I thought I would kill myself on the gully after 26, also. I am shocked that an orienteer with your prowress would have gone that way (I did, and regretted it) rather than go a little right and around on the trail.
I got about halfway down OK, then determined that the only option was sliding the rest of the way. Was still accelerating when I reached the bottom. Only afterwards did I notice that a trail to the right was the only sensible way.