Off track experience?

[392carl]

Having followed another thread closely about off track walking in Tassy, the question arised for me, What constitutes enough experience to take on a more difficult walk? I would one day like to follow the New River out to the ocean from Federation (no current plans or time frame locked in, just a thought), but am curious about my level of experience and how suitable it is. Without wanting to re-hash other circular threads, I'd be interested to hear from others what they think would constitute enough experience to take on a mission such as this?

As a bit of a starter, I have done only three trips in Tasmania. Two have been extended trackless walks, each of them 14 days. The other a leisurely federation trip return from Scotts peak. I have encountered and bashed through what I believe to have been some fairly horrendous scrub. I've encountered crossing swollen creeks and rivers, pack rafting on the franklin, waiting out weather for days, and butten grass plains to Baurea.
So my question is, how do you know when you've 'completed your apprenticeship in the south west'? What sort of experience is necessary for a trip like the one suggested?

(out of respect for the moderator's decision and parties previously involved in the thread referred to, probably a good idea to keep this thread reasonably generic rather than bring back the same discussion that was blocked previously. Not my intention to cheekily get around it).
Cheers

[Azza]

As a bit of a starter, I have done only three trips in Tasmania. Two have been extended trackless walks, each of them 14 days.

What is it with that new river route?

One would first have to ask where were the two 14 dayers?
Because if you've done two big off track trips of that sort of length with what you've briefly described and have to ask.......?

The trip you're talking about has been done - by jmac you can also refer to his wild magazine article.
I don't think there would be too many other people out there who have done that route.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hmm well that "other thread" you speak of they went UP the river. Going down it would be a LITTLE easier. Do you have a raft or Lilo?? Or do you intend to try and "walk" it??

I'd say you'd have to have years and years of experience to take that trip on, but thats just my opinion.......

[Liamy77]

eaasiest way to follow a river is to be on it in a boat..... tend to get thick vegetation near water....

[Son of a Beach]

I'd say that you need to have several trips covering similar terrain and similar vegetation under your belt first. Obviously you'd have to start out with something still challenging, but somewhat easier than New River, and each successive trip would have to be longer, and more similar to the eventual New River route. Doing such walks with more experienced people is of course a good way to learn from their experience.

I would suggest that spending at least 10 straight days walking through thick vegetation and rough terrain through which you were only able to move about 3 km per day due to the difficulties of such walking would be a good start. It sounds like you've done a fair bit of this already, but difficult to say for sure from the brief description you gave.

What other walks would gain the required experience? I don't know, as I've not personally done much of that type of walking. I have walked through some very difficult off-track terrain and vegetation, but only for short durations (eg, for 2 part days out of a 6 day walk). Others here have done a lot more of that than I have, and most of them do not appear to be confident in tackling the New River.

I think the previous replies are correct in that it will require some years of experience. Also, If you need to ask the question, then you are probably not yet prepared for it. I'm not trying to suggest you shouldn't ask the question, as asking questions is the most sensible thing to do. However, in this case, somebody who's really prepared for it, will have done enough to be certain of it.

[stepbystep]

My policy is as follows....

I'm a pretty cautious type and want to build up my off-track walking experience with an aim of doing the POW range in the next 3 or 4 years.
Firstly I have started by linking sections of tracked areas by getting off track and trying to find it again. I've found I have a pretty acurate natural compass which is encouraging as it gives me confidence in my own instincts.
Secondly I try to walk with more experienced people than I and observe their rationale when in scrub, this has taught me how to pick leads and read the landscape better.
Thirdly I'm trying to refine my multi-day and camping techniques and equipment because if you can't eat/sleep well then your judgement/minset will suffer the next day.

So I'm a work in progress, as for what you are talking of doing, you can have it, my current list will keep me going for the next 20 years and my only plans for the New River will be a wade in the lagoon coming off The Southern Ranges, but we all have different goals...

BTW - I would never touch the POW's even if I felt prepared unless I was in a party of very experienced walkers

Cheers, sbs

[DaveNoble]

As a bit of a starter, I have done only three trips in Tasmania. Two have been extended trackless walks, each of them 14 days. The other a leisurely federation trip return from Scotts peak. I have encountered and bashed through what I believe to have been some fairly horrendous scrub. I've encountered crossing swollen creeks and rivers, pack rafting on the franklin, waiting out weather for days, and butten grass plains to Baurea.

That sounds to me like a good apprenticeship for the New River trip. Friends of mine have done the New River from the Craycroft Hills (aka Whiz Range, Tam O'Shanter, Crest Range) down to Prion Beach - and from their reports the trip didn't seem too hard (by Tassie standards). They took lilos. There seems to be lots of log jams on the river - and they didn't really use the lilos until close to the lagoon - and then found them very handy to get round bad scrub. The same party - just before that trip had done a trip up Pear Hill - Picton Range - Bobs Knobs - Vanishing Falls - Bisdee - VC - and out - and that one seemed much harder.

In my opinion - there are much better trips you can do - ie river trips - such as the Jane, Weld, Anne or Denison where you get much better value out of carrying a lilo. And if you want to experience a good trip with some scrub - then I could suggest - things such as the Norold Range (combined with the Old RIver) or Mt Hopetoun (2 main days of scrub - but does have fantastic views)

Dave

[stu]

Hey 392carl,

your avatar photo looks familiar...
Were you part of the group of 3 that did the trip from the west coast over Propsting Range to the Franklands (14 days)?
(featured in Wild a few issues ago).

If you have done this sort of trip, or any 14 day off track trip i'm sure you'd be fine with you're planned route.

Cheers
Stu.

[392carl]

Thanks all for your opinions on this one. Its quite helpful to get some opinions from a range of people on it.
Aljscott: is that wild article you speak of the one posted in the other new river thread? Haven't read it in a year or so but I recall them being airlifted out? I might be mixing stories there. Either way its a good place to start and I'll be fishing it out again to go over it. I know there was also one called the 'hidden river' or something similar that was illusive about the destination but was pretty clear it was the New.
As for the method to travel the river, no real decision on that one yet. I'm thinking some flotation would be good though for just that reason of choosing the river when the sides look too horrendous, particularly for the lower section.
Son of a Beach: thanks for your thoughts. I think you might be right. I may have a certain degree of experience but I even wonder how I'd go in terms of mental grit facing such demoralising and hard going progress day after day. Similar to you, the main scrub I've encountered has been in 2 day blocks or so, rather than week long blocks. I think there is probably something I could find as a 'warm up' on many other beautiful places before attempting the New River.
In terms of 'why the New River', my interest in it grew fairly organically when I was on Thwaites Plateau and couldn't go to the summit because of weather rolling in. Thinking one day I'd be back, I saw the new river and began being curious. I had no idea of its reputation at the time, but have since been alerted.
It is a good question though of why you do a certain trip over another. For me, standing up there and looking out and thinking 'one day that'd be great' has kind of stuck with me, so the calculus of comparing the hardship to beauty and enjoyment wasn't so much the driving force. Its an interesting topic though.
To be honest, at the moment I think I stand at the 'one day I'd like to do it' point, but since for me there is still so much to explore down there, it hasn't become my holy grale of SW Tasmania and quite likely shouldn't.
Regarding the other walks asked about, stubowling: your detective skills are good, I was part of that Nye bay to Pedder trip. A very beautiful and memorable experience that I think sparked a little bit of an addiction to walking in Tassy. The other trip was just last summer which was from Frenchman's Cap down the Deception range and out via the Franklin and Mount McCall. A similarly amazing trip.
Thankyou all for your opinions on this one. It is always a personal thing that drives your ambition to do particular trips but it is good to weigh it up against other's experiences and hear other's thoughts. I'll keep it on the back burner for now and focus some energies on some similarly compelling local trips.
Cheers
Carl

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yes I think one of the party broke their ribs and had to be flown out.

Well Carl if those are the 2 trips you have done then i'd say you are well equipt to take it on. Certainly 2 very difficult trips you described there.

How was Deception ridge?? We have a trip planned there to Mt Lyne and Seal in November.

[Son of a Beach]

Sounds like you've got more experience that I thought from your initial post (certainly some more hard core stuff than I've done), and your continued caution indicates that you're taking it seriously, so maybe you're well on your way, eh?

It is a good question though of why you do a certain trip over another. For me, standing up there and looking out and thinking 'one day that'd be great' has kind of stuck with me, so the calculus of comparing the hardship to beauty and enjoyment wasn't so much the driving force. Its an interesting topic though.

I can relate to that. I've often looked out over a view (or a map) and thought, "I'd like to try walking from that point to that point - looks great". I've only ever done 2 or 3 of those trips, and they've all been relatively easy ones so far - probably because I'm not confident with the harder ones yet.

[392carl]

ILUVSWTAS: Thanks for your feedback. On the deception range trip we managed pretty well in terms of scrub. I think the hardest we encountered was something similar to the progress made on the new river trip (other thread) but at least at the end of it we came to a lovely reward in the form of Rafter's Basin on the Franklin. Don't know how I'd go keeping the morale up day in day out though if that was to be the case. The deception range was brilliant. Such a scenic route, particularly via the Fenchman's cap side of the circ, looking back at clytemnestra and Barron's pass for the whole two weeks. If you want any specifics I'd be happy to pm you some details of any particular spots that you're wondering about.
Son of a beach: I think my conclusions are from this thread that despite maybe having the relevant experience for the New, I might put it on hold until I've done some more similar trips. Also, its been good to question what I particularly love about SW Tasmanian walking and whether I might actually enjoy other trips a lot more. None the less, the old 'I'd like to do that one day' has definitely sunk its roots in somewhere in me and I think so much of the enjoyment comes from the process of saying 'I'd like to one day walk from here to there' and then planning, researching and making it happen. One day maybe....
Thanks again for your thoughts, its been very helpful.
Carl