Fording streams

[Simonvw]

My wife and I are booked to do the Overland after Christmas. She just read a review that talked about wading through knee deep water to cross a stream. I understood all the streams were either under a bridge or you could avoid wading. Anyone know it could have been old or some side track.

[johnw]

I don't recall fording anything as such. There can be a bit of water/mud encountered along the track, generally not much more than ankle deep in my experience. I guess some variation could occur depending on prior weather conditions. The only thing that comes to mind is the short side trip to Old Pelion hut, which I haven't done but think I have read about some wading/deeper mud on that?

[norts]

Old Pelion hut has been done up.
Frog Flats can be very wet after alot of rain and track can go under water.
Have to be be prepared for any of the creek crossings to be wet if there is any really heavy rain.

Roger

[Nuts]

Mt Oakleigh side trip?

[tasadam]

I can remember Nik once mentioning he had to cross a fairly deep creek just before Kitchen Hut, but that was in winter, and it was before they built the bridge.

Perhaps you can show us what review your wife was reading by providing a link, and we can investigate? I suspect it's either old data, or possibly a side trip or an exceptional weather event.

[flatfoot]

With heavy rain, in places the track becomes a stream as it's the easiest way for the water to head downhill. I am thinking of some of the ascending / descending sections between Windemere and Pelion. That day we had constant rain.

I also have the opinion that stepping around all the water uses much more energy than just walking through it.

I had a particularly wet trip in December last year. We were rewarded with the 3 main falls running at full force. The white water could be clearly seen from the top of Mt Ossa!

One particularly wet/muddy diversion was negotiating the mud between the Lake Will shore and the waterfall at the end of the lake. This is a 1 - 2 hr extension to the side-trip to Lake will. These falls are worth a visit if there has been a significant amount of rain.

[sthughes]

Mt Oakleigh side trip?

Nah, that's only chest deep mud in one spot and the stream you cross is more like kneck deep if you fall off the crossing twigs.

But yeah on the OT proper generally ankle deep is about it unless there's a fair bit of rain. All the creeks are bridged but the track will flood in rain.

[corvus]

Yes sthughes got to agree with that assessment and I know you are speaking from personal expereience
corvus

[Simonvw]

Thanks for the help guys. We now have every waterproof device known to man. Including a thing called seal skins - waterproof socks.

[corvus]

Sealskins I am led to believe are only good if you are not underwater above the top for more than just a moment or two
corvus

[north-north-west]

Get a drysuit. Might be a bit hot, but you won't get wet (except maybe from sweat).

Better still, get a Newtsuit. The ultimate in scrub armour.

[corvus]

Very droll nnw
corvus

[freemandale]

I have sealskin socks - way too hot to wear unless I was fording a stream and then not too deep or stoney - not great foot protection. But! They are great as hut 'socks' when the feet just refuse to have boots put back on, very warm and comforting when the feet have had enough! Tough enough to make it to the toilets without boots as long as it is a formed track. They take up less space and weight in the pack than hut shoes. I think I've got my money's worth- maybe not as the manufacturer intended!