Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

[Overlandman]

Overnight snow settled to below the Face Track & Marions. The Western Tiers & Central Plateau received a blast of white as well

[Onestepmore]

Wow, reading these reports. Yesterday it was 39 deg at my place about 1.5 hrs south of Sydney, and you had snow less than a week ago in Tassie.

[simonm]

Wow, reading these reports. Yesterday it was 39 deg at my place about 1.5 hrs south of Sydney, and you had snow less than a week ago in Tassie.

We had snow last night on the Tiers. Makes for a great view from our house .

[Overlandman]

There is snow on the higher peaks this morning, also around the Central Plateau Lake Augusta region.

http://anglersalliance.org.au/web-cams/ ... ta-webcam/

Regards Overlandman

[Overlandman]

A wintery blast arrived overnight & early this morning bringing snow falls to the higher peaks & parts of the Central Plateau.

edit, Snow on Cradle down as low as the Face Track level.

Regards Overlandman

[whynotwalk]

Here's the place to see what the snow is like at Cradle. Nothing much yet, but come back later and who knows ....

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=28485 Just click on "Webcam - Mountain View".

cheers

Peter

[Nuts]

Looks like some further snowfall overnight? Olympus had a good cover on the peaks yesterday morning. Down at Windy Ridge we had a very impressive amount of rain (and the usual- sleeplessly (for me) scary bullets of wind ripping through the tops high above our campsite).

[DanShell]

We were at the Walls Wednesday night and it certainly copped a cold front and wild night. We walked out via Lake Ball, Adelaide etc and a couple of times the track was starting to get lost in the snow, it was great
We were supposed to spend another night up there but we had a slight leaking tent issue and damp sleeping bags so it wasn't worth the risk setting up for another night especially as the cold front felt like it was hanging around.

[tigercat]

Looks like some further snowfall overnight? Olympus had a good cover on the peaks yesterday morning. Down at Windy Ridge we had a very impressive amount of rain (and the usual- sleeplessly (for me) scary bullets of wind ripping through the tops high above our campsite).

Very scary, particularly if you are responsible for the group.

[Miyata610]

Looks like some further snowfall overnight? Olympus had a good cover on the peaks yesterday morning. Down at Windy Ridge we had a very impressive amount of rain (and the usual- sleeplessly (for me) scary bullets of wind ripping through the tops high above our campsite).

I wouldn't have thought you could hear the scary bullets of wind ripping through the trees above the group campsite, from inside the hut. It's too far away.

[Nuts]

Meh, same trees, same winds. I don't sleep very well there on a stormy night wherever i end up.

[tigercat]

Anybody know at what height the snow is at Cradle Valley?

[Nuts]

None T/C: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=28485

[tigercat]

None T/C: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=28485

Thanks Nuts

[Nuts]

I always forget that cam exists and find myself calling the VC at Cradle. Anyhow, looks like some nice days ahead.

[whynotwalk]

Off topic, but the webcam on kunanyi/Mt Wellington has a different picture! Brrrr!

http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Recreation/kunanyi_Mount_Wellington/kunanyi_Mount_Wellington_Webcams

cheers

Peter

[Nuts]

Off topic, but the webcam on kunanyi/Mt Wellington has a different picture! Brrrr!

http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Recreation/kunanyi_Mount_Wellington/kunanyi_Mount_Wellington_Webcams

cheers

Peter

And yet people still choose to live down there (Lol):

Screen Shot 2014-05-07 at 10.14.06 AM.png (277.52 KiB) Viewed 488690 times

[Giddy_up]

I just don't get it Nuts, why, why, why............

[Nuts]

oh no, not-.. Why's?

[joshman]

Hey all. What's the conditions at cradle like at the moment? I'm thinking of coming down in mid July for a few days camping around cradle and would love it to be dusted in snow.

[tigercat]

Mid July is a long way away, very mild winter so far.

[Overlandman]

A good snowfall overnight looking at the Great Lake web cam from the comfort of my heated home. It will be interesting to hear from anyone going to Cradle area today. Regards Overlandman

[1iron]

Just when the weather is getting interesting for snow, the Dove Lake web cams are offline.

[Nuts]

It's a bit crusty but don't forget the cabins webcam: http://www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au ... e_mountain

[Overlandman]

Mt Roland was white this afternoon.

[Peaksnik]

I'm walking the OT from South (departing Narcissus) to North starting Saturday. My plan has been to acquire snowshoes if it looked like heavy snow was on the way. But after keenly monitoring the output of both BOM and Weatherzone it looks like the conditions for the week may be relatively benign with only light snow showers possible/probable from Saturday 12th through to Thursday.

I will nevertheless take microspikes to use on icy boardwalks etc.

My biggest doubt is what the Cradle Plateau will be like when I get there next Wednesday or Thursday (because it's a fair way out and the charts can change). Anyhow, I just wanted to get a second, or more, opinion(s) on my expectations about the likely snow conditions. I'd appreciate any words of wisdom from locals who are keen weather watchers.

Thanks in advance

[Scottyk]

Looks like the front will cross late on Friday. Behind this front will be the really cold air and the freezing level will drop quite low. I would say there is some moisture behind the front so this will bring snow showers over night Friday and into Saturday morning. The wind will still be from the SW for all of Saturday so this means you'll be walking into a very cold headwind on your first day. I mean very cold wind.
If I was leaving on Friday I would wait but if I was leaving on Saturday like you are I would have a go but be prepared for a very cold day with a very big wind chill. If you don't think you are prepared for the conditions wait 24 hours and it looks a lot better on Sunday.
Also see this website http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/ ... casts/1000
And this one http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/ ... casts/1545
Note the -15C wind chill on Saturday!
Good luck

[Nuts]

Leaving from Cradle makes a lot of sense in winter. Either that or carry snowshoes or some spare days?
Never completely reliable in a micro sense between the two ends of the park.
The reports (while still just based on modelling) are much better and the weather somewhat predictable for a day or two, maybe three or four in summer.

Beyond that there are very few people who could pin it... perhaps just the white bearded ol fella in the clouds?

[Peaksnik]

Thanks guys. At the moment it's still looking not too bad. The models are indicating lower than usual precipitation for this time of year, which is why I've been reluctant to obtain snowshoes. But we do have a spare day, possibly two if we take advantage of good weather early on.

Since we are travelling northwards, winds from the SW at the start won't be as bad as they would be if doing the usual route starting from Cradle plus they are forecast to moderate from Monday.

There looks to be a front that will cross the Bight during Tuesday and will arrive in Tassie on Wednesday or Thursday (or pulled south if I'm lucky). But again there doesn't look to be much rain/snow in it.

As you say, this could all change by tomorrow! But preparation is all about responding to and weighting probabilities and consequences rather than being prepared for absolutely anything.

Last April I walked a circuit of Cradle M, as a day trip, going from Hansons peak to Lake Rodway and up on to the cirque and back to Dove Lake. At the time I wondered if really poor weather was encountered on the Plateau, after coming up from Waterfall Valley, would it be better to drop down the cirque to the Lake Rodway track as an alternative to plugging away through deep snow. I'm thinking about this as a Plan B, to the Plan A of pushing on to Kitchen Hut and then out, if conditions were really crap. But I suspect that going out over Hansons would be just as exposed but more difficult than travelling across the Plateau in bad weather. I imagine that the track down the cirque might be difficult in snow. Still, Scott-Kilvert Hut would be more comfy than Kitchen Hut if an overnight was required.

[Nuts]

Fair enough. An extra day or two can make all the difference, especially saved for any change later in the walk while you're out there.
Be a bit careful thinking the Rodway route will be any quicker or easier. Rare but if there's a big bank of snow just as the (Rodway) track leaves the cirque expect it to be very slow going from SKH to around Artist Pool. Good way to use up any spare days though