Croessus

Change of plans. Had a horror work trip (little Swiss kids on the trip), and am dog-tired. I feel it's prudent to get some sleep then smash the Croessus in the morning. 'Night all. :)

The Blackball league guys used to use the Croesus track to cross the Paps, play a game of rugby league and then return over the range. They were mainly miners from the manual labour days. Strong & fit! I've been through it in a day but haven't played a game of league turned around and walked/jogged the track again. When I worked on the track and subsequently I'd often go up to the tops and back in a day from the Blackball side though.

@Kreig Have a great trip.

Strewth Glenn, I had no idea! Is that for real, or urban legend? I struggle to see how they'd manage a return trip + a game of footy (and the obligatory beers) in one day. Unless it was a weekend thing?? Anyway, it's funny how plans change. And I have been known to change mine quickly. This morning, my alarm didn't go off. I woke up hours late! So, given that I have to work early tomorrow morning, if I'd done a Barrytown-Blackball-Barrytown, I wouldn't have any room for variables at all, and that doesn't sit right with me. So, instead, I did a 100km cycle trail. :) Pretty knackered now! Thank goodness for gel seats and quality mountain biking shorts (won't catch me in those ball-hugging condom suits cyclists wear! Pissed down with rain 80% of the way (another variable I would've had to factor into the Croessus). All-in-all, a good day. A challenge; most cover the distance on this trail I did in 3 days. And fun! Loved it!

@Kreig that info is the real McCoy. OK often the first crossing would be on a Saturday afternoon and the return after a Sunday game would be on the Sunday afternoon/evening. However some that wanted to spend Saturday night at home would go over and back on the Sunday. Those days were before my time but I heard this & many similar versions of such crossings having happened when I worked in the Grey Valley in the late 1970's. In my forestry days I worked with Ces Clark who was a Blackball raised former NZ rugby league rep and some of the then current and former Waro Rakau Rugby league guys so my sources are pretty good. Also from my knowledge of the area and being an ex rugby player I reckon that in my younger days accomplishing such a feat would have been very possible. I once did the Three Pass Trip in a shade under 12 hours carrying a day pack and wearing gumboots.

"I once did the Three Pass Trip in a shade under 12 hours carrying a day pack and wearing gumboots." Now thats the shit I like to hear about, we should branch this thread into one about shoestring expeditions or alpine sand shoe ascents I reckon! those are the best stories, people doing hell mad stuff in like, their undies..

That's awesome! Hard nuts here on the Coast, that's for sure! "Those are the best stories, people doing hell mad stuff in like, their undies..." Love it! Gold! :D What always cracks me up is when I hear people drag cartons of beer on epic tramps and up peaks. Seriously, I don't mind a beer, but a) you've gotta carry the empties back, stink your pack out with stale beer b) the WEIGHT! Why not just fill a Pump water bottle full of scotch or something? (Done that on many an occasion). What about that Zpacks guy who did the TAT in sandals? Doable, and certainly don't have to worry about wet/waterlogged feet, but what about in the alpine regions? I agree Pipe - branch the topic. Could be for some very entertaining reading! :D