Cradle Mtn Scout Hut 7-9 November 2009

[Son of a Beach]

Our family, including a 3 year old and a 1 year old, spent two nights at the Scout Hut near Cradle Mountain last Saturday, Sunday and Monday, along with another family with their 4 kids ranging from 0 to 6 years old. So with 4 adults and 6 very young kids, it was very hard work but a rewarding weekend.

It's a good thing that the walk to the hut itself is only short, as the two dads had to do the walk between the car and the hut SIX TIMES in order to get all the gear in and then out again. The first trip in with all the kids took about 2.5 hours (the 2 year old and the 3 year old are slow walkers, and walked the entire distance without being carried and they carried their own packs). After a break, the two dads went back to the car park (25 minutes downhill with no load), and picked up the second lot of gear and then headed back to the hut again (about 40 minutes with another full load, and already tired from the previous trips). A similar additional trip out to the car and back was required on the last day (including a couple of large bags full of dirty nappies!). The previous time we did this trip (last year) we carried two packs each (or two kids each) the entire way, and we decided that the extra trips would be easier this time (and one of the kids was old enough to walk herself this time).

We had perfect weather for the entire trip, with warm sunny days. We walked up crater peak to the lookout, and just a bit further on was a few large drifts of snow remaining. This was the highlight for my 3 year old who had been up there before and was very keen to play in the snow again, and I was worried there might be none left. On the way out, we visited crater lake, and had lunch in the rainforest at crater falls.

The weekend was quite stressful at times, with that many kids, and lack of sleep, and trying to keep kids motivated to walk, and there were times where it seemed that there was always at least one of the six crying, but thankfully those times didn't last for the entire weekend, and overall a great time was had by all.

Here's some photos from the trip. Note that many of them were not taken by me (you can generally tell the poor quality ones are from the camera in my phone, and the good quality ones are from the other family's quality camera).

NB: If you find the right side of photos being cut off, increase the width of your browser window (some browsers do this with phpBB photos, and some do not).

Attachments

Starting out near Ronny Creek car park.

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A helping hand from a friend.

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All set for a day walk from BP Lodge to Crater Peak. "We're going on a snow hunt. We're going to find some white stuff. We're not scared. It's a beautiful day". (If you watch Play School, or have read the book, then you'll understand this song we sang on our day walk).

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Mum and two daughters on Crater Peak, with Cradle Mountain in the background.

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We found a large hollow in a snow drift near crater peak (possibly the melted remains of somebody's old snow cave experiment?). I then decided that sledging (without sledges) would be fun with the hollow making a nice drop-off at the end.

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Our friends sliding on the snow.

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Me and my eldest sliding on the snow.

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My eldest in the new bushwalking clothes she's so proud of (and which she wears everywhere, no matter what weather).

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Uncle Marty and the kids on the deck at the hut.

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Taking photos at Crater Lake

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Crater Lake Boat Shed

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Crater Lake Boat Shed

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Cooling Off

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Very Cold Indeed!

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Walking...

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Walking...

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Lunch stop at Crater Falls

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Lunch stop at Crater Falls

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[kanangra]

Ah mate. Absolutely fantastic. Good on you for getting the kids out there. It takes me back. I took my kids out there years ago. Make the most of it. Let me tell you in what seems like no time at all they will be doing their own thing and no longer want to go with you. I know.

As you reflect back on the trip all the effort will seem well worth it. Glad to hear that there are at least two families with young kids prepared to leave the road well travelled.

K

[Son of a Beach]

Yep, I still think it's not that long ago when I was a kid myself, and I remember not wanting to do anything with the family at all for a period of several years. Right now family is very important to our kids (or at least to the one old enough to understand it), so we're making the most of that while it lasts! Have to be careful not to push it too hard in case it puts them off later on, I guess.

[tas-man]

An appropriate quote from a poster on my wall -

"To be in your children's memories tomorrow,
You have to be in their lives today."
— Barbara Johnson

It's ALL worth it - they grow up faster than you realise

[lisa]

that is so cool! What wonderful memories those kids will have and great pics too!

Thanks for sharing - i wish there were a few more families who were keen to get out a little more and NOT put it in teh TOO hard basket! (says me who hasnt got kids and hasnt a clue how hard or easy it all is!!)

[SueOfTheSouth]

Great report and photos, thanks SOB I really enjoyed it. Our son and his wife took their 2yr old car camping in NSW for the 1st time last weekend and all enjoyed it so that may be the start to more adventurous trips for them. I will email your report to them !
Also love the saying on your wall hanging Tas-man, so true.

[Lizzy]

Excellent work SOB! You must be very proud of the littlies walking the whole way with packs. Must say 6 kids does not appeal- way too much crying involved but congrats and thanks for the report.
Cheers
Lizzy

[Mr. T]

Really enjoyed reading your report SOB even if a few years late. When my kids were still kids we would camp at lake St clair, swim in the lake, walk to forgotten lake, have campfires and eat badly cooked sausages, or go to gunns plains and camp in the paddock below wings, swim in the river etc., head to freycinet with the tents and do wineglass bay...and so on. They are all grown up now, but still hear them talk about those times.....they create great memories and wonderful bonds.