Bushwalk Australia

Hi,

I'm hoping do the OT in the next couple of months and am considering the time that will be required to complete the track with the side trips I'd like to do. Obviously the weather will play a big part in determining the time taken and the side trips that are possible, but I was wondering how accurate the times in John Chapman's Overland Track book are in general? When we were down in Tassie in November we did a number of day walks in addition to a three day walk into the Walls. We found the time estimates in Chapman's Days Walks Tasmania to book be pretty conservative (we're reasonably fit). Is that the case with the OT book as well?

Thanks!

Cheers,

JB

I guess it depends a lot on your fitness, pack weight, the weather and the terrain. On both my trips to the SW we struggled to keep up with Chapmans slowest recommended times. Especially early in the trip, when the pack was heavy and we were still getting used to it we were slower than his recommended times. I doubt we can help much with this, I think everyone will give a different answer.

Chapman actually states in his books how the times are calculated, so check that section carefully.

He also posted a summary of it to the forums here.

One thing I have noticed with walking times is on flatter walks times for a great number of people tend to be consistent but with the uphill/downhill treks guide times appear to be rather competitive. Frenchman Cap is quoted I think at 2 hours return. Ok, got to the top so better start heading down or is it a forty-five minute sprint each way with half and hour on the top? It took me one hour and thirty-five minutes up and nearly the same down but then again some peoples knees are in better shape than mine plus haul less potential energy.

Cheers Brett

Son of a Beach wrote:Chapman actually states in his books how the times are calculated, so check that section carefully.

He also posted a summary of it to the forums here.

Thanks for that link Nik, very helpful.

Only just dug Chapman's OT book out but will read it from cover to cover before I go. (Hmm, last sentence, paragraph 3, page 16, 1st Ed. - "Times given are for average groups, laden with packs, with some time allowed for short rests or for long, steep climbs")... in reasonable weather conditions, I'm assuming.

Am keen to factor in a few side trips (e.g., Cradle Summit or Barn Bluff, maybe Lake Will & Innes Falls, Mt Ossa and wouldn't mind spending a couple of days in Pine Valley) obviously which are completed will be weather dependent, my initial thoughts (without having yet read the track info in detail) is to allow 7 days for this.

Brett wrote:One thing I have noticed with walking times is on flatter walks times for a great number of people tend to be consistent but with the uphill/downhill treks guide times appear to be rather competitive. Frenchman Cap is quoted I think at 2 hours return. Ok, got to the top so better start heading down or is it a forty-five minute sprint each way with half and hour on the top? It took me one hour and thirty-five minutes up and nearly the same down but then again some peoples knees are in better shape than mine plus haul less potential energy.

Cheers Brett

I guess it's the uphill/downhill sections where the combined factors of level of fitness, load being carried, experience/confidence in scrambling sections and old war wounds (e.g., tired old knees) really come into play and start to differentiate walkers (in terms of time taken). Different people will approach any one climb differently depending on their own strengths and weaknesses and comfort zone. At the end of the day, it's not how long something takes that is most important but whether it is completed safely and enjoyed!

Yep, as Chapman said in the linked (above) post...

As for our other books, times are estimated for the target audience. For South West Tasmania, the target audience are very experienced walkers and they do walk a fair bit faster than the less experienced ones which is why times in that book might seem a bit short for some.

So while his OT times do allow for average walkers with occasional short rests, his times in other books are for faster more experienced, fitter walkers. I think that in the SWT book itself, he says that it does not include rest times, and that you need to calculate your own rest times to add onto his walking times. So no, it does not allow for time spent on the top.

Hi Jellybean,
Make sure you give yourself time to spend one or two days in Pine Valley.
All the OT is stunning but I thought Pine Valley was something really special.
I kept expecting to see a dinosaur come down the track!
Melinda

Hi Melinda,

Thanks for the tip. I am VERY keen to explore Pine Valley and want to go out to both the Acropolis and the Labyrinth. Did you do both of these or just one?

(If you are after special places in Tassie and haven't been - put the Walls of Jerusalem on your list! What a magical place. We had a fair bit of rain (fortunately not torrential) and a light dump of snow when we were in there but it was still magnificent. If anything the snow made the walk to the Pools of Bethesda and through to Mt Jerusalem even more magical. It was like being in the Lord of the Rings!).

Cheers,

JB

Hi Jellybean,
We just went up to the Labyrinth and had a good look around.
This was my first trip to Tassie, however I'll definitely be going back.
We are already talking about the Walls of Jerusalem, and other places.
Keep us posted on your preparation and trip.
Melinda

Jellybean wrote:Hi Melinda,

Thanks for the tip. I am VERY keen to explore Pine Valley and want to go out to both the Acropolis and the Labyrinth. Did you do both of these or just one?

(If you are after special places in Tassie and haven't been - put the Walls of Jerusalem on your list! What a magical place. We had a fair bit of rain (fortunately not torrential) and a light dump of snow when we were in there but it was still magnificent. If anything the snow made the walk to the Pools of Bethesda and through to Mt Jerusalem even more magical. It was like being in the Lord of the Rings!).

Cheers,

JB

I spent 3 days in Pine Valley in Jan. Caught the boat up to Narcissus an walked in. The times given (in chapmans book) to walk from Pine Valley to the Labyrinth and the Acropolis from Pine Valley Hut are very very conservative. I made the poor decision to do both the Labyrinth and the Acropolis in one day. I think it ended up taking me about 10 hours(my partner does slow me down a little though). It was a very hard day. Then again, I dont claim to be the fittest person in the world! Pretty sure Chapmans book says 4hours return to the Acropolis summit. I reckon it's more like 5-6 hours!