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Time
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Km
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10:20
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Reference Point - Langdale Ferry Terminal - Start / Finish
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10:20
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Meet INSIDE the building just past the yellow fence by the washrooms and vending machines once you exit the ferry (on the left). We'll give the cars a few moments to unload from the ferry and exit the terminal area.
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0.0
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Once we have all gathered, we will walk over to the parking lot to drop bags at the car. |
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10:30
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Starter photo and we are off! Heading up the parking lot stairs to the highway (on the right hand side of the ferry terminal property)
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Follow Port Mellon Highway (you'll be running on the shoulder against traffic) uphill about 400m. Turn left on Wharf Road (first street on left) and follow to trailhead at end (about 500m).
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1.0 |
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Stay on the main trail through the canyon. As you exit the canyon the trail hits a "T" junction. Turn right. At the next junction (a "Y" junction in approx 200m), turn RIGHT. When you come to the next (third) junction (a "Y" junction) turn left and head under the power lines. (Watch yourself here! This is where everyone gets lost - you aren't turning LEFT until you are under the power lines!) |
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Follow the trail across the mountain bike bridges. Continue along the trail, turning right to stay on the switchback trail when you reach the nasty looking incline.
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At the top, turn RIGHT (new!!). You'll be running under cover of the trees through this section.
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After about 200m there's a 4-way junction, stay straight (recently, this route has been marked with orange markers, yellow markers and white trail markers).
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Another 400m up this trail take a left again and continue to follow the orange and white markers.
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There's a trail sign after another 50m - Lower Flume - follow this to the left and take a quick right onto Upper Flume. NOTE: This turn is very easy to miss! If you end up following only yellow markers, you've missed the turn!)
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There's another junction after 200m - go right to Upper Trails, SideWinder. Then take a quick left 20m later and follow the blue and white trail markers.
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Go right after another 400m onto Ridge Trail (blue markers) and across the Gibson Creek Falls bridge. Stay on Sidewinder.
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You'll come across a 'Caution Drop Off' sign (but it will be facing the opposite direction...) - stay right to avoid the drop and continue straight and up the hill.
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5.0
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At the top of the climb follow the blue arrow painted on the tree - middle trail option. After 50m go straight following the Highway 102 signs. Still blue markers...
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After 150m note the white arrow pointing right follow this across the bridge. Stay right at the primative campsite.
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Continue along Highway 102 trail (blue markers) for 1.5km. You'll go down a steep, short downhill and at the first junction turn right and continue up along the Highway 102 trail.
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You'll notice a clearcut through the trees on your left but don't be lured by this unless you want to check out some seriously huge mtn bike stunts!! Take the right trail at the clearcut junction - we've almost finished climbing - and you'll come to a gravel road.
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Reference Point - Gravel road
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9.5
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Turn right on the gravel road and continue along for 70m until you reach a small parking area. Take the trail on the left - Highway 103
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Climb easily for some time (approx 700m) and take the left at the first junction - Highway 103. Cross over a large log 5m after the junction and enjoy the nice trail.
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Take another left at the next junction (after about 1km) onto Red Barron trail (note the interesting plane trail marker - up on the tree to the right). Enjoy the steep but super-fun down!!
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The Red Barron spits you back out onto the gravel road. Turn left at this point and head up the road.
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12.5
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The clearcut will be on your right so keep following this gravel road until you reach the trailhead for Highway 102 (it will come into view shortly after the clearcut is replaced by trees on your right).
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Head right and down back onto Highway 102 and begin retracing your steps back to the ferry
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Stay left at the clearcut junction and keep heading down the hill.
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Take the left trail at the next junction and go up the steep but short hill - Highway 102
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At the top of the hill, continue right along Highway 102 (blue markers) for about 1.5 km and you'll end up at the campsite and bridge. When you reach the "Y" junction, go right, back onto Sidewinder (blue markers).
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Cross the bridge, continuing to follow the blue markers. Continue along Highway 102 and take the left trail at the the drop off sign (may be difficult to spot - they keep changing the orientation.)
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Continue straight at the junction and cross over 2 trees and under 3 trees. Cross the Gibson Creek Falls bridge and along the Ridge Trail. Go left and down off the Ridge Trail.
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Follow the blue and white markers, take a right onto Upper Trails / SideWinder, then a quick left onto Upper Flume.
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There's another junction after about 400m, go left then a quick right onto Lower Flume
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At the junction, turn right to stay on the main trail, the white markers will start soon (if you see only yellow markers, you've turned the wrong way. Trust me, I know this...).
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You will come upon a subtle 4-way junction while on the main trail. Stay straight (all coloured markers point in OTHER directions). In approx. 50m you will turn left to head back downhill.
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23.0
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Follow the trail back down the same way your came up. Take the left at the hydro lines. Take the right to take the short switchback back down the hill (I wonder if the stump carved `NUTS` is still here). At the `Y`junction, take the left fork. Take the left fork at the `T`junction and follow the obvious trail through the canyon, back to Wharf Road.
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25.0
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Head down Wharf Road. At Port Mellon Highway, go right and downhill to the ferry terminal. When you reach Sunshine Coast Highway, cross both directions (CAREFUL!), ending up on the same side of the road as the terminal, past the car entrance.
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Head through the last gate on the right and onto the pedestrian path on the right (keeping the car line-ups on your left).
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Go straight for another 30m until you reach the Wheatberries Cafe - This is the finish!!
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26.0
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Meet up with your friends and enjoy some delicious goodies at the Wheatberries Cafe.
Washrooms available on the right, next door to the cafe.
Thanks for coming out and congratulations on completing the Sunshine in September run!
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