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Overland track conditions

Discussion specifically about the Overland Track should be posted in this subforum, including side trips and the Cradle Mountain day walk area. Alternative access routes and connecting routes belong in the parent forum.
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Overland Track App
An electronic guidebook for planning and walking the Overland Track.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Nuts » Fri 22 Jul, 2011 12:46 pm

Yeah, its not an easy one, the yowies much lighter and overall are carried much more than used (on that track). The crampons are less aggressive though.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby MichaelP » Fri 22 Jul, 2011 4:59 pm

I just got back from three fantastic days up in the Walls. Views over to the Overland tell me that it's pretty amazing over there at the moment. We had heaps of snow (impassable without snowshoes - our homemade ones only just lasted) but nothing compared to what was on the Overland peaks.

Ossa looked like something out of the Swiss Alps. Never seen anything like it in Tas. Amazing.
Pity I have to go back to Melbourne for Uni.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Joel » Sat 23 Jul, 2011 11:30 pm

The weather at cradle has been truly special this year. I am so happy with the way winter is going.

This morning Dove Lake was FROZEN!!!

I mean the whole lake, shore to shore; North to South, East to West.

I ask you guys, When was the last time you saw Dove Lake completely covered in ice?

Kathleen Falls Is a ribbon of ice. Ice climbers could get some screws in I think.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Stibb » Sun 24 Jul, 2011 2:47 pm

I don't believe any of this. Pictures or it didn't happen. Lots of them :wink:
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Sun 24 Jul, 2011 2:58 pm

Stibb wrote:I don't believe any of this. Pictures or it didn't happen. Lots of them :wink:


+1
Nothing to see here.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Joel » Sun 24 Jul, 2011 3:47 pm

I can't really just go around taking photo's while I'm on tour. But I asked one of the guests to email me some shots. I went kayaking today around the unforzen edges of the lake.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Phil » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 11:28 am

Joel wrote:This morning Dove Lake was FROZEN!!!

I mean the whole lake, shore to shore; North to South, East to West.


:shock:
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby sthughes » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 11:50 am

Here's a picture at about 2pm on Saturday, at that time I'd say about 70% frozen, and quite thick around the boat shed. Bit hard to see in the picture but basically at that time about the most northern 50m or so was unfrozen (but with some floating ice) and a strip running east-west from the point you can see on the left was unfrozen. So first thing in the morning I'd believe it quite possible it was all frozen :wink:
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On a slightly different track, last Friday the Great Lake had about 30% or so ice coverage in the morning which I also found a little incredible. :D
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby shazcol » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 12:15 pm

All the lakes up past Lady Lake to Lucy Long, Westons, Lake Nameless, Lake Ironstone etc were frozen solid over the weekend (23-24/7/2011). About 10cm thick on the edge of Lake Nameless. You could walk way out onto them no problems. Getting water out of the lake required an ice axe to smash a hole.
If common sense is so common, why don't you see more of it?
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby taswegian » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 1:13 pm

will you blokes stop teasing us and put some photo's up please

Just out of ineterest - how do you know a lake is frozen enough to walk on?
I saw lake Salome frozen once but wasn't game enough to walk out on it. Didn't fancy a dunking.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby shazcol » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 1:20 pm

I'll do a trip report tonight and post some images there so I don't pollute this thread.

Jumping up and down on the ice gives a good indication!
If common sense is so common, why don't you see more of it?
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Phil » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 1:29 pm

taswegian wrote:Just out of ineterest - how do you know a lake is frozen enough to walk on?
I saw lake Salome frozen once but wasn't game enough to walk out on it. Didn't fancy a dunking.


I guess you could 'assume' that it is frozen enough..............

http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2822&p=29600&hilit=+through+the+ice+#p29600
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Stibb » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 3:05 pm

Lovely pic sthughes, thanks. Yeah, we need moar pics in this thread. I don't think it would pollute! On the contrary it will really show what the conditions are like. No one will believe you guys otherwise :wink:
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby taswegian » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 7:36 pm

Phil wrote:
taswegian wrote:Just out of ineterest - how do you know a lake is frozen enough to walk on?
I saw lake Salome frozen once but wasn't game enough to walk out on it. Didn't fancy a dunking.


I guess you could 'assume' that it is frozen enough..............

http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2822&p=29600&hilit=+through+the+ice+#p29600


Thanks Phil. Not much else one can say.

Even 'jumping up and down' wouldn't be enough for me. I'm quite happy looking at it thanks, or skimming rocks across it.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby shazcol » Mon 25 Jul, 2011 9:34 pm

posted some pics for all those asking in the gallery here:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7243&p=92580#p92580

enjoy...
If common sense is so common, why don't you see more of it?
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby baeurabasher » Tue 26 Jul, 2011 8:13 am

Are they letting groups through yet??
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Joel » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 7:11 pm

Image

Image

Image
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Joel » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 7:29 pm

Check out these crazy photos of the summit!!

http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/disp ... -206962716
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Nuts » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 7:51 pm

Grants photos are amazing. Melting fast you say. Did you gets some skis? :)
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Joel » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 10:35 pm

Yeah, we really need another big dump in the next fortnight and hopefully another period of -5 to -9 temps over night.

No skis yet. Went to the tip shop in Hobart and they had plenty of skis, but no boots. Got any you want to get rid of?
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby tas-man » Sat 30 Jul, 2011 12:26 am

Joel wrote:Check out these crazy photos of the summit!!

http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/disp ... -206962716


STUNNING PHOTOS of Cradle under heavy snow!
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Ciaran » Mon 01 Aug, 2011 7:37 pm

Nice shots there Joel, and good to see you finally got out there to take them.

And the weather looks Fantastic!!

Thanks for sharing, Ciaran.
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Ciaran » Mon 01 Aug, 2011 7:46 pm

.........just checked out that link, those pics are truly amazing!!
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Re: Overland track conditions

Postby Phil » Wed 03 Aug, 2011 11:11 am

This from Sunday arvo........(just taken on the iPhone)
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