Comments on: Overland Track – Tasmania in Winter – some lessons http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html Bushwalking, hiking & backpacking information, meals, advice Sun, 20 May 2012 11:40:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: geoff b http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-254710 geoff b Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:56:20 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-254710 Hi guys 3 of us finished the walk march 18 we had the most glorious of weather only rained a day and a half out of seven. I used your gear list to pack from (Thanks) but at the start my pack still weighed in at 25kg? I was completely self sufficient ie tent first aid kit etc.what weight should i be aiming to get my pack down too? whilst carrying every thing as a solo walker. Sadly as i found out my trusty hybrid pack that i have used on a few overnight hikes in scouts just doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to multi day walks, so am now on the lookout for a new pack and any hints and tips to get the weight down as i would love to and will be back for each season with winter being my last season to walk. At the very start when we were telling people we were doing the walk several said they had done it a few times and i thought to myself WHY would you do an 80km walk several times. Well i now know why and cant wait to come back and do it all again. Hi guys 3 of us finished the walk march 18 we had the most glorious of weather only rained a day and a half out of seven.
I used your gear list to pack from (Thanks) but at the start my pack still weighed in at 25kg?
I was completely self sufficient ie tent first aid kit etc.what weight should i be aiming to get my pack down too? whilst carrying every thing as a solo walker.

Sadly as i found out my trusty hybrid pack that i have used on a few overnight hikes in scouts just doesn’t cut the mustard when it comes to multi day walks, so am now on the lookout for a new pack and any hints and tips to get the weight down as i would love to and will be back for each season with winter being my last season to walk.
At the very start when we were telling people we were doing the walk several said they had done it a few times and i thought to myself WHY would you do an 80km walk several times. Well i now know why and cant wait to come back and do it all again.

]]> By: shevaun http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-254547 shevaun Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:55:39 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-254547 When will you do it? I am planning to do it on my own starting April 16th. Looking for companions, but am pushed for time as need to catch the bus from Lake St Clair on the 22nd (ferry at 12:30 from Narcissus Hut). Thanks for all the advice above - ok ok, I WILL buy gaiters! :P PLease let me know how the weather was! Thanks! When will you do it? I am planning to do it on my own starting April 16th. Looking for companions, but am pushed for time as need to catch the bus from Lake St Clair on the 22nd (ferry at 12:30 from Narcissus Hut).
Thanks for all the advice above – ok ok, I WILL buy gaiters! :P
PLease let me know how the weather was!
Thanks!

]]> By: Warren http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-230366 Warren Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:52:42 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-230366 Going to be doing this walk in a weeks time (Summer) Loved reading the article and thought I would share an interesting story from a friend who did the trip. He headed out in summer with basically none of the right gear. A pair of thongs and some blunstone boots for footwear. Day 1 heading to the track he was lounging in his thongs when a ranger advised him that he couldn't do the walk in those. His response was to do the entire trip in a pair of thongs. We planned to do this trip on a budget similary to the auther of this piece however what it turned out to be was a $5000 gear buying frenzy where we have gone way overboard! Quality fleace, a $800 jacket and $400 pants backpacks at $600 each and it just doesnt seem to stop! Anyway can't wait and looking at the weather for the next week Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain :) Should make for a fun trip Going to be doing this walk in a weeks time (Summer) Loved reading the article and thought I would share an interesting story from a friend who did the trip.

He headed out in summer with basically none of the right gear. A pair of thongs and some blunstone boots for footwear.

Day 1 heading to the track he was lounging in his thongs when a ranger advised him that he couldn’t do the walk in those.

His response was to do the entire trip in a pair of thongs.

We planned to do this trip on a budget similary to the auther of this piece however what it turned out to be was a $5000 gear buying frenzy where we have gone way overboard!

Quality fleace, a $800 jacket and $400 pants backpacks at $600 each and it just doesnt seem to stop!

Anyway can’t wait and looking at the weather for the next week

Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain :) Should make for a fun trip

]]> By: Frank http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-61871 Frank Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:24:30 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-61871 Hi Alex, Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment. Yep, we have seen a few interesting set ups on different trips we have done down there. It must be so frustrating in that sort of job as you can't really turn them back. That is one of the reasons we wrote our eBook on the OT, to try and tell it straight and in simple terms. Part of our "target" market , well, let's say people we thought might buy it, was backpackers. It turns out, most people who buy it are those that plan carefully and read widely. Not quite the backpacker market! Cheers Frank Hi Alex,
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment. Yep, we have seen a few interesting set ups on different trips we have done down there. It must be so frustrating in that sort of job as you can’t really turn them back.
That is one of the reasons we wrote our eBook on the OT, to try and tell it straight and in simple terms. Part of our “target” market , well, let’s say people we thought might buy it, was backpackers. It turns out, most people who buy it are those that plan carefully and read widely. Not quite the backpacker market!
Cheers
Frank

]]> By: Alex http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-61837 Alex Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:50:56 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-61837 I wish more people read this sort of stuff before heading out into the wilderness- I've worked a few summers as a discovery ranger at Cradle Mountain and one of my various duties was to try to intercept Overland Track walkers and convince them that the summer sleeping bag and the see-through plastic raincoat was not going to cut the mustard as far as safety (let alone comfort) is concerned. It is always a challenge on a fine sunny day trying to convince overseas (and some Australian mainland) visitors that it really can and does snow in summer and you need to have the gear for that. To be honest I am astonished that more people don't die out there. Gaiters and boots are essential kit- not only for safety and comfort but so people are more inclined to stay on the track and less inclined to turn the fragile alpine plant communities into a bottomless oozing quagmire. Great post! I wish more people read this sort of stuff before heading out into the wilderness- I’ve worked a few summers as a discovery ranger at Cradle Mountain and one of my various duties was to try to intercept Overland Track walkers and convince them that the summer sleeping bag and the see-through plastic raincoat was not going to cut the mustard as far as safety (let alone comfort) is concerned. It is always a challenge on a fine sunny day trying to convince overseas (and some Australian mainland) visitors that it really can and does snow in summer and you need to have the gear for that. To be honest I am astonished that more people don’t die out there.

Gaiters and boots are essential kit- not only for safety and comfort but so people are more inclined to stay on the track and less inclined to turn the fragile alpine plant communities into a bottomless oozing quagmire.
Great post!

]]> By: Frank http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-8058 Frank Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:28:00 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-8058 Hi Graeme, Depends on your definition of mud? There is mud and there is MUD. You will probably get more in there than on the rest of the OT. There are a few boggy sections but nothing like the South Coast track or other places in Tasmania. What ever happens the whole track will be either wet, muddy, rooty, slippery or duck boarding. I assume you will be wearing gaiters. Have a great trip and hope the weather is great! Frank Hi Graeme,
Depends on your definition of mud? There is mud and there is MUD. You will probably get more in there than on the rest of the OT. There are a few boggy sections but nothing like the South Coast track or other places in Tasmania. What ever happens the whole track will be either wet, muddy, rooty, slippery or duck boarding. I assume you will be wearing gaiters. Have a great trip and hope the weather is great!
Frank

]]> By: Graeme http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-7989 Graeme Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:16:00 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-7989 Hi Frank Planning an o/land trip early august south to north and I was wandering about the track conditions from Cynthia bay to Narcissus hut in winter ? Will it be a mud fest? Graeme Hi Frank
Planning an o/land trip early august south to north and I was wandering
about the track conditions from Cynthia bay to Narcissus hut in winter ?
Will it be a mud fest?

Graeme

]]> By: Frank http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-7420 Frank Tue, 08 Jun 2010 05:06:40 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-7420 Hi Xavier, Welcome and thanks for sharing your trip report. You guys seemed to have a great time. Love the line “Can you feel your feet?”, must have been cold. Cheers and thanks for sharing Frank Hi Xavier,
Welcome and thanks for sharing your trip report. You guys seemed to have a great time.

Love the line “Can you feel your feet?”, must have been cold.
Cheers and thanks for sharing
Frank

]]> By: Xavier Shay http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-7214 Xavier Shay Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:10:15 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-7214 My extended family hiked this track one easter - a much nicer time than when you went by the sounds of it! The weather was for the most part acceptable (for Tasmania!). My brother and I wrote up a trip report about it: http://www.two-shay.com/articles/hiking-the-overland-track My extended family hiked this track one easter – a much nicer time than when you went by the sounds of it! The weather was for the most part acceptable (for Tasmania!). My brother and I wrote up a trip report about it: http://www.two-shay.com/articles/hiking-the-overland-track

]]> By: naomi http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-3103 naomi Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:47:22 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-3103 no snow, harder walk though! no snow, harder walk though!

]]> By: Frank http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/10-mistakes-not-to-make-doing-overland.html/comment-page-1#comment-2256 Frank Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:19:22 +0000 http://www.ourhikingblog.com.au/2009/06/overland-track-tasmania-in-winter-some-lessons.html#comment-2256 Hi Bernie, The world is a small place hey? I sometimes wonder if you ended up doing the Overland Track or was that the end of it for that trip? Must have been rough weather! Have fun on the South Coast Track, we were there this time last year and had a great time. You should be ok for snow... Frank Hi Bernie,
The world is a small place hey? I sometimes wonder if you ended up doing the Overland Track or was that the end of it for that trip? Must have been rough weather!
Have fun on the South Coast Track, we were there this time last year and had a great time. You should be ok for snow…
Frank

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