Current Overland Track Conditions July 2010

[ILUVSWTAS]

This one could be interesting. Lyell Highway could be closed if this graph is true.

[mikesheard]

Hi Everyone,
Just arrived back home after a week on the overland,VERY little snow heaps sunshine and was able to do a few summit walks(Mount ossa was amazing)Scott kilver and Pine valley had no heating apart from that it was almost like a spring hike,Group of 6 had a fantastic time even planning a trip back in a week or so

[Liamy77]

got this email from Mr chapman (of the guide books)...he did the walk recently and was discussing this and his OT & WOJ book.... you might be interested ( i hope he doesn't mind me posting parts of this...

Liam

[...]

Regarding the weather last week, I have walked the Overland Track twice in winter before and also done 2 trips in winter to the Western Arthurs.
I have never before had a really fine winter day and we had fine days for half of last week - about time I saw the sun in winter! However snow was very minimal but you cant have everything. Regarding frozen mud, we also had that in plenty, a bigger problem was the frozen slippery boardwalks - Ok where they had wire on them but dangerous where they were just bare boards. A few creek crossings were a very gentle boot slide to get across without sliding off the side into the creek! The new Windy Ridge Hut is a poor design, we met the ranger at the hut and he agreed and told us of some plans to modify it - they are aware of the problems and it seems like they will improve it soon to cater for more beds and reduce the kitchen ceiling height and also keep the possums out
- apparantly they were in the hut the day it was opened!

I will be interested to hear any comments about the Cradle and Walls guide. You will find a section at the back for experienced walkers as these extra tracks are often not well marked and sometimes are not easy to follow - notes are briefer but that section does include page links to the more well used tracks so you can easily find where those tracks link in.

Enjoy walking the area.
John

[whynotwalk]

Well the snow has come at last! Plenty of it falling now in the south, and here are some pix from yesterday courtesy of a ranger at Cradle.

Now if only I could remember where the skis were ... it's been so long

cheers

Peter

Snow on the Dove Lake Rd

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Waldheim

Mt Kate Hut

[Son of a Beach]

The ABC news used that Waldheim picture for their weather photo tonight. Looks great. I hope it sticks around for a couple more weeks when I get to go walking there.

[Liamy77]

You should be OK Nik.... ( I know cause i bought a new coat and it won't be here for a week or two yet - that'll be when the weather will warm up n dry out!)

[tas-man]

I hope it sticks around for a couple more weeks when I get to go walking there.

Looks good Nik - there's a good dump coming end of this week if the predictions are on target.

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[Son of a Beach]

2. Current status on gas heaters and coal supplies

Update as of last week:

• Echo Point - no idea, arrived after dark, and didn't feel the need for a heater
• Narcissus - no idea, lunch stop only
• Windy Ridge (Bert Nichols) - plenty of good dry firewood under the hut for the wood heater to last through the year, and probably well into next year (IF the summer walkers don't overuse it - not likely).
• Kiaora - enough coal there to last for a few more weeks at least
• Pelion - no idea, lunch stop only
• Windermere - gas working fine as of last week
• Waterfall Valley - gas working fine as of last week

[cixelsyd]

2. Current status on gas heaters and coal supplies

Update as of last week:

• Echo Point - no idea, arrived after dark, and didn't feel the need for a heater
• Narcissus - no idea, lunch stop only
• Windy Ridge (Bert Nichols) - plenty of good dry firewood under the hut for the wood heater to last through the year, and probably well into next year (IF the summer walkers don't overuse it - not likely).
• Kiaora - enough coal there to last for a few more weeks at least
• Pelion - no idea, lunch stop only
• Windermere - gas working fine as of last week
• Waterfall Valley - gas working fine as of last week

Thanks for the update SOAB. I'm doing the OT in October so this is handy. How deep was the snow when you went??

Regards
cixelsyd

[Son of a Beach]

See the trip reports forum for full details of conditions during my last walk, but it was often waist deep and sometimes over head deep.