Banff Mountain Festival Contest Winners on Australia's Larapinta Trek
By
Andrew Swift
Posted on
February 11, 2016
World Expeditions has been a sponsor of the Banff Mountain Film Festival since 2006. For many years they have sponsored the Grand Prize for the Banff Mountain Film Festival Contest. Thousands of excited fans enter the contest each year but only two are the winners of the Grand Prize and able to go an the trip of a lifetime.
In 2014, Andrew and Lorraine Swift of Peterborough, Ontario, were the lucky winners of a trip for two on the Larapinta Trek in the Australian Outback. The Larapinta Trek is one of the best walks in Australia. The high ridge lines of the West MacDonnell Range offer a rare perspective of the vast flood plains and rocky outcrops that form this ancient land.
Andrew and Lorraine were kind enough to share some of their story with us.
At the age of 59, both Lorraine and I maintained a reasonable level of personal fitness. However, after reading the details of the Larapinta Trail, we both decided a training program would be required. Between March and September 2015 we both worked hard at increasing our walking distances and our overall capacity.
The Larapinta Trail is truly amazing. On the six-day itinerary we completed:
Day 1: Telegraph Station to Wallaby Gap walk to Nicks Campsite
Day 2: Nicks Campsite to Simpson's Gap plus Standley Chasm and Lookout
Day 3: Serpentine Gorge to Counts Point, then to Charlie's Exclusive Campsite
Day 4: Charlie's Exclusive Campsite to the Ochre Pits and Ormiston Gorge to Finke River
Day 5: Mount Sonder (1,300 m) and early morning sunrise walk (2 a.m. - 10 a.m.)
Day 6: Ormiston Pound Walk
Our Fitbit app suggested the total distance for the six days was 82 kilometres.
We completed the six days without injury, and, somewhat surprisingly, without any aches or pains! We have the highest praise for World Expeditions — they are truly professional both in the arrangements that were made and "in the field." The depth and breadth of the beautiful landscape was truly amazing.
We would also like to extend our thanks to Wildrock Outfitters, the hosts of the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Peterborough, Ontario. They were most helpful in helping to advise us on suitable equipment and supplies.
