Critique of plan needed

[ltcommander]

Hi all,

I was looking for walking partners but don't think I am going to find any. Instead, I am planning to simply do it on my own - how hard can it be! I am an experienced trail runner in Hong Kong but have not really done any long mountaineering trips (other than short trips in Taiwan).

Here's what I plan to do. Could you pls let me know if I am headed in the right direction?

a) Book a flight from Melbourne to Devonport on December 3rd.

b) Try and book a seat on a coach online from Devonport to Cradle Mountain. Since buses to Cradle Mountain run every 15 mins from 8am, do I really need to book this in advance? Also, is the bus stop somewhere near the airport?

c) Reach Cradle Mountain on Dec 3rd and find accommodation there. (Is it necessary to book this online as well?)

d) Start the walk on December 4th. I plan to carry the items mentioned on the Parks and Wildlife website minus the stove. I plan to carry raisins, oats, bread, Granola bars, etc, etc instead.

e) Finish the walk on the night of December 7th and find accommodation at Lake St. Claire. (Do I need to book this in advance?)

f) Take the bus from Lake St Clair to Hobart on December 8th. (Do I need to book this in advance?)

g) Reach Melbourne on the night of 8th

Is this a realistic plan? If I am delayed for whatever reason, I can come return on Dec 9th instead to Melbourne which is why I am not sure if I should book a seat on the coach + accommodation in Lake St Claire.

Thanks guys!

[photohiker]

Spend More Time!

What's the rush? Why cram a weeks walk into 4 days? There is plenty to see and enjoy along the track, as well as the many side trips you can do if your fitness allows it.

Are you carrying a tent? Come to think of it, it might be a good idea to share your kit list here to make sure you are aware of the challenges placed on gear by the Tassie climate. Not saying you've got it wrong, but plenty do...

All the best,

[Mark F]

The shuttle bus does not run from Devonport. You need to sort out Devonport to the shuttle bus at Cradle which certainlydoesn't run every 15 minutes. I also suggest you think about what photohiker has written.

Best of luck

[ltcommander]

Thank you very much for the response Mike and Mark.

This is what I plan to carry and I can alter the trip so that I am there for 6 days.

1) Tent
2) Gaiters
3) Proper hiking books (waterproof, Goretex)
4) Torch + batteries
5) Winter/Summer slothes (heavy jacket, jeans, windbreaker) <-- all waterproof
6) Oats, Granola bars, raisins, mixed nuts, corn flakes, energy gels, dry fruit <-- enough for a week
7) Toiletries, soap
3L water
9) first aid kit
10) Camera
11) Raincoat
12) Sleeping bag
13) Thermal top, water bottle, sleeping mat, hat

What do you think? Is it easier to find transportation to Cradle from Launceton or Devonport? Should I book a flight to Launceton instead?

Thanks!

[gayet]

Firstly, forget the jeans - too heavy, too slow to dry; get some lightweight, quickdrying pants. No suggestions for makes but there are plenty out there. The lightweight close woven trousers will keep you wamer than jeans and dry in a fraction of the time. Nothing worse than cold wet clammy jeans first thing in the morning! And while a full kit of waterproof gear is almost essential - jacket and pants - not sure than all your clothing needs to be WP.

Warm jacket is better than 'heavy' jacket - fleece is light, squashable and warm. The wet weather jacket can double as a windbreaker so as long as you have layers to handle summer to winter conditions you shouldn't need much in the way of specific stuff. You do have to carry it all after all.

Cornflakes don't pack well, corn crumbs aren't as satisfying for brekkie. But thats up to you.

[ltcommander]

Thanks Gaye.

I can do without a stove, right? The biggest advantage to carrying one is that I can make instant noodles but I feel I can live without cooked food for a week..

[corvus]

Itcommander,
Kit list other than "jeans" if they are Denim looks OK and you will not need to carry 3lt of water just replenish your water regularly from "pristine" good flowing creeks/streams
Transport to Cradle Visitor Center from Devonport is good provided you are travelling on the day that Tigerline does it (check on line)
Transport from Devonport AirPort to Transport Depot is by Shuttle bus or taxi.
Overnight stay at Cradle Village booking is required (check on line)
The Shuttle Bus from the Visitors Center does run every 15 mins in season but depending on where you stay there may even be transport to the start of the Walk
Food wise ?? you know what you need ,would not suit me especially no provision for a hot meal /drink if the weather turns crap (does regularly up there ,how are you with Snow /Sleet/Rain ) but has been done.
Time wise I believe you are cutting it too fine .
Your dates
Start 4th Dec Ronney Creek or Dove Lake to Waterfall Valley Hut at least 4 hours
Dec 5th Waterfall VH to Pelion Hut 20 km at least 9 hours
Dec 6th Pelion to Narcissus about 26 km and at least 9+hours you will arrive well after the Ferry has finished for the day so you will need to spend the night at Narcissus
Yes can be done but is that what you really want to achieve.
With respect you would be better looking at an alternate itinerary elsewhere
Or am I missing something here ?
corvus

[photohiker]

Ok, do you have all this gear now?

Reason I ask is I wonder what it all weighs, and what you will carry it in, and if you have been doing any training with that weight and pack.

Re Boots. Do you already have these and are they worn in (but not worn out)? This is a common problem - if your boots hurt your feet because they are not worn in, you are in for a world of pain, days from your destination.

Re food and stove. Yes, you can definitely go without hot food for a week. If you get cold and wet, there is nothing like the morale boost of a hot meal or cuppa though! As long as your intake is roughly equivalent to your energy expenditure there should not be a problem. Bear in mid that some of these foods are heavy relative to their benefit compared to dried food that is reconstituted with water on the trail.

Most people use a headtorch, they are light and powerful.

Rather than winter/summer clothes, a good layered clothing system is quite useful as you can dial in the warmth and waterproof-ness to suit the day and the activity. Only the outer garment needs to be waterproof.

Toiletries: Include alcoholic hand cleaner and use it religiously before handling food and after any toileting.

Worthwhile searching the forum and reading of other experiences on the track, there is a wealth of info here.

HTH,

[ltcommander]

Mike and Corvus,

Really appreciate the info. Thank you. Looks like I am quite ill-prepared.

I have not packed any of this yet but I have carried this much weight before on my trip to Leh (Kashmir/Ladhakh region). But, you are right - I need to pack the gear, weigh it and practice hiking with it. I do have boots that are worn in. I used them on my trip to Leh.

Ok, it's pretty clear that I have make more time and do this in 6 days instead of cramming it. I have done hiking in rain but not in snow or sleet.

I will need to spend more time on this forum. Last thing I want is an experience I am not going to enjoy for whatever reason.

Thanks again,

Vince

[bearded bushwalker]

Hi Vince,
I did the Overland Track last October as my 50th birthday celebration, for the first time, solo so that will not be a problem, but you do need to do some training.(I started light and ended up with a month of walking 6km to work and 6km home again 5 days a week, with my pack loaded up and the boots on, rain or shine, and still felt I could have done more) One item you do not mention that my wife insisted I take was a PLB but you are walking in season.
Study up on the Parks and Wildlife website for some great information on what to expect. This forum is also great for gleaning information.

I walked from Cynthia Bay up to Ronnie Creek with a side trip into Pine Valley over 11 days and still didn't have enough time, so I can agree with the comments about not rushing it. With your dates you will have to travel the other way as it is in season and you will need a booking. Make sure you take a camera and plenty of memory as there is some great scenery along the way. I will be down there again next year to do the OT again with my daughter and son-in-law when they graduate from University, so I am slowly gathering some extra gear to share with them (and lightening my own load. I started with 24kg including 11 days food and really felt it for the first few days)

The transport to and from the track can be tricky to arrange from a distance but use the websites and email for clarification and you should be fine. I had a small problem with delayed flights on the way down and didn't have much time for grocery shopping in Hobart when I got there (which is part of the 24kg start weight as the items I could get from my local Woolies up here were not available in the Hobart Woolies). Remember the toilet paper! I forgot in my rush to shop and ended up with part of a roll from the motel I stayed at in Hobart so I had to ration it on the track, but survived.

Good luck with your adventure and let us know how you go.

[ltcommander]

Thank you Bush walker. Very useful indeed.

What is PLB?

I am now in the process of booking flights from Mel to Launceton and arranging transportation. Not easy! After getting the flights/transportation sorted out, I am going to pay the park entrance fee (plenty of seats available so far). Then I have to find accommodation. I am now thinking of flying into Launceton on November 30th afternoon and hope to find a bus to Cradle Mountain in the afternoon. Will spend the night somewhere in Cradle Mountain and then start the walk on December 1st and finish in Lake St. Claire on December 6th. Will then have to find transportation to go to Hobart on December 7th and fly to Melbourne same day in the evening.

If all this is booking, I will still have close to 1 month to train! I should still be pretty fit as I am doing the Hong Kong Oxfam Trail Walker in two weeks.

This forum is fantastic. Will do my research and come back if I have more questions!

Thank you everyone.

Vince

[Liamy77]

A PLB is an emergency location beacon.

[Macca81]

A PLB is an emergency location beacon.

Technically, it's a personal location beacon just incase he wanted to search for it

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[ltcommander]

Hi guys,

Quick question. I checked out all the transportation and it looks like this is what I am going to do:

a) Arrive in Launceton on Nov 30th and spend the night there
b) Take Tassielink to Cradle Mountain on Dec 1st arriving at 1215PM in Cradle

c) Question: I should be able to begin the walk on the same day, right?

d) I will be walking on Dec 1,2,3,4,5,6 but Tassielink offers a service on Dec 6th at 1145 AM from Lake St Claire to Hobart arriving in Hobart at 2.30pm.

Question: I should be able to make it to St Claire by 11AM on the 6th, right? Maybe start very early? on Dec 6th to make sure I reach on time. That way I don't need to book accommodation at Lake St Claire.

Does this sound like a proper plan in terms of logistics? I can't get more holidays at work..

Thanks,

Vince

[Son of a Beach]

That plan is doable, being that is is during summer with longer daylight hours at both ends of the day, but is rushing it a bit. I've done from Cradle to Narcissus in 4 days, including side trips to the three main Mersey River waterfalls, but I would usually prefer to take longer and enjoy it more when walking slower, and with less pressure.

Are you catching a ferry along Lake St Clair (booking required) or walking the length of the lake? You'll need to allow a few hours to walk the length of the lake, or camp at Echo Point on your last night, OR get a booking on the first ferry of the morning from Narcissus to Cynthia Bay.

[ltcommander]

Thanks Nik. Appreciate the quick response.

You know, my first priority is to get the bus/flight/park entrance bookings sorted out which I will do today. Once that is done, I will have to read up on the itineraries, gears, etc, etc. I came across a guide book as well which I am going to buy.

First time organizing such a solo trip from a remote location. Not easy but the internet and this forum has made it much easier!

[Macca81]

If it is your first time doing the overland, i recommend walking along the lake. Staying at echo point is lovely and makes your final day nice and relaxed as it is only a couple of hours.

For me, i have done the lakeside walk a few times so would likely just stick with taking the ferry from Narcissus. Keep an eye out for those dolphins if you take the ferry option

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[ltcommander]

Cool, thanks Macca81. I am all excited now!!

After the logistics are booked, have to plan the itinerary and prepare the kit!!

Hope all this effort is going to be worth it! I have backpacked from Adelaide to Mel before (Great Ocean road) but never done any real hiking (other than Grampians) in Australia.. Looking forward to this one.

[ltcommander]

Hi guys,

Does anyone know of any coach that operates on Thursday from Launceton to Cradle Mountain?

I made a mistake. I thought December 1 was a Wednesday (doh!) and ended up planning my trip based on that.

I have everything sorted now except for the getting to Cradle Mountain part!!

I reach Launceton on Wednesday, November 30th (about 3pm) and originally I was planning to take Tassielink to Cradle Mountain on December 1st and begin walking later that afternoon.

However, since Dec 1 is a Thursday, they don't operate on that day!! (They only operate on Mon/Wed/Sat).

Does anyone know if McDermott Coaches operates on Thursdays from Launceton? Is there any other cost effective way to get to Cradle Mountain from Launceton on Dec 1st? (other than hitchhiking!)

Sorry about so many questions! My planning skills need improving!

Vince

[ltcommander]

Please ignore my last question: Found http://www.outdoortasmania.com.au/trans ... vices.html
and got it done!

[ltcommander]

Hey guys,

quick question: do you recommend the lakeside walk or to simply take the ferry to Cynthia Bay? My plan is this:

December 1st: Reach Cradle Mountain by 1330 and start the walk from Ronny Creek to Water Fall Valley by 1400 --> Cradle Summit/Barn Bluff are possible side trips
(spend the night at Waterfall Valley Hut)

December 2nd: Reach Lake Windermere from Waterfall Valley Hut --> Barn Bluff and Lake Will are possible side trips
(spend the night at Windermere Hut)

December 3rd: Reach Pelion from Windermere Hut --> Old Pelion Hut is a possible side trip
(spend the night at Pelion Hut)

December 4th: Reach Kia Ora from Pelion Hut --> Mt Ossa is a possible side trip
Reach Windy Ridge from Kia Ora --> Time permitting do D'Alton + Harnett Falls
(spend the night at Bert Nicols Hut)

December 5th: Reach Narcissus from Bert Nichols Hut --> Pine Valley is a possible side trip
(spend the night at Narcissus Hut)

December 6th: Get up at 0500 and walk to Cynthia Bay from Narcissus (do I do this or take the ferry?)
Take Tassie Link from Lake St Claire to Hobart at 1145

Fly to Melbourne from Hobart in the evening.

What are your thoughts on this plan? (I have made all bookings now except for the ferry)

Thank you,

Vince

[Azza]

do you recommend the lakeside walk or to simply take the ferry to Cynthia Bay?

Everyone should walk the lake at least once....... and probably only once.

December 1st: Reach Cradle Mountain by 1330 and start the walk from Ronny Creek to Water Fall Valley by 1400 --> Cradle Summit/Barn Bluff are possible side trips
(spend the night at Waterfall Valley Hut)

I don't think you will have enough time to do Barn Bluff as well - starting that late in the day.

December 2nd: Reach Lake Windermere from Waterfall Valley Hut --> Barn Bluff and Lake Will are possible side trips
(spend the night at Windermere Hut)

You should have enough time to back track to Barn Bluff and then walk to Lake Windemere.

December 4th: Reach Kia Ora from Pelion Hut --> Mt Ossa is a possible side trip
Reach Windy Ridge from Kia Ora --> Time permitting do D'Alton + Harnett Falls
(spend the night at Bert Nicols Hut)

Sounds too rushed to me. The falls are worth visiting and so is Ossa, seems like your rushing through one of the best bits of the walk...

December 5th: Reach Narcissus from Bert Nichols Hut --> Pine Valley is a possible side trip
(spend the night at Narcissus Hut)

Waste of time going to pine valley as a day side trip.. really the whole reason for going up there is to go up into the Labrinyth or climb the Acropolis,
you really need to stay overnight to appreciate it. Otherwise your just going to see the hut.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I would recommend the walk around the lake, it is very stunning rain forest (plus you get to say you COMPLETED the Overland Track )

Having said that, it is easy to underestimate the task. Topographically it looks dead flat (because the overall elevation change is nothing - but it is in fact up and down, up and down, up and down at least 80% of the way to Lake St. Clair. Not easy walking as you might be led to believe.

You could easily get trapped into thinking it might only take a couple of hours. It won't!

[ltcommander]

Thanks South Aussie Hiker and Azza. I will definitely do it then! I am a hardcore trail runner so I think I will love it! However, quite different carrying all that weight!

Azza, thank you very much for the input. Given this time frame, in your opinion, you reckon I should skip staying at Pelion Hut and spend the night at Kia Ora hut instead?

December 1st: Reach Cradle Mountain by 1330 and start the walk from Ronny Creek to Water Fall Valley by 1400 --> Cradle Summit/Barn Bluff are possible side trips
(spend the night at Waterfall Valley Hut)

December 2nd: Reach Lake Windermere from Waterfall Valley Hut --> Barn Bluff and Lake Will are possible side trips
(spend the night at Windermere Hut)

December 3rd: Reach Pelion from Windermere Hut --> Old Pelion Hut is a possible side trip
Reach Kia Ora from Pelion Hut
(spend the night at Kia Ora Hut)

December 4th: Do Mt Ossa as a side trip, reach Windy Ridge from Kia Ora --> Do D'Alton + Harnett Falls as side trips
(spend the night at Bert Nicols Hut)

December 5th: Reach Narcissus from Bert Nichols Hut --> Pine Valley is a possible side trip
(spend the night at Narcissus Hut)

December 6th: Get up at 0500 and walk to Cynthia Bay from Narcissus (walk this)
Take Tassie Link from Lake St Claire to Hobart at 1145

[ossie]

My thoughts, from experience.

December 1st; Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley Hut. Great walk, but you won't have time for side trips on that afternoon.

December 2nd; Waterfall Valley Hut to Windermere. Don't leave too late in the morning, and you will be able to go to Barn Bluff, back to waterfall valley hut for lunch, sidetrip to Lake Will, and get to Windermere Hut in one day. Don't leave any gear outside the hut at windermere, including boots. Track ranger told me, this year, that Devils have taken boots left outside the hut, never to be found!

December 3rd; Windermere to Pelion Hut. This is enough for one day I reckon. There is 4 kms of grinding uphill slog on uneven track in the afternoon. Go to Old Pelion Hut for a look, well worthwhile. You can leave your pack at the turnoff for the short walk there.

December 4th; Pelion Hut to Kia Ora, with Mt Ossa side trip. Better to do it on the way rather than backtracking from Kia Ora and then going on to Windy Ridge/Bert Nichols.

December 5th; Kia Ora to Narcissus Hut via all the waterfalls. Big day, but I did it on my last trip and still didn't feel too pushed. I got to Windy Ridge about 2 pm, knew the good weather was changing for bad (which it did, and some) so decided to push on to Narcissus Hut. Is about 3 hours walk from Windy Ridge to Narcissus. Forget Pine Valley as a side trip, that needs at least a couple of days of its own.

December 6th; Narcissus Hut to Cynthia Bay via the lake, rather than the ferry, is worth it. I did this on my first trip, and was so glad I did. However, it is 17 kms of undulating and often uneven path, and slower if the weather is bad, which is always a possibility. It took me 5 and a bit hours from memory, in wet windy and cold weather, including a short break at Echo Point. Hard slog, but glad I did it. This was day 7 of the trip (I had 2 nights at Pelion Hut and went up Mt Oakleigh as a day trip...fantastic day. Very good memories of Mt Oakleigh). I had originally planned to camp at Echo Point and walk out on day 8 to catch the bus as you plan to. However, finishing at about 1.30 pm on day 7 was great, and having a shower and a great meal and a few beers with some really good people at the nearby pub was a rally good way to finish, then back to Hobart the next day. So starting walking from Narcissus at 0500 would be doable, but remember by this day you may be tired, cold, sick of oats, granola etc, or carrying an injury (hope not) so you could be pushing yourself and cutting it fine. If making that bus is very crucial, then you may be safer catching the ferry.

Good luck.

Ossie

[frenchy_84]

I wrote my suggested itinary in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7961
which is a similar time frame to yours, just change the final day to walking the lake rather than the ferry. IMO a better walk, you have a couple of bigger days (distance wise) on the less interesting days which frees up more time for the nicer bits. and if you have a trail running background the distances shouldnt be a problem.

[ltcommander]

Thank you Ossie and Frenchy.

Ossie, fantastic advice. Thank you. I will do what you suggested.

I am not new to long distances. I do an average of 30-40kms a day on the hills in Hong Kong and have participated in many 100km mountain marathons. The problem is the heavy gear. I should hopefully still be able to train beforehand and manage but just in case I am unable to walk on the last day, maybe I should book a seat on the ferry as a contingency plan. If I feel fine on Dec 6th, I will lose the money but will have the experience of walking and in case there are problems, I should be able to take the ferry and the bus at 1145 which is important as I fly out of Hobart that night.

Looking forward to the trip. Thanks again guys for all the great advice.

Vince

[ltcommander]

Hey guys,

does anyone have any suggestion for writing gadgets on the track? I love blogging and writing and usually carry a netbook on my vacations. But a netbook won't last the 6 days I am in Tasmania for. I am also looking for an even lighter option.

A notebook and a pencil is too old fashioned! I want to be able to transmit all the data to a comp easily when I get back!

Do you guys have any good recommendations? Is an iPad the best choice?

Thank you,

Vince

[Nuts]

parks have a 3d flyover vid somewhere, not 'hardcore' but im sure the memories will be similar

do you pay in advance for the ferry booking?

[ltcommander]

you mean to Lake St. Claire? I am not taking the ferry. I am going to be walking it..