Snow on Overland in September...really????

[matto]

So I know the likelihood of having to prepare a response to the look my wife will give me if we have to be rescued...

Hi everyone Im planning on doing Overland in September with a few friends (I know, I know its the only time we can all do it!). Anyway many people have said that this is typically snow season so we should expect a bit.

My question... How hard is it to lose your way in the snow?

Ive seen some YouTube vids of people walking in the snow and you cant really make out the track/path/duckboard. Obviously if we felt it was unsafe to continue we would stop and bunker down but surely heavy flurries happen from time to time ALL year round. How much snow is needed before you'd no longer see the path? Tell me Im being ridiculous.

Thanks!

[corvus]

matto,
From my experience you should have missed the worst of the Snow by then and even if it was bad the northern end over the Cradle Plateau would be the only area that would have the track relying on the top of the marker poles
So you should have no problems with following the track from there onward nor should you need snow shoes but always prudent to check the conditions prior to heading out
corvus

[north-north-west]

You're being ridiculous.

Yes. you can get snow all year round. But much of the track, and all of the exposed sections, have marker poles. You'd have to be trying to get really lost.

[Strider]

Keeping warm/sheltered is probably more of a concern.

[Tortoise]

You'd have to be trying to get really lost.

Or trying to walk with minimal visibility, which you already know is a bad idea. It can be tempting to 'push on to the hut' - so nice and cosy compared to putting up a tent in a blizzard. But occasionally, the latter will be the best option. Having a spare day up your sleeve will help avoid both those choices.

[alanoutgear]

Reasonable question to ask, but really not too much to worry about.

The worst place for snow and being exposed is the northern end of the walk from Marion's to Waterfall. We got caught in a blinder of a wind and hail storm rounding the cirque a couple of years ago. Horizontal golf ball sized hail blowing us off the track - we just had to stop it was hurting so much. There was a helicopter coming up from the south and as he got near the southern edge of the storm, had came to the hover for a few seconds, did a quick u-ey and then cut and run for the south again. Sometimes the weather is crap wherever you are.

Once you are at Waterfall, the track is generally much easier to read even in snow. Once you are in the trees and scrub south of Windermere, while the track might get a bit of snow on it, the gap in the trees above the track is a dead giveaway. The further south you get, generally the less snow too.

Like all things there are exceptions, and if you are in snow and/or bad weather and have lost the track - stop. If you've got a GPS check your position relative to where your map says the track should be - then decide if you'll relocate in bad weather, or camp where you are and relocate when the weather clears.

[Tortoise]

The other 2 spots I can think of are Pine Forest Moor (fairly exposed), and Pelion Gap (I've had snow about 6 out of 8 times I've been there). But that's been more of an issue of ice preventing us from reaching summits (or conditions such that we didn't attempt them) than the track being a problem.

[MountainMadness]

Yep good point about the 'not so silly question' as it can hammer down on the OT even in September. We did the OT a few years ago in mid August and we got pummeled. As already mentioned many of the higher sections more susceptable to snow are signposted (however some of these posts were nearly completely covered when we were there!). So its generally pretty easy to find you way through even in snow conditions. In these conditions it is very slow going though and be prepared to fall in un-seen holes or ponds!!!!!

A couple pics from our trip to put it in persective