Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Discussion specifically about the Overland Track should be posted in this subforum, including side trips and the Cradle Mountain day walk area. Alternative access routes and connecting routes belong in the parent forum.
Forum rules
Overland Track App
An electronic guidebook for planning and walking the Overland Track.
Download this app for loads of information about planning, gear, food, accommodation and much more about the Overland Track.
You will also find topo maps, terrain profiles and track notes for offline use.
$10 -- Discount to $3 until December 15
Image

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Strider » Fri 25 Sep, 2015 11:38 pm

Oh. I have a point and shoot. Not much of a photographer but I'll take a few snaps to look back on.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Nuts » Mon 28 Sep, 2015 9:22 am

Just point and shoot :) the place will do the rest! (& you need that evidence..)
Now that strider is well underway it's safe to say that the most common remark- 'I wish i'd paid the $200..'
The obvious dilemma, very few walkers over winter (to warrant staff/ extended booking system) and yet few places taken from the system in October.

Anyhow.. some snow on the way later in the week (may have been/ may be washed out pretty quickly with the warmer days and rain).
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby kitty » Mon 28 Sep, 2015 11:24 am

Nuts wrote:...the most common remark- 'I wish i'd paid the $200..'
The obvious dilemma, very few walkers over winter (to warrant staff/ extended booking system) and yet few places taken from the system in October.


Hi Nuts, forgive my ignorance, but I dont understand the above.
Just curious, are you saying that people dont walk the OLT (during the booking season) because they dont want to pay $200, ie, they wish they went in non-winter?
Why do so few people walk in October, as you mention? Im curious because Im walking the OLT in couple of weeks - in October :)
From my research I know its not the best time of year to go weather-wise, but its the only time I could go this year.
Thanks in advance for explaining...Kitty
kitty
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 283
Joined: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 8:04 am
Region: Western Australia
Gender: Female

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Azza » Mon 28 Sep, 2015 12:01 pm

kitty wrote:Why do so few people walk in October, as you mention? Im curious because Im walking the OLT in couple of weeks - in October :)
From my research I know its not the best time of year to go weather-wise, but its the only time I could go this year.


Wet and Windy season - lots of weather fronts coming through on a pretty regular basis. The weather usually doesn't sort itself out till late November.
Luck of the draw, I've done the OLT is October and we had fantastic weather.
Entirely possibly you could walk the OLT and see lots of cloud. But your not going to know until you turn up.

Of course paying $200 and going in summer doesn't guarantee you good weather either.
User avatar
Azza
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 980
Joined: Thu 06 Mar, 2008 11:26 am

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Nuts » Mon 28 Sep, 2015 12:31 pm

Pretty much as Azza says Kitty changeable weather, though the days are getting longer 12.5 - 13.5hrs over October.
I wouldn't be too bothered walking in October though, you may score a nice stable week.

At least you'll miss the crowds.

If you look at the public booking server, even there weather isn't the only driver, the summer school / xmas holidays seem the first most popular time. Outside that, while ever there is a cutoff (start/end) date there will be a cluster of people trying to leave. Looking at the logbooks in the huts there were a scattering of people over winter right up till late September, 0-5-10per day. If you look at the public booking system, again in early Oct there will be very few leaving. By comparison, last week (with the fee-free period about to end), there were several huts full with some sleeping on the floor, as well as all the provided campsites taken.
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby kitty » Mon 28 Sep, 2015 12:51 pm

Ahh...it just clicked - September is "no-fee" :) Fees start from October.
Thanks for your replies Nuts and Azza.
Yes, I realise its going to be pot luck with the weather, taking all my warm gear and rain gear.
Will be a little different from last time I walked it, which was Christmas-time and fully booked - might be the only ones out there this time.
Even at Christmas is was cold-ish, windy, driven rain, with a remnant patch of snow on Ossa (But then gloriously sunny as well). Time will tell what October has in store.
Interesting to hear that some huts were full last week.
kitty
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 283
Joined: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 8:04 am
Region: Western Australia
Gender: Female

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby kitty » Tue 29 Sep, 2015 10:23 am

Today
Attachments
2015092910am.jpg
2015092910am.jpg (54.1 KiB) Viewed 101062 times
kitty
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 283
Joined: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 8:04 am
Region: Western Australia
Gender: Female

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby DanShell » Tue 29 Sep, 2015 11:25 am

kitty wrote:Today



We had a large dump of rain last night and it isn't exactly cold so I don't think that will help the snow chasers :)
User avatar
DanShell
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1261
Joined: Mon 18 Mar, 2013 11:23 am
Location: Central
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Nuts » Tue 29 Sep, 2015 11:53 am

Some of the drifts are very solid but there's a heat wave coming. It's definitely been awesome winter, a few notches wilder, less tamed.
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby north-north-west » Thu 01 Oct, 2015 7:04 am

Drifts on eastern and southern flanks are the ones to last. Even Murchison still had drifts over a metre deep just a few days ago, and in higher places some were twice that. But the last few falls were very light and the snow didn't last long once the weather cleared.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
User avatar
north-north-west
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 15069
Joined: Thu 14 May, 2009 7:36 pm
Location: The Asylum
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Social Misfits Anonymous
Region: Tasmania

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby aloftas » Thu 01 Oct, 2015 3:58 pm

It looks like this at the moment.
I really like this webcam.
I would like to add, that it looks quite still at the moment.
imagine the windchill factor on top of all that humidity, should a storm front roll over?

Brrrrrrrr, is what.

.
Attachments
october 1.jpg
october 1.jpg (35.99 KiB) Viewed 100981 times
aloftas
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Fri 04 Jan, 2013 9:44 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby pazzar » Thu 01 Oct, 2015 4:09 pm

Nuts wrote:Some of the drifts are very solid but there's a heat wave coming. It's definitely been awesome winter, a few notches wilder, less tamed.


Very interested to see how much of the big drift underneath the summit track disappears with the upcoming wave.
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
User avatar
pazzar
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2743
Joined: Thu 09 Jul, 2009 5:22 pm
Location: Hobart
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Strider » Thu 01 Oct, 2015 5:28 pm

I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby corvus » Sat 03 Oct, 2015 6:49 pm

Strider wrote:I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


How was the Snow on the track from Rangers Hut to Hanson's Peak :?:
collige virgo rosas
User avatar
corvus
Vercundus gearus-freakius
Vercundus gearus-freakius
 
Posts: 5538
Joined: Mon 23 Apr, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Strider » Sat 03 Oct, 2015 6:54 pm

corvus wrote:
Strider wrote:I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


How was the Snow on the track from Rangers Hut to Hanson's Peak :?:

No snow on the track. Just incredibly wet and windy.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby corvus » Sat 03 Oct, 2015 7:11 pm

Did you do the Rodway Track by choice or because of the Snow over the Plateau ?
collige virgo rosas
User avatar
corvus
Vercundus gearus-freakius
Vercundus gearus-freakius
 
Posts: 5538
Joined: Mon 23 Apr, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Strider » Sat 03 Oct, 2015 7:52 pm

We were a day ahead of schedule as we skipped Bert Nichols and Pelion huts. We decided to overnight at Scott Kilvert for the last night instead and intended to summit Cradle on our final day, until hearing it was very icy and everyone who had attempted the previous day had been unsuccessful.

Snow on the plateau wasn't a deciding factor but given the conditions on the Lk Rodway track we were very glad we didn't go the other way.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby corvus » Sat 03 Oct, 2015 10:49 pm

Have done that Hut skip in the past only we did it down hill Windermere to Kia Ora then on to Narcissus and out via Ferry ,only problem was that we were stuck at St Clair for two days waiting for our Bus home :lol: might add that was the last time I used the Ferry ,always walk the Lake side Track now.
collige virgo rosas
User avatar
corvus
Vercundus gearus-freakius
Vercundus gearus-freakius
 
Posts: 5538
Joined: Mon 23 Apr, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: Devonport
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Phil » Wed 07 Oct, 2015 9:59 am

Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!
User avatar
Phil
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon 25 Aug, 2008 2:06 pm
Location: Launceston
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby wayno » Wed 07 Oct, 2015 10:14 am

Phil wrote:Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!


are you aware of the cradle mtn webcam?

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=28485
from the land of the long white clouds...
User avatar
wayno
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8782
Joined: Sun 19 Jun, 2011 7:26 am
Location: NZ
Region: New Zealand
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Phil » Wed 07 Oct, 2015 10:15 am

yes thanks mate
User avatar
Phil
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon 25 Aug, 2008 2:06 pm
Location: Launceston
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Son of a Beach » Fri 09 Oct, 2015 4:18 pm

Phil wrote:Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!


Hey Phil! My sister was on the summit of Mt Ossa on the weekend. I saw a photo of them there with some moderate patches of snow up on the summit. They are non-walkers, so if they made it to the summit, then there's not enough snow to make walking, sorry running, difficult.
Last edited by Son of a Beach on Fri 09 Oct, 2015 4:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Son of a Beach
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 7014
Joined: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 7:55 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Bit Map (NIXANZ)
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Son of a Beach » Fri 09 Oct, 2015 4:23 pm

PS. Here's the photo. Taken on Mt Ossa, on Sunday just gone. The background gives a good indication of general snow conditions as of a few days ago.

Shame about the weather, eh?

image1.JPG
image1.JPG (86.05 KiB) Viewed 100613 times
Son of a Beach
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 7014
Joined: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 7:55 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: Bit Map (NIXANZ)
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Overlandman » Fri 09 Oct, 2015 9:39 pm

Never seen the black rectangle up there before, the things people carry up there. :)
Whatever, Wherever, Whenever
Overlandman
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1566
Joined: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 5:22 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Phil » Fri 09 Oct, 2015 10:42 pm

All good thanks; ran in and out the Arm River track today; spectacular!!
Attachments
IMG_6060.jpg
IMG_6028.jpg
IMG_6039.jpg
IMG_6090.jpg
User avatar
Phil
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon 25 Aug, 2008 2:06 pm
Location: Launceston
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Overlandman » Thu 26 Nov, 2015 8:44 am

A Southerly blast hit the Overland area last night, with snow settling on the peaks down to Dove Lake.
The Central Plateau looks clear from the Anglers Alliance Web Cams. 8)
Regards OLM
Whatever, Wherever, Whenever
Overlandman
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1566
Joined: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 5:22 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Overlandman » Fri 27 Nov, 2015 3:52 pm

Further snow falls yesterday afternoon & overnight.
Also good falls on the Western Tiers clearly visible this morning.
Just drove the Highland Lakes Rd, no snow up there now but it was white on the ground this morning

From ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-27/n ... er/6979504

From the Mercury

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... 7624129518
Whatever, Wherever, Whenever
Overlandman
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1566
Joined: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 5:22 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Overlandman » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 11:41 am

A Southerly blast produced more snow overnight, settling almost down to Dove Lake.
The warm summer sun, when it shows itself will quickly melt it.
Looks cold up there at the moment.
Regards OLM
Whatever, Wherever, Whenever
Overlandman
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1566
Joined: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 5:22 pm
Location: Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby Nuts » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 12:40 pm

Aye it is!
User avatar
Nuts
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 8632
Joined: Sat 05 Apr, 2008 12:22 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

Postby HikingPilot » Tue 08 Dec, 2015 1:52 pm

Just got home from hiking the OT in late November. Snow reports were correct with approx. 2-3 inches in the higher elevations.

Amazing hike and quite a contrast to the catastrophic fire conditions that affected SA the very same day.

HikingPilot
Attachments
P1100608.JPG
P1100608.JPG (46.5 KiB) Viewed 100065 times
P1100649.JPG
P1100649.JPG (52.31 KiB) Viewed 100065 times
P1100590.JPG
P1100590.JPG (44.59 KiB) Viewed 100065 times
User avatar
HikingPilot
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon 07 Sep, 2015 4:20 pm
Region: South Australia

PreviousNext

Return to Overland Track and Cradle Mountain

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests