill your pack with more than you usually might for a day walk to get used to the weight. This will also help you work out what kind of gear/clothing/food you might like to take, and where you like to carry things like your phone, camera, water and sunglasses.
Thanks Whensday, that sounds like a good tip to try out loaded packs both for the fitness of it as well as figuring out how best to carry things. We will definitely look to break in our hiking boots over the next few months.
I recommend weribee gorge and do the circuit walk and the centenary walk that leads to the "the island" W James Whyte Island Reserve
You wont get the altitude but you the walk to the island is a long winding incline to the top of a mountain and the circuit has a steep incline and it has cables and rock faces to climb .
Thanks so much qwerty that sounds like a great one!
Tasmania has some nice steep areas that make Melbourne look pretty flat.
Haha yeah probably no more leave or money to go to Tas in the interim!
Walk up Donna Buang from Warburton
Thanks Presence that sounds like a good idea!
The Montrose fire trail to the channel 10 tower is a great little hike, start by doing it once and then twice and then three times. Very rocky and steep.
If your doing the 1000 steps do the same thing, aim to do it more than once.
Thanks franga I'll definitely look into it!
Just go to a gym with an altitude room and go jogging 3 times a week. One hour training sessions in the room will be more than enough.
Oh wow is that a thing?! Do you know any such gyms in Melbourne? I shall be googling this now!
Not in melbourne but my local gym in Sydney had one. The alternative also is to use an altitude mask while doing cardio. You will look stupid, but it is the only way to do regular training as opposed to a weekend hike every fortnight. Cyclists and marathoners use it for preparation in overseas events. Example; an aussie cyclist may be subject to altitudes in the tour, how do they prepare? they cant move to france for a year etc. they use this technology.
Can you tell me more about this Groupon deal you snagged?
https://www.groupon.com.au/deals/ga-ace-the-himalaya-10
Not really a special deal as such but great value. Seems to have been still purchaseable over the past week.
1000 step is a good place to start. but thats baby steps.
If you struggle there, Then you have a LONG way to go.
A good test is to climb up Mt Bogong via the staircase spur.
You start at 600m at climb to about 2000m in about 7.5 km long trail. almost every step you take is up.
2000m is still well short of anything around everest, but its the highest we have here.
Thanks BuyoTheCat that sounds like a good test as we ramp up our preparations!
Another thing to note. Those altitude training thing are for people who are working at 90% of their potential and want to get another 5% more.
For average people who are at 50-70%, there are a lot more you can do to get to 80-90% without using any specialist equipment.
I take it back when I said 1000 steps is baby steps. Do it twice or 3 times in a row
Thanks BuyoTheCat. I'll definitely be doing something like 1000 steps multiple times! We may go somewhere closer to do something similar.
I completed the Three High Passes Trek with EBC and Gokyo a few years ago. I trekked in from Jiri rather than fly into Lukla which added about 7 days but we were so acclimatised by the time EBC came along that we were flying past everyone on the trail
EBC itself is meh IMO
I carried my own backpack which was about 14kg which makes a HUGE difference - if you have porters then you will only need to carry a day pack so this isnt really a concern in that case
I love hiking so I was going on a 2-4 hour trek once or twice a weekend before hand with a backpack on (around 10kg). This is the best training IMO
The best tip I can give you is slow down your pace significantly during the trek, slow and steady is much better in terms of fatigue and for altitude reasons
Let me know if you want any more info or have any questions. Nepal is a beautiful country with amazing people