First time OLT in Sept?

[TwoDuck]

Hi all We are contemplating the overland track the week of 17 Sept, at least we were until I started trawling these forums! We are Queenslanders with minimal snow experience and we'll have our 10 yo son with us. We'll have all the cold weather and wet gear etc, but I'm worried now about heavy snow. It seems more than likely there'll still be significant amounts of it about at that time, is that right? We are not worried about cold or bad weather but don't have snowshoes or experience using them. The other sticking point is that as travellers to Tas our schedule will be pretty well locked in with next to no wriggle room to change our plans...
I think I've just answered my own question but any thoughts appreciated, especially from others who've been in the same boat and gone ahead - worth it or bail and go in height of summer?

[north-north-west]

Snow in Tasmania tends to not last long. There might be some mid-September, there might not. Keep the possibility in mind, but don't overstress it. You're not likely to need snowshoes. Spikes to cope with the icier sections of track would be a better investment.

If you have good wet-weather gear and warm clothing, just take enough food for a couple of extra days and you should be OK.

[bumpingbill]

nnw has it in one.

It's hard to know if there'll be snow or not, but you can find out by asking the ranger (or here) in the week you're due to depart. The worst of any September snow is likely to be the first day (over Cradle), so if you build in a day or two or three extra you can pick your start date.

Spikes would be best. The boards can get slippery.

Take a PLB with you (can hire from Service Tasmania) in case there's a big dump and you literally can't get out. This happened in August 2015 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-05/h ... ck/6675326)

EDIT: It's worth mentioning that the snow storm featured there was also pretty abnormal (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-04/p ... er/6672058)

[dingelberry]

Hi TwoDuck

Ive done the overland a few times in september first time rained for 5 days with 1 sunny day .
The second time we had snow for 3 of the days and then great weather ..
I would not worry myself to much about it as long as your prepared properly.
ps : the overland in snow is awesome .

[TwoDuck]

Thank you for the advice. Are the spikes you're talking about something like crampons? That strap over your boots? can they be hired do you know? The photos I've seen on here and elsewhere of the olt in snow are awesome. My ten year old is looking forward to it and I just don't want him to have an awful time - we are contemplating leaving it till December. The other thing was I read here somewhere about literally hordes of people and huts overcrowded in September. True? We would be there the week prior to Tassie school hols, do you think it would be super crowded?

[north-north-west]

It won't be super crowded in September, although more people are doing the track in the shoulder seasons. Take a tent and just use the huts for cooking if you want it a bit quieter. Summer and school holidays is when it's at its most crowded.

Spikes are kind of like mini crampons, you don't so much strap them on as slide them over your shoe/boot. Google microspikes and you'll get heaps of images. Kahtoola are probably the best known brand but you can get something very similar a lot cheaper from sites like AliExpress.

[TwoDuck]

Thanks NNW!!

[Krudler]

Hi there,

I went in September 2015 North to south and there was a big dump of snow in the early morning of the proceeding day, we did try and get some height up cradle mountain but the fog settled in and it was difficult with deep melting snow. We were sinking around to our knees/thighs between Kitchen hut and waterfall valley hut, the first day was the toughest. We also didn't have snowshoes. coming from Sydney this all added to the experience.

The huts weren't crowded at all, my partner and myself started the same day as a person walking alone and another group of two. There also weren't that many people going the other way. The busiest was a Pelion hut as there were a few groups that were in on the arm river track to climb the peaks around there.

Not sure what else to mention apart from that we hired a PLB from lake st clair as i left my car there (expensive to get to cradle mountain for two people but I didn't mind as it was an excellent trip!)

[TwoDuck]

Thanks Krudler
Wow, sounds like it was worth the tough first day. I suppose if we allowed a couple of potential extra days at the beginning we could avoid a day or two bad weather. What sort of clothes were you in for the thigh deep snow? Rainpaints? Gaiters?
Cheers

[kitty]

This is the Waterfall Valley logbook. The ranger separtely mentioned the exact same thing - 50ppl on the track at one point in Sept 2015. It also mentions snow in that log.
We walked in Oct 2015 and there was only between 2 and 7 others staying at the hut each night. No snow.

[Strider]

I walked Sep 26th through Oct 4th 2015. As this was the last weekend prior to booking season there were 40-50 people at each hut, with nearly every tent platform filled. I wouldn't say it put a dampener on the experience, however.

[Krudler]

Thanks Krudler
Wow, sounds like it was worth the tough first day. I suppose if we allowed a couple of potential extra days at the beginning we could avoid a day or two bad weather. What sort of clothes were you in for the thigh deep snow? Rainpaints? Gaiters?
Cheers

it did start drizzling on the deep snow section but didnt bother with getting out the rain pants. We did have gaiters which helped keep our legs dryer as it was more common to sink to the knee than the hip, apart from that just standard hiking pants. Another thing i forgot to mention is that areas with raised narrow duckboard it errodes underneath but you can't see it from the top so their is potential to miss the board and punch right through over the side.

I was there earlier in September than the pic above.

[Tortoise]

Thanks Krudler
Wow, sounds like it was worth the tough first day. I suppose if we allowed a couple of potential extra days at the beginning we could avoid a day or two bad weather. What sort of clothes were you in for the thigh deep snow? Rainpaints? Gaiters?
Cheers

Rainpants, even if not posh ones, at least keep the windchill down when you emerge from 'post-holes' in the snow - or in rain with icy winds. Gaiters help with snow, mud and crud. It would be great if you could allow those extra couple of days, and go from north to south - waiting a day or 2 if you have to before you start.

Last spring I joined friends for what was going to be their first night at Waterfall Valley. In the end one of them had to abort, and we had an unscheduled camp on the way back out. She wasn't fit enough for the heavy pack and the snow. Even when I lent her my snow shoes, she fell a lot, as the snow wasn't packed down - so she still spent a lot of energy extracting herself with pack from snowy vegetation and deep holes. We both had a fairly scary experience of finding one leg iced in up to the pelvis, the other leg out on the snow, not being able to get out. I'd gone over to help her. In the end we dug ourselves out with a trowel. That was just past Kitchen hut, where we ended up in the wrong spot in a deep drift.

I've usually had much more positive experiences in the snow, but with a 10 y.o., and not being used to it, I'd be playing it safe by avoiding walking in the deep stuff. Which you should be able to do with that spare day or two. A little snow is lovely. And walking poles certainly help in checking where the boardwalk is under moderate snow, keeping balance when your feet don't stay where you put them, etc. And I've found microspikes really helpful too, with ice being more often a problem than snow up the Cradle end in winter. I'd probably wait for the forecast before deciding if I'd take them in September or not.
Have fun, whenever you decide to do it!

[RonK]

I found myself hip-deep in a few places crossing the Cradle Plateau and the Cirque - and that was in mid- October. It made for a bit longer, harder day that expected, but posed no real difficulty.

I consider gaiters and wet weather gear essential at any time of the year on the OLT.

Looking across the Cradle Plateau with the Cirque and Barn Bluff in the distance, Kitchen Hut in the left middle ground. 17 October 2004.

[TwoDuck]

Thanks so much everyone, all really useful info. So now I am less worried about snow and more about the crowds! However if we get to go when we want we will be the week prior to the start of School hols and two weeks prior to the summer season, so hopefully beat the last minute rush. I just need to fight the urge to have everything planned down to the last second - control freak. Will take some microspikes, extra food etc, plb, and the credit card - and stay an extra night or two before setting off if needed. Bail out plan if it's really bad - head to east coast and walk there! Can't lose.

[Tortoise]

Bail out plan if it's really bad - head to east coast and walk there! Can't lose.

I forgot that bit! Excellent plan. I always have at least a plan B for walks these days - got sick of not getting to do the thing/s I went for. Much more fun now.

[whynot]

Hello TwoDuck,
Like yourselves we are from Queensland and planning to walk the track that week. I guess we will find out how many others are planning the same thing. There is not really any other way to avoid any potential crowds than go outside the school holidays. Our youngest will be twelve but will have his older brothers to carry a lot of the heavier stuff.

[Ant71]

Hi Two Ducks we are planning to go at that time as well. We are planning to use our tent this should avoid any crowd issue with the cabins. We are from NSW and it will be our first time doing the track although we have done two trips to Cradle Mountain and all I can say is the right gear is the key the first time we went in January and it was freezing in the wrong gear the next time was in July with good gear and it's still my favourite walk

[TwoDuck]

Hi Whynot and Ant71! I guess we will see you there? Are you taking any special gear for snow, Whynot? Like snowshoes or spikes? Crossing all fingers and toes for next 5 months that weather will be ok! Cheers.

[Ant71]

Hi Whynot and Ant71! I guess we will see you there? Are you taking any special gear for snow, Whynot? Like snowshoes or spikes? Crossing all fingers and toes for next 5 months that weather will be ok! Cheers.

At this stage we are going to check the wether forecast just before we go and if we think we need them we will hire them i believe you can hire from Launceston

[CasualNerd]

Hi Whynot and Ant71! I guess we will see you there? Are you taking any special gear for snow, Whynot? Like snowshoes or spikes? Crossing all fingers and toes for next 5 months that weather will be ok! Cheers.

At this stage we are going to check the wether forecast just before we go and if we think we need them we will hire them i believe you can hire from Launceston

Be aware there are limited pairs and you'd be wise to reserve them ahead of time if you think you'll need them.

[Ant71]

Thanks CasualNerd will check if we can buy or rent some close to home before we get to close to our departure date