Current Overland Track Conditions July 2010

[olblackbilly]

better off installing a decent wind turbine at each hut site, that way if its a bit windy just turn on the electric heating....a few electric blankets wouldnt go astray either if it got a little bit cold..and a big plasma tv screen..that would keep the softie mainlanders happy if it got a little bit cold and windy outside......

[sthughes]

or perhaps a small nuclear reactor from a decommissioned Russian submarine would be less of an eye sore??

[olblackbilly]

bit worried about the nuclear waste issues...especially in a national park.....then again we do have a minature coal fired power station at scott kilvert......

[juney]

Just wanted to say thanks to whynotwalk for sticking to the original topic. Thanks

If anyone else has got info on current OT conditions because you've actually been there in person, then I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers,
Juney

[Nuts]

one of our mob was into waterfall valley yesterday, no snow around... erm, not really sure what else important to say about 'conditions', he didnt bother to check the heater...

[ILUVSWTAS]

Snow all OVER the southern ranges and Adamsons peak in the south today........

[Nuts]

Yes...a cold, miserable place that SOUTH...shiver

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hahaha you really didnt get any up north?? wow!1 Thats good cause we're heading up to the Tiers on Sat!!
Even Wellington has some down very very low. and it stayed all day which is rare!
Adamsons was truly amazing for a one night dump!!

[Nuts]

could have been some today ? I suspect all the rain we had (being the wet miserable north lol) might have washed it away, wasn't even a patch apparently. There are a few showery days forecast with temperatures down around zero so we might get a dusting here and there. Great weather for the swedes, ah, if a man only had a hilleberg

[ILUVSWTAS]

, ah, if a man only had a hilleberg

[Out_Walking]

Hey there,
I could be a be a bit late for this topic but in July my son and I walked into Walls of Jerusalem and then across to the Overland via the Never Never. We then walked north back to Cradle Mountain.

Weather was pretty good for the week. Snow overnight for the first night at Dixon Kingdoms but after that most days were clear and sunny. The nights with the clear sky were pretty cold though! This caused the boards and rocks to have lots of ice in the morning. I especially found it tricky just walking from Kia Ora Hut to Pelion Hut. I think it only takes a day of rain or a mildly warmer evening for that ice to be gone so it's hard to judge!

Heaters in huts? Mm...I'm about the only bloke in the world that's not too fussed by a cold hut! I seem to sleep better! I did notice the intentions book at Windermere Hut had complaints that the heater didn't work due to lack of gas. We found the heater worked fine though once we mastered the art of turning them on! It's all in the wrist I think! Anyway, I'm not sure if they weren't working earlier or it was a case of 'operator error'.

Right across the Cradle plateau there was not a sign of snow or ice at all which surprised me considering the time of the year. I walked across there in September last year and it was so different due a decent covering of snow. It was a bit of an anti-climax this time! I do know though that this may be irrelevant considering it's over two weeks since we went through...

I won't keep banging on but I can provide more detail if required. This is my first post so hopefully it's not a total disaster...

[Lizzy]

Great first post Out-walking - you gave heaps of good info which I am sure many will appreciate! Keep up the good work & walks- great to be a voyeur on others hikes when we can't make it out ourselves!!!
Cheers
Lizzy

[Out_Walking]

Thanks Lizzy!

I've found this a really handy website for hiking info. Instead of reading I decided I should contribute here and there. I've always got lots of questions of my own before any hike! I'm contemplating a trip to Maria Island in the next month. I don't know anything about the place but it does sound good...

[juney]

Thanks Out Walking....& no certainly not a disaster
I have arrived in Tasmania today & I hit the track tomorrrow. I Do love the cradle area in winter. Snow is forecast tonight, but I'm not sure at what level - other than "highland".

[whynotwalk]

Hi Out Walking. Maria is a fabulous winter destination. Good walking, camping, mountain biking - with wildlife & history as well. Check out http://www.parks.tas.gov.au. and be sure the ferry is running.

cheers

Peter

[Out_Walking]

Thanks for the link regarding Maria Island. It's a place I know very little about which sounds good! I've come across a week in August where I'm not working. Not working is a bonus but the thought of sneaking in a four day hike in Tassie is even better! I better get cracking and start to organise something. I will get going otherwise this topic will be getting way off track

[robl]

I hope to leave Dove Lake tomorrow. (wed)
I have rushed over here from Tasman Peninsula for the apparent imminent good weather?
Good luck. (from G. P., tonight)
Any advice welcome.

[Nuts]

Just finished one:

*Snow on peaks and elevations over 1200m (Imagine more fell yesterday?)
*No gas in existing Windermere hut bottle
*Trees over track Pelion West, Pelion Gap

Otherwise all good, huts were clean and tidy, toilets ok , saw perhaps 3/4 people per day on average..

****take care with ice on southern slopes
****when you find a water tank tap frozen up please dont forget to turn it off!

[Nuts]

Mount Ossa last Thursday

[north-north-west]

Blue skies and snow on Ossa. Why am I here?

[Phil]

WOW!!

Why am I here too! I can feel an annual leave day coming........

note to self; pencil in a day and keep an eye on the weather forecast.

[tas-man]

Looks good for some decent snow in the Cradle/Lake St Clair region this weekend - check the forecasts here http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/dynamic/tasmania
Here's their prediction for Sunday 1st August.

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[walkinTas]

Looking good! It's getting close to that time of the year when one goes for a walk to Meander Falls to see the frozen falls. A couple more dumps like that should do the trick.

[Nuts]

Good one Tas-man...hey, the arvos looking like a corker:

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[ILUVSWTAS]

Getting a bit excited too early me thinks guys.
That snow forecaster is fun, but rarely accurate....

Here's the latest for the same time, just as an example as how often it changes.

[Nuts]

Yes Yes, theres always one to spoil the fun ... It also doesnt give any real indication of whats still laying between falls (the real source of heavy snow conditions)

[ILUVSWTAS]

[corvus]

Yes Yes, theres always one to spoil the fun ... It also doesnt give any real indication of whats still laying between falls (the real source of heavy snow conditions)

Yes mate it is what is on the ground that counts if you need to walk through it, not what is actually falling and by the fore cast it looks as if it will be deep in Marigold valley and on the Cradle Plateau

[Nuts]

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[juney]

Wow that Mt Ossa photo is fabulous!!
I went in to Waterfall and Windemere last Wed, Thur and back to Dove Lake Fri. We had 3 days of sunshine and clear skies, which was great. There was quite a bit of snow on the track on the Wed, but it was mostly gone and replaced by ice by the Friday.
The rest of my party continued on to Lake ST Clair and finished on Monday.
The word on heating
All along the main track heaters are working except for Windamere. Windamere worked at night, but there is a problem with the timer, and once that stops working so does the gas. Other people more mechanically minded than I said that the battery that operates the timer is solar charged, but no longer holding charge properly. Hence, if it has been a sunny day, it will work for a while, but then starts making a loud ticking noise and then the heater wont come on.
Spoke to others who had come from Scott Kilvert and they confirmed there is no coal left there.
As far as current conditions go, well I am at Cradle Mountain Lodge and it has been drizzly for days and rained quite heavily for most of last night. It is still raining now (11:18am). I havn't really seen much sun at all since last Friday.
The battery on my thermometer has died so I have no temp. reports. Doesn't seem cold enough for snow though.
Cheers,
Juney