Cradle Snatches

 

The Overland Track, Tasmania

Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair

Six days 75 kilometres 

March 3 to March 9, 2023

Day One: Waldheim to Barn Bluff Hut

Intrepid trio: Sarah, Kate and Jen ready to hit the trail.

6am at the Red Feather Inn in Hadspen, Tasmania

Getting our gear together... supervised by Lucy

"My walking legs? Where are my walking legs," asks Sarah.
"I know I packed them! They're here somewhere."
Kate calls it "Sarah's faffing".
Lucy does her best to help.

Adventure walkers get their first briefing from Sam.
We have no idea what lies ahead

First stop is Crater Lake where Jem has his first swim.
He was aiming for seven swims throughout the walk.
He didn't achieve his goal this time.

Spectacular Crater Lake

Kate and Sarah with Crater Lake in the background

See you Clancy.
He's ducking ahead to get the billy going for lunch

Kate and Sarah step out...heading to Marion's Lookout.

Marion's Lookout 

The gals with Dove Lake behind us and Cradle Mt in the clouds to the right.
Doesn't bode well!

Climbing Cradle Mountain (1545m) proves a real challenge.

A rock scramble requiring four points of contact... for Jen anyway

Going up ...

... and up

Looking back. Spectacular.

Cradle Mountain ahead.
We are not going to be rewarded with a view...

... but we make it!!!
Jen grimacing, Sarah saying a quiet prayer, Kate happy happy

It is a long day - 10 hours walking - but the huts are cosy and welcoming.
The food is amazing.

Sam, Clancy and Jem (below) are our guides.
Very organised, amazing cooks, great sense of humour, top blokes!

Day Two: Barn Bluff Hut to Pine Forest Moor Hut

A gorgeous day. 

The sun shines, birds twitter, wind whispers, spirits are high.

Barn Bluff Mountain looms large in the morning

Kate in front of our rustic cabin 

The crew gather on the helipad ready for another day

And we are off through button grass plains with tarns aplenty

We stop to observe the flora...

Jen's son wants proof she is carrying a backpack. Humph!

Lunch spot...

The Stodart sisters taking a dip in Lake Windemere
They had already taken the plunge at Lake Will. Brrrr.

Sunset looking towards Mt Pelion West

Sunset Strip: Jen Kate Sarah in situ

A moment of contemplation ...

... and a rainbow. Ahhhhhh

Day Three: Pine Forest Moor Hut to Pelion Hut

At 18km, our longest day in length

Beautiful walk through myrtle-beech rain forests

Sarah, Elaine and Clancy stop to admire the falling water.
This is when Sarah's words - "Good pace Jen" - become a constant mantra

.

Wedding cake fungi

Sarah and Kate on the way up Mt Oakleigh (1286m)
"Good pace Jen"

Kate happy about reaching another summit...

... oh Jen is too. 

Up close we're not looking so hot!
It's cold n wet n windy

We saw lots of evidence of wombats but this was the only one we  spotted.

Munching his way through the grass at Pelion Hut.

Day Four: Pelion Hut to Kia Ora Hut

The weather is deteriorating ...

... and the track is not looking good.

Creeks are overflowing

We toil on ...
"Good Pace Jen"

Kate organises a group photo. Crazy Sam is up the tree

Kate now in the picture

Looking a bit worse for wear ... especially Jen.
Conditions on Mt Ossa (1617m, highest mountain in Tassie) are treacherous
 so Sam opts to take us up East Pelion.

I'm not sure why.
It was sleeting and freezing  ...
 and we then had to make the descent!

Plus the soles of Jen's boots had parted ways with the shoe.
Gaffer tape to the rescue. Worked a treat
"Good pace Jen"

Thank goodness for warm cabins, four-minute hot showers, drying rooms 
.... and delicious mushroom and spinach risotto. Yum!!

Jem, Sam and Clancy giving the nightly briefing.
Note the bottles of wine.
The number of bottles being consumed each night grew as the walk progressed.

Day Five: Kia Ora Hut to Windy Ridge Hut 

We woke up to a thick layer of snow carpeting the ground.
Just what Kate had wished for ...

Du Cane Hut

Jen wearing her VBF (Very Brave Face)
"Good pace Jen"

Kate lovin' that snow...

Some of the oldest forest in the National Park
with 2000 year old King Billy Pines 

Yay! We're on the right track...

Sarah looks bemused

Lunch by the Mersey River that spills to Bass Strait

Lots n lots of falling water

Fookin' Freezin'

Rugged Women x Three

Day Six: Windy Ridge Hut to Lake St Clair

Another cold wet day ...

... with lots of snow-fed water falls ...

... and finally Lake St Clair

Stodart Sisters with clothes on ...

... and then without! 
Check out Kate's face and fists. Sarah keeps it together

Freezing Narcissus River

We did it.  

But there's one more summit to scale ... 

Day Seven: Ben Lomond National Park 

At 1572m, Legges Tor is the second highest peak in Tasmania. 

There is no way we are not going climb it!!

The Ben Lomond crew: Kate, Sarah, Stirling, Kate and Jen

Stirling and Kate striking a pose

Going up: Jacobs Ladder with six switchbacks
Engineering marvel 

Alpine Village. In winter, a major ski resort

Our challenge for today ... Legges Tor

Kate and Stirling ham it up

Summit Sarah

One more pic of gals at a summit