Overland Track Tasmania 5 Nights 6 Days 65kms / Snowvember 22

 

 

 

Overland Track – Snowvember 22 / – DISCLOSURE: THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. AT NO COST TO YOU. –

 

Overland Track 2022 was a little different this time around, as I have always completed the trail in February.

With the booking system failing on the overload of demand. As Tas Parks shutting it down, the only chance you had was going on a waitlist.

 

We got close to our initial dates but the unknown for me was the Overland Track in the month of November.    

 

Read on to find out more – 

 

15/11/22 – Pre Trip

We all met by prior arrangements in Launceston on the 15/11/22 , The pre trip get together before everything gets real.

 

During our dinner, I gave a team briefing and made it clear that the first two days on being on trail was ok, then the weather was to turn for the worse.

 

I gave everyone the opportunity to buy anything they needed at paddy Palin the next morning before our 10am departure. 

 

 

 

 

16/11/22 – Launceston to Cradle Valley Discovery Park 

Our transfer departed from Launceston at 10am for a 3.5hr drive to Cradle Valley. With a stop over at Sheffield, a town known for its quirky Murals. 

 

Cradle Mountain Discovery Park, We arrived at 1:30 for the night in our 4 bed bunk dorms. 

Shortly after we took the shuttle bus down to Dove lake for free time around the lake.

There was misty rain/ sleet rolling though. Made for some moody photos. 

Dinner was back at the Discovery Park and the last bottle of wine before dehydrated rations. 

 

 

 

 

 

17/11/22 – Ronnie Creek to Waterfall Valley Hut 15kms, including side trip to Bahn Bluff

 

The Start of our Overland Track Journey – 

 

This morning the group had a 8am departure from our accomodation for a short walk over to Cradle Valley Visitors centre. For Group check in and briefing. 

 

After all the formalities were over, we caught the free shuttle bus to Ronnie Creek. The official start of the.

Overland Track – I love this place and it always give me Goose Bumps of contentment and a sense of being. 

It wasn’t long before we made a gradual rise to Crater lake – A stunning lake below Marion’s lookout. 

 

After a short break at Crater Lake, the climb to Marion’s Lookout (the hardest) on trail is tackled and completed with a short distance assisted with a chain. 

The views once at the lookout , Are amazing.

You can see the face of Cradle Mountain, Dove Lake and Ronnie Creek. 

We continued onto Kitchen Hut, (Day hut and halfway to Waterfall Valley Hut) Lunch was had here .

And the decision for Jim and Krish to leave the group and climb Cradle Mountain. It was covered in a light dusting of snow. 

Myself and the rest of the group continued on until we got to the intersection of the Bahn Bluff trail.

Drop our packs and covered them from the Black Currawong’s

These birds probably have to be up there as the most smartest. They have worked out how to unzip packs and rummage through to your food.

Do not let it be you. Keep your food in dry sacks, padlock your zips and place your pack rain cover over your bag. Also place your bag not in a obvious area, such as the trail head. 

A great return walk from Bahn Bluff, posed fantastic views looking into waterfall valley and beyond. 

Approximately 1hr walk and we made our hut for the night. 

WOW, the new style huts are stunning, very spacious for sleeping and dining. and pose great views out to Bahn Bluff. It’s great that the old hut was kept, you can camp there and its also near where the group site is. 

A beautiful moment watching the sun go down and after dinner a clear, cool stary night. 

 

 

 

 

18/11/22  Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere 11kms including side trip to Lake Will

 

 

A easy walk today to Lake Windermere via Lake Will. A 3km side trip to the lake, had a lengthy break and some people braved the water for a swim.

A back drop of the other side of Bahn Bluff. 

The group made it to lake windermere for lunch and after some of us even braved the waters of the lake itself. 

Dinner in these new huts is a bit like glamping, Lake Windermere and Kia Ora Huts were just finished 2 weeks prior to when we arrived.

You could smell the finished work. With a timed gas heater and lights powered by solar (I assume) in the dinning area. 

Tonight was the last night anyone camped, as the weather was to turn.

 

 

 

19/11/22 Lake Windermere to New Pelion Hut 18kms 

 

This was a big day of walking distance as we new there was some weather coming in. The terrain starts to change from the previous days, Through a pine forest moor and a brief stop at Fourth Valley Lookout.

Pelion hut is a great base for either climbing Mt Oakliegh (great view of this mountain from the hut). And Mt Osa and Pelion East. 

We managed to get this distance done in just over 6 hours. Hut is full and no one camping tonight. After a chat with the ranger the same whether we observed before we left hadn’t really changed. 

Over at Old Pelion hut, going for a dip in the icy water, witnessing the first drops of rain.

The weather front moves in and this is why you should prepare for anything when in Tasmania. 

 

 

 

 

20/11/22 New Pelion Hut to Windy ridge (Bert Nichols Hut) 19kms

 

With rain all night and a departure of 9 degrees in light rain and full rain gear on.

This was to be a much more challenging and longer day than yesterday. 

Though remember “be bold start cold” While it maybe cold, its always easy to layer up with a couple of thick layers under your outer rain layer. 

This will cause you to sweat a lot quicker and when you stop for a moment for a break the cool air could work against you getting sick much quicker.

Ware a thin thermal layer under your outer rain layer and have a thicker layer in your pack ready to put on if need be.

The climb to Pelion Gap is a gradual rise and not knowing what the exposed weather systems are like at the gap itself. 

I arrived at the gap with the quickest members of the group. Only to be greeted by a wind system with brut force and a front coming that started raining, along with sleet.

For the group I was with I took the decision to walk on as there is no where to hide at the gap. 

I never like to split a group at large but we needed to remove ourselves.

What I didn’t do is give Peter his Two way Radio that morning and there for we couldn’t communicate our intentions up at the gap. 

We walked on to Kia Ora Hut. through rain squalls and a track that resembled a river at times.

We made Kia Ora Hut for a long lunch and the back end of the group came in almost 1hr later. 

Our decision to skip this hut and make Windy Ridge was possible but the rain was always going to pose a great challenge. 

It was a another 9.6kms to Windy Ridge and this stint. The rain had set in and once in the forest,  you were tree root bound and it was muddy everywhere.

The challenge of getting to windy ridge was also the large rocks  on the trail with large puddles around them. 

Arriving at Windy Ridge the bunks were full and with the really cold wet conditions no one was camping.

SO the dinning area resembled a refuge as there was probably atleast 6 and two sleeping down at the bottom drying room.

 

 

 

 

21/11/22 Windy Ridge to Narcissus Hut 9kms

 

With the really cold weather of the previous night we woke to a thick blanket of snow. WOW – Surprised BUT NOT. 

Vjay and two randoms to our group were the ones that camped. Well done 

With a later start but also the reality that we had to walk in the snow, we left around 9am for a 9kms walk to Narcissus Hut.

The whole time it was snowing, which is a experience in its self. But when all the foliage is saturated, many large rocks and huge muddy puddles to negate on trail. It makes it very slow and challenging. 

We were drowned, sodden rats once we got to Narcissus Hut, but our core was warm and dry. 

Who said the Overland Track was meant to be easy ? 

This was us for the day, not much to do as it was so saturated outside. The white stuff continued through the afternoon with rain so the snow was melting away. 

Every time I have done the Overland Track, I have always walked around lake St Clair to the Visitors centre. Thats a extra 18kms, rather than finishing at Narcissus Hut 65kms. 

I reluctantly Called the ferry base at Lake St Clair for a ferry pickup (phone reception was only at the Helipad) at 10am the next morning and $50 PP (what a captive market) 

 

 

 

 

22/11/22 Narcissus Hut to Lake St Clair Via ferry 

 

As we woke the next morning just like the previous, another dump of snow. This time what seemed thicker, a white winter  – mountinous wonder land.

That put a stop to myself and a couple of members in the group, as we were thinking about leaving early and walking out along the lake.

Mt Olympus was covered in snow right to lake level. 

It was a 30 minute boat ride to reach Lake St Clair visitors centre and a 1pm pickup transfer to Hobart. 

WE DID IT – What a Overland Track –

Like no other , extremely challenging but also extremely rewarding. 

Plenty of time for some to have a Overland Burger and the Souvenir shop. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The conditions are a reminder that it’s extremely important to prepare for anything. Do Not cut corners in your gear prep in environments such as this. 

Groups behind us felt the full brunt of the snow and some had to get rescued out or stay in a hut. 

we were quite lucky to the fact that our departure day was in the middle of two volatile weather systems. So there was a few days of reasonable weather to start our journey. 

 

Overland Track Completed 

 

We had a 1:30pm Pick up from the Lake St Clair Visitors centre

Kevin of  Tasmania Wilderness Experiences 

Oh what a character he was, He made our transfer to Hobart, all the more FUN . We stopped off at Rosny Hill Lookout before arriving into Hobart. 

We loved his Witt/ Humour that much that we asked him back to deliver a Half day tour for us the next day. 

So want some local knowledge, Bush walking tours or transport, with some local Witt throw in. Then contact him.

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Photography by: Indigo Photography

Indigo Adventures

Norman Herfurth

“This Blog is of the Opinion of my own Personal Experiences and are not necessarily Fact. And is written to the best of my knowledge, but there may be omissions, errors or mistakes. This blog is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only and shouldn’t be seen as any kind of advice.”