Overnighting out to Mt Field

[Mafeking09]

Hi All. I've covered a lot of Tassie but never been to Mt Field West. I'm planning on taking my 12 yo out there as a first overnighter. Any good tips on good campsites/routes out there?

[ollster]

Erm, Peterson Memorial Hut on K Col? There's not really a lot of sheltered camping sites out that way (from memory). All a bit exposed and/or stony.

[stepbystep]

Really nice, protected campsite next to Lake Belton - would be a mission for a 12 year old to get to Field West from there though....
Otherwise Twilight Tarn has a couple of tent sites, also a mission.
I have used tent site at Clemes Tarn, which was great, but in foul weather would be, foul.

[stu]

I had one of my first overnight walks to K-Col (Peterson Hut) when I was 8 along with several other walks in that NP around the same time.
It's a great area to take kids on introductory walks in my mind as the huts are generally only half a days walk from the car.
I remember collecting tadpoles from the small tarns with my sisters while my dad went on to climb Filed West on that trip;
we stayed in the hut, tho these days I'd probably only really use it for cooking / socialising in & I'd set up my tent behind the hut somewhere out of the wind.
As Oll said, it is a very exposed area so you need to pick the weather & pick the appropriate tent site.

[Mafeking09]

Good info - always love the fact it comes back so fast. Mt Field WEst was just an idea - I hear there is an interesting circuit out around Tarn Shelf.

[kramster]

Ditto what others have said (K-Col is probably a good place to aim for). Suggest you avoid the tank water there though - there's a few stories in the log-book of people finding dead rats floating in the tank
Clemmes Tarn has been on my list for a camp too - but haven't actually tried it.
Should the weather be really nice, you'd probably even do alright out near Field West.
Yukky weather, I'd head down to Twilight Tarn for some more shelter.

[north-north-west]

Petersons is a great spot to overnight. Also gives you the option of a run out along Florentine spur to Tyenna & Florentine. It's beautiful country up there, and fairly easy walking in good weather.
Go up through the Lion's Den, and down via the Watcher, Newdegate Pass and Tarn Shelf. Although an 8 yr old might need an extra night to do that.

[bluewombat]

Agree with most of what has been said, the camping at Clemes is really nice but exposed. K Col is an excellent kick off point for quite a few areas. I think aiming for Florentine and Tyenna would be a bit ambitious with an 12 yr old, the track is pretty good as NNW says but there is quite a lot of boulder hopping. A less exposed option would be to do the circuit down to lake webster then up to Twilight, I believe you can stay in the hut again but would check that with Parks. From there you come along the Tarn shelf and back down to the road. I did exactly this walk with my then 14 yr old son some years back, it snowed hard all night while we were snug in Twilight but the snow was so heavy it took almost the whole of the next day to get to Rodway day shelter....so keep an eye on the forecast. If you are finding it all a bit easy then you could detour up to the top of Newdegate pass to see the views west and then come back to the shelf.
bw