Overland Track, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park - August 2003

How about a  retro post, in 2003 Skip and Dave and I decided to do the Overland Track in winter. We'd all done it before in other seasons, but wanted to experience it at its most harsh.

Climbing up to Crater Lake.

We got what we wanted, the day before setting off there was a big dump of snow at Cradle Valley, and it was still snowing heavily when we set off from Ronny Creek. By the time we reached Marion's Lookout it was necessary to don the snow shoes. Progress was slow as we made our way across to Kitchen Hut, the snow was over waist deep in places and even with snow shoes we were sinking deeply into the soft snow. We decided that the safest option would be to wait out the storm at Kitchen Hut, soon after two more guys turned up, and a little while later a party of five turned up who were heading back from Waterfall Valley, all of us ended up stuck in Kitchen Hut that night, needless to say floor space was a little tight.

Upstairs suite, Kitchen Hut.

Downstairs suite, Kitchen Hut.

Next day we continued across Cradle Cirque to Waterfall Valley Hut, the guys from Kitchen Hut decided to turn back from here as they didn't have enough food to allow for the slow pace in the deep snow. We had ten days of food and plenty of Bailey's Old Irish Cream, so we were quite looking forward to a slow trip.

Waterfall, Waterfall Valley.

Skip, Goin' Feral, Waterfall Valley Hut, no wonder the young blokes decided to turn back.

The snow continue the next day to Windermere Hut, with the walk across the tops past Lake Holmes being particularly narly. Another early day was called at Windermere while we watched the Pademelons foraging in the snow outside the hut.

Windermere Hut, at least the gas heater was working.

Next stop was the then new Pelion Ponderossa, er, I mean Pelion Hut. As with Windermere Hut, we had the whole hut to ourselves. The rangers had closed a partition to block of half the hut that sleeps sixty plus, but there was still ample room for a game of indoor cricket, just as well as the hut was freezing with the heater out of action.

Heading towards Pine Forest Moor.

No working heater in the new Pelion Hut.

Next day it was on to Kia Ora Hut, once again we had the hut to ourselves. The highlight of Kia Ora being the coal fired pot belly that heated the hut up nicely. On the trip over from Pelion, Skip and I had made an aborted attempt on Mt Ossa and Mt Pelion East, getting turned around both times due deep snow and icy rocks.

Kia Ora coal heater getting stoked up, the first time we'd been warm since leaving.

The weather was on the improve now and we finally left the consistent snow cover as we made our way to Windy Ridge Hut, the snow only getting deep as we crossed Du Cane Gap. The board walks however were coved in a thin layer of ice for most of the day which slowed progress somewhat. Arriving at the old Windy Ridge Hut in the middle of the afternoon, we grabbed the deck chairs out of the hut and lugged them down to the heli pad, where we soaked up the last of the weak afternoon sun.

Deck chairs on the Windy Ridge heli pad.

The old Windy Ridge Hut.

Pine Valley Hut was our next destination, once again the duck boards made for treacherous walking being covered in ice. At one stage the three of us were all flat on our backs having slid of the boards. Dumping the packs Skip and I made an afternoon attempt on The Acropolis, getting turned back under the final cliff line.

Snow gum on the track to The Acropolis.

Pine Valley Hut.

The next day we all made an ascent to The Labyrinth, in hindsight, the highlight of the trip. It was amazing to be there with the tarns and lakes frozen over. Skip and Dave retreated to the hut but I spent the whole day wandering around being extremely careful not to get lost in the snow covered terrain. That night back at Pine Valley Hut we had company for the first time since we had left Waterfall Valley Hut.

Frozen tarn in The Labyrinth.

Lake Elysia.

The aim for today was Echo Point Hut, but first I had to quell a small mutiny when we got to the ferry point at Narcissus Hut, Skip and Dave were all for catching the boat out, I was keen to walk the whole track. After a brief discussion about the pros and cons of the ferry we walked on, arriving mid afternoon at the tiny Echo Point Hut to luckily find it empty, we spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing on the jetty, retreating into the tiny, but cosy hut as the sun went down. We spent the night eating all our left over supplies.

Echo Point Hut.

Eating all our left over food on the last night, Echo Point Hut.

The last day was a straight forward walk of about ten kilometres to Cynthia Bay, once again the weather held out for us and we finished the walk dryer than we started. After a pig out at the cafe, we jumped into my car and headed back to Cradle Valley so Skip could pick up his car and head off to meet the new lady in his life. All we had had heard for the previous ten days was Janty, Janty, Janty! Dave and I meanwhile retreated to the caravan park where we got a cabin and settled in for awhile to do a few day walks.

4 ks to go.

The finish, Cynthia Bay.

The Dirt
The Overland Track is a classic Australian walk, I've since done it again in the intervening years, walking from Penguin to Cynthia Bay. There are plenty of notes written for the walk including the guru Chapman. Walking in winter is a serious proposition and should only be tackled by experienced walkers. As for our fearless walkers, Dave is now confined to day walks due to dodgy joints, Skip and I walked the GR20 in Corsica together in 2013, thankfully all Skips talking about his new girl Janty has paid off as they have been together now for almost eleven years, which is about ten years longer than any other female had ever put up with him! Happily I still call Dave and Skip mates.

Skip and the lovely Janty.