Water on Federation Peak

[silvereye]

Hi All,

I'm heading up Fedder for the first time the week after next with 2 friends via Farmhouse Creek/Moss Ridge.

The plan is to have three days up around the Bechervaise Plateau area, so as to maximise our chances of a successful (good weather) summit day.
If the weather stays nice we will probably explore that end of the range a bit too (Hanging Lake, rock slide/forest chute, Goon Moor etc.).

My question is: Is there any good water source up on or near Bechervaise Plateau (upper or lower) at this time of year?
All the texts I have read don't seem to mention anything about water, other than you won't find any on Moss Ridge.

Has anyone stayed up on Bechervaise more than one night? Is it recommended? Did you have to lug extra water up Moss Ridge?

Any info would be much appreciated

[alex75]

Was up there last week in the heat.went cutting camp-summit-hanging lake return.took 9 hrs all up. No water on moss ridge at all so carried 5 litres up from cutting camp . Lower Berchevaise had a couple of pools as usual but I would boil or treat anything I drank from up there due to the campsite being so close. Was feeling pretty fried on the way back down moss ridge in the arvo so get an early start if its hot and suggest all 3 of u carry ample water for the day. Hope this helps,have fun!

[Zone-5]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

[Strider]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

Not everything needs to be made completely public. Anyway, I thought you were a day walker?

[tastrax]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

https://maps.google.com.au/?ll=-43.2769 ... 2&t=h&z=17

[byrnesy8]

On our federation hike we drank from puddles at the area at the start of the track to hanging lake. We also drank from hanging lake but treated it with a steripen.

[silvereye]

Thanks all for the info.
Sounds like there may be a little water on Lower Bechervaise at least.
Wasn't relishing the idea of carrying 3 days worth of water up Moss Ridge
I'll be sure to treat the hell out of that puddle water though!

[north-north-west]

Yabby straw time?

[pazzar]

I've spent a few days at Hanging Lake and didn't need to treat the water - just drink from the outlet creek. Moss Ridge is only 3-5 hours with a full pack, so day tripping you will probably drink less. I would have thought 3L is plenty, but everyone is different. There were pools of water at Berchevaise when I was up there, only a few days after a very dry stretch. If in doubt, carry more.

[silvereye]

Yep, 2-3L of drinking water is about what I would normally carry for a day walk in summer - but that wouldn't include water for brewing up, re-hydrating dinner, making breakfast, rinsing pots etc.
I would normally source that water from the local environment.
So as a guess, if you had to carry all of that water, you'd be talking more like 5-6L a day. ie. an extra 15-18kg - per man - in the pack (for three days).

Not really feasible.

To clarify, we are looking to spend three days specifically at Bechervaise Plateau.

Would water become an issue in this case? Is Hanging Lake a better option?

Thanks again for any info

[Orion]

My question is: Is there any good water source up on or near Bechervaise Plateau (upper or lower) at this time of year?
All the texts I have read don't seem to mention anything about water, other than you won't find any on Moss Ridge.

Has anyone stayed up on Bechervaise more than one night? Is it recommended? Did you have to lug extra water up Moss Ridge?

I was recently up there for two nights. Based on Chapman's lack of mentioning any water issues I assumed that it would exist at the plateau. And it did.

[Zone-5]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

Not everything needs to be made completely public. Anyway, I thought you were a day walker?

I am getting rather tired of this, sorry but I am..

[pazzar]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

Not everything needs to be made completely public. Anyway, I thought you were a day walker?

I am getting rather tired of this, sorry but I am..

I know that there is already a thread discussing the publication of sites of interest, but I'm with Strider on this one. Not everything needs to be completely public. Walks like this are hard for a reason, and making information that can be easily found by asking the right people available to your average Joe threatens this. I think your initial point of marking points of interest (eg plane wrecks, historical sites) is valid, but surely water points is not needed. If it is not on the map, you should be carrying extra as a contingency in case the usual supply is dry.

[silvereye]

My question is: Is there any good water source up on or near Bechervaise Plateau (upper or lower) at this time of year?
All the texts I have read don't seem to mention anything about water, other than you won't find any on Moss Ridge.

Has anyone stayed up on Bechervaise more than one night? Is it recommended? Did you have to lug extra water up Moss Ridge?

I was recently up there for two nights. Based on Chapman's lack of mentioning any water issues I assumed that it would exist at the plateau. And it did.

Thanks Orion, that's all I needed to know. Much appreciated

[Azza]

If anyone finds a spot where pools of water are can you mark a GPS location and post it here?

Not everything needs to be made completely public. Anyway, I thought you were a day walker?

I am getting rather tired of this, sorry but I am..

If you need this degree of information or think you need it then this is not the walk for you.
The thing about Tasmania is that there is water everywhere. But pools dry up, some only exist after rain, some are round all year.
Sometimes you need to siphon it out of a yabbie hole with a plastic tube. I'd probably draw the line at the squeezing it out of moss though.
The Eastern Arthurs has water tanks at a couple of the campsite from memory and rarely do you need to treat water in this area.

And because its the south west it'll probably be raining anyway.

[vagrom]

But Bechervaise is one of the most essential places requiring water treatment and has been for many years. Seek it with an eye for this fact.

[baeurabasher]

But Bechervaise is one of the most essential places requiring water treatment and has been for many years. Seek it with an eye for this fact.

Keh???

I have never treated water anywhere in Tasmania. It rains FAR too often for the need. ESPECIALLY in the Arthur ranges.

[vagrom]

Dear Keh,

thanks little buddy. Now I know I will never have to spend time purifying water wherever I've been camping in Tassie. That's why I follow this forum.

[Roger]

I love the smell of 'elitism' in the morning. I am an experienced bushwalker and value information sharing, Thanks for the advice on water sources.

[eggs]

Can't speak for Berchevaise, but there are a few spots where taking water without treatment would be unwise.
Anywhere which is a small area of concentrated usage with smaller waterholes available would be a bit suspicious.
I know in particular of the reputation of the valley of Dixon's Kingdom.
Some bad cases of gastro with some folk who camped there.

[Nuts]

Fine, as experienced walkers though, the reasons why are surely much more 'helpful' advice than rumour or folklore. Placenames. ie. The valley down from Dixons Hut is a pretty obvious contender for contaminated water. That may not be the case now (or soon) with the toilets in place?

Personally I wouldn't drink contaminated water (treated or not) in Tassie. ewww.

[eggs]

Actually Nuts, my first thought on this thread was how Tassyites might not appreciate what you need to do for water in some places.
Imagine coming up to a filthy green waterhole in the Flinders Ranges with an old carcass or 2 in the nearby stream bed...
And knowing that it is a day's walk to any water.

I remember standing alone on the clay pan at Rainbow Valley [NT] and thinking about the fact that the water table here is 1km underground..
and nothing for a 100 km in any direction. Makes you thankful for a car.

[silvereye]

I love the smell of 'elitism' in the morning. I am an experienced bushwalker and value information sharing, Thanks for the advice on water sources.

Hear, hear.

[Nuts]

I was interested in more of eggs's carcass-water story, imagining him trying not to look them in the eyes (sockets). haha. maybe for the 'most disgusting water drunk' topic.

being serious though- Steripen Adventurer here!
Haven't used it, had planned to do so if needed. Each to their own, iv'e seen other Tasmanians mention filters here but i really can't recall knowing anyone personally using one or mentioning it. I know parks have labels even on watertanks advising to treat water and it's hard to argue against doing so. Maybe for a poll if someone really cared that much.

Anyhow c'est la vie

[Orion]

The slow moving water on Bechervaise runs downhill from the platforms. While one should answer nature's call over the ridge it's likely some have failed to do this. So there could be human waste leaching into the water. Who knows for sure? I usually treat but my stomach isn't Tasmanian.

[icefest]

The slow moving water on Bechervaise runs downhill from the platforms. While one should answer nature's call over the ridge it's likely some have failed to do this. So there could be human waste leaching into the water. Who knows for sure? I usually treat but my stomach isn't Tasmanian.

Reminds me of high moor camp of the western Arthur's.
The sheltered corner of the tent platform smells strongly of stale urine. With the downhill water collection collection site it's a matter of treat or find another source.

[stu]

Not getting too involved in all the in-fighting, it's why I avoid this forum these days.
There is fairly consistent water about 1/4 the way up the track from Bechervaise toward Federation; runs down a rock wall...we used this a few years ago in late December on a 30+ degree day & it was still trickling, but only just.
Other spot is down a gulley to the NW of the plateau, almost always some water down here & no, you won't need to treat it, humans are the only filth that touches anything that needs treating...
There is also a cave on the way up Moss Ridge that often has trickling water, last trip was only a few weeks ago & it was much more than trickling (mind you, this was after a long stretch of rain).
Carry some water up from the bottom & carry a yabby tube...worst case scenario walk around to Hanging Lake & get some..it's not that far.
Have fun, lovely area

[silvereye]

Thanks Stu, good intel

Heading off tomorrow, really looking forward to it.

Thanks all again for the water info, this is the sort of thing that is really handy to know in advance and you have put my mind at ease.

[silvereye]

Hi All,

Just got back from a magic eight days up and around Fedder. Just wanted to confirm (for anyone else thinking about doing the same thing) that Upper Bechervaise plateau has a stream/chain-of-ponds running through the middle of it. A good water source even after some STINKING hot days on the way up. We didn't treat and all was well.

The Moss Ridge Bivvy walls were basically dry, as was the cliff wall on the way to the Southern Traverse from Bechervaise.
Didn't check the gully to the NW of Bechervaise.

Thanks again to those who replied for all the info.

One last note to those posters who were reluctant to "publicly" reveal the positions of water sources: Now that I have completed the walk and know the realities and the difficulties involved, I hardly think that the "Average Joe" would suddenly pick up and charge along to the Eastern Arthurs just because someone told him there was a pool of drinkable water up there.
And, even if he did, isn't that something we should be encouraging (with realistic emphasis on training/equipment involved)?
Why would we be trying to keep these incredible (and hard to reach) spots secret from those who wish to experience their beauty, and who are willing to undergo the rigours involved to make it there?

Doesn't that describe us all?

Food for thought.

[tibboh]

looking forward to the trip report and PHOTOS