If Tasmania's Overland Track is not on your bucket list, it should be. Glenn Vertigan recalls a recent six-day journey that saw him and his friends experience all four seasons.
The Overland Track is on many a bushwalker's bucket list and I had the chance to experience it with a bunch of mates over summer… so it should have been nice weather, right...?
We left Ronny’s Creek with a strong wind in our face and driving rain. We had a snack behind Kitchen Hut (it was full of people getting out of the weather) and then the weather really took a turn for the worse. We put all our wet gear on and headed off. We couldn’t see the top of Cradle Mountain, but the scenery was still spectacular. We stayed in the smaller hut at Waterfall Valley and I realised not only am I battling the cold, but snorers as well!
We headed off the next morning via Lake Will. I saw the sign about currawongs and how they get into packs. Yeah, we’ll be right... We got back and sure enough, Steve’s pack was undone and stuff was everywhere. Lesson learnt. We arrived at Lake Windermere and after an extremely cold dip in the lake we decided our tent instead of the hut was the best place for a sleep!
Day three was walked in drizzly rain all the way to Pelion Hut. We still appreciated the amazing scenery and we were particularly taken with our lunch stop at the Forth River. My grandfather’s ashes were scattered in the Forth River many years ago so it was good to stop and reflect. The rain cleared for a great view of Mt Oakley before bed.
Climbing Mt Ossa was the goal for day four. However, as we arrived at Pelion Gap, we realised it wasn’t happening. There was snow at the top, and the wind had really picked up. In fact within minutes of finishing lunch sleet and driving wind meant that staying on the track was a big effort.
My hands were burning with the cold and at Kia Ora hut, the ranger reckoned with the wind chill it was around 4°C. It was an interesting but good spirited night with 20 or so walkers crammed into the smallest hut on the walk.
The next day was the highlight of the walk. We had the rain but this also meant the waterfalls were exploding. They were spectacular and we stayed for a good chunk of the morning checking them out. And our final night was spent in the most luxurious hut of all… Bert Nichols. That night, we completed our final card game of 'warlords and scumbags'.
The final day – and yes! – beautiful sunny weather and no wind. It was a wonderful way to finish what was an exciting adventure. There were some great views before crossing the suspension bridge and too soon the walk ended at Narcissus Hut. Then it was time to dry our wet gear before the ferry trip across Lake St Clair. What a brilliant six days. If it's not on your bucket list, it should be.