Overland Track in Feb.

[awells]

G'day. I'm planning to do the Overland Track in February with three friends and need some advice regarding suitable shelter and sleeping gear. I have a winter bag (-10c) but it weighs 1.8kg so I was wondering if I could get away with my synthetic quilt (+4c) at this time of the year as it weighs only 800g. I'd also like to carry just my 2 person silnylon fly (500g) rather than carry a Tarptent (1kg). I've used the fly and quilt comfortably in temperatures down to -2c here in the Blue Mountains (wearing thermals, beanie and fleece jumper) but have no idea about walking in Tassie in summer (or any other season for that matter). I'm trying to cut down weight as we'll be taking nine days all up( three extra days in Pine Valley)and I'm getting too old to cart heavy packs. Any advice would be most welcome.

[ignavus davus]

was wondering if I could get away with my synthetic quilt (+4c) at this time of the year

In Feb temperatures rarely get below 0 deg in the area. Lowest Feb temperature on record in the region is -4 (at Lake St Clair National Park; not sure where exactly) and -1.9 degrees at Waldheim/Cradle Valley (this was only from 10 years of collected data though). Decile 1 miminum temperature at Waldeim is 3 degrees, thus you can say that 90 percent of the time in Feb the minimum temp is over 3 degrees. If you were comfortable down to -2 with your quilt then you should be right as long as you have shelter (these temps ignore windchill); may just mean a night or two less comfortable than with the winter bag. These temps are all from bom website. My experience in the area is that I am mostly too hot in in -2 (comfort rating) bag and have never been too cold, but I am a warm sleeper.

I'd also like to carry just my 2 person silnylon fly (500g) rather than carry a Tarptent (1kg).

Many people (myself NOT included) don't carry tents at all - they rely on huts. With the booking/payment system you would have to be unlucky to not fit into a hut, even if it means sleeping on the floor (doesn't help if you get caught in a snowstorm halfway between huts though), thus the tent/tarp could be seen as a safety item in case you get caught in bad weather away from a hut. Personally though I prefer to sleep in a tent (warmer and more private than a hut). I have never used a fly on its own, so I'm making some assumptions here but I'd guess that its pretty uncomfortable in really high winds which can occur any time of year. But then if this happens just go into the hut. Also that it has no/little bug protection - in warm weather (very likely) there will be moths and midges etc out in force so could get uncomfortable - but again, you can just go into the hut. I guess it just comes down to how desperately you want to stay out of the huts.

Dave.

[awells]

Thanks for the helpful info Dave. We are booked in to use the huts but I snore like a trooper and prefer to sleep under a fly so I don't disturb others, apart from which the NPWS website advised carrying shelters in case of an emergency but I guess no-one is going to object too loudly if I sleep in the hut if it's snowing.

Regards,
Wellsy

[Taurë-rana]

Personally I wouldn't go through Reserve without a tent or at least a good bivvy bag - it may not get below 0 often but it can and does, and the wind chill factor combined with wet clothes and heavy snow can make conditions very uncomfortable and even dangerous more quickly than expected. Snow in summer is quite common.

[corvus]

G'day awells,
I am speaking from personal exeprience having done this many times I am 64 and have the dreaded "arthur" so need to take extra care of my body
Regardless of what the season says you could get all four in one day in the mountains so if I were you I would ensure I had adequate shelter JIC between huts and that means a fully enclosed tent not an open ended tarp and a +4 sleeping quilt(would be cold even in huts) especially as you are from a warmer clime, is personally just not good enough I believe, so bite the bullet and carry the couple of extra kg for comfort and safety
corvus

[awells]

Thanks Corvus,
I've decided in favour of the winter down bag and the tarptent (rather than the Jardine silnylon fly) which means a couple of extra kg but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thanks everyone for your advice.

awells