OLT for newbies

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OLT for newbies

Postby Ant71 » Thu 03 Mar, 2016 2:32 am

Hi all how is everyone I have a few questions that someone may be able to help with. My wife and I are looking to do the OLT in late September
It may be a silly question but will we need snow shoes
Is there any public or private shuttles from Launceston to cradle mountain and the same from lake st Claire
Again it may be a silly question but if we are taking it at an easy pace will we make it between camps ok within daylight hours.
We will be taking a tent are we better off to use it or use the huts if they are available
TIA for any help
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby Nuts » Thu 03 Mar, 2016 6:40 am

Hi Ant71

Ant71 wrote:Hi all how is everyone I have a few questions that someone may be able to help with. My wife and I are looking to do the OLT in late September
It may be a silly question but will we need snow shoes

Usually not, you'll probably not know until a day or two before departing. 90% chance of No.. but, Very handy on the odd heavy fall. Usually most useable in the first day or two on the track's northern end.

Is there any public or private shuttles from Launceston to cradle mountain and the same from lake st Claire

Tassielink to Cradle Mt, only direct link LSC to launceston is a chartered service. Exit to Hobart or Queenstown could be easier & cheaper depending on timetable/timing unless you can find a charter service with existing bookings to Launceston

Again it may be a silly question but if we are taking it at an easy pace will we make it between camps ok within daylight hours.

Yes, at any time of year, 6/7hrs walking max.

We will be taking a tent are we better off to use it or use the huts if they are available

The huts will be tempting, tent can be as warm later into the night if there are few people in huts (heaters are on a 40min timer)

TIA for any help
Ant71
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby bumpingbill » Thu 03 Mar, 2016 7:43 am

The huts are indeed tempting! Especially when there's no one else in them. It's like your own private cabin in the wilderness for the night.

They're also dry and have more room for moving about and cooking. While they can be very cold, that's often fixed by going to bed in a warm sleeping bag!

But, as they say, always take enough tents for the walking party because you never know - the huts could be full, or you might be forced to stop earlier than expected.
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby Ant71 » Sun 06 Mar, 2016 11:26 am

Thanks for the help from what i have read i think we will just use the tent. We are now thinking of driving to Cradle Mountain and then try to work out some transport from lake St Clair but that looks like a nightmare lol
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby kitty » Sun 06 Mar, 2016 3:50 pm

Hi Ant71

Ive done the OLT twice and agree that the logistics for the start/end of the track can be a hassle, especially for interstate travellers who dont have a car in Tassie or friends to transport them to/from the track. Both times I used a track transfer company, for the simplicity of it*. They look after your non-hiking luggage, drop you at the start of the track, pick you up at the end of the track and they collect you/drop you from any location such as airport or a hotel in either Launceston or Hobart. We were on a tight schedule so this really worked well. I think Tassie link is cheaper, but the pickup/dropoff is less flexible as its a bus service. Both times I flew into Launceston and out of Hobart, and spent a couple of days in Hobart at the end of the walk, so the storage of the non-hiking luggage was an important factor. Here are my basic schedules, hope they help. I preferred the 2nd schedule because I much preferred starting the walk earlier in the day.

Trip1
Day before OLT: Arrived Launceston the day before. Stayed at a hotel in Launceston that night. Stocked up on fresh food and gas cannisters.
Day 1 of OLT: Track transfer pickup from hotel at 8am. Travel Launceston to Cradle Mountain. Picked up OLT passes. Started walking after lunch.
Last day of OLT: Took ferry to Cynthia Bay. Met track transfer at 2pm (Tasmanian Hikes). Dropped off at accomodation in Hobart about 5 or 6pm.
Next day: Picked up a hire car in Hobart and spent a few days in Hobart.

Trip 2:
Day before OLT: Arrived Launceston 8am. Track transfer pickup from airport. Travel Launceston to Cradle Mountain. Stopped at supermarket on way for fresh food. Bought gas canister from Tasmanian Hikes. Dropped off at accomodation at Cradle Mountain. Picked up OLT passes.
Day 1 of OLT: Started walking in the morning and arrived Waterfall Valley early afternoon.
Last day of OLT: Walked out to Cynthia Bay. Met track transfer at 2pm. Dropped off at airport in Hobart (about 6pm) where we picked up a hire car. Had to do a pickup of the hire car at the airport as the hire car companies close at about 5pm in Hobart itself. Spent a few days in Hobart.

Regarding tent, youre obliged/advised to take a tent as per the OLT checklist. Trip 1 was about 30 other people (Christmas) and I slept in the tent every night. Trip 2 (early October) was between only 2 and 5 other people at the hut each night and I slept in the tent 2 nights. Each hut varies, some are bigger than others, so you can make up your mind each day if you want to stay in the hut or pitch the tent. Late September its still free, and that can be a busy time as it coincides with school holidays and people get in before the booking season opens - I heard from the ranger and read in the track notes that there were about 50-60 people staying at Waterfall Valley at one point during September 2015.

There is also a sub-forum for finding/arranging transport here:
viewforum.php?f=4

Edited: * There are quite a few OLT track transfer / private shuttle companies - google search will find them :)
Last edited by kitty on Sun 06 Mar, 2016 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby Nuts » Sun 06 Mar, 2016 6:48 pm

Transport from LSC to Cradle Mt is easy, saving money makes things more difficult.
For a combo of ease and savings don't book the track departure until late (sept wont be full) and try All the listed operators (acknowledgement to kitty's experiences but, as I understand, they all provide a similar service and are equally as good) for others pre-booked.
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Re: OLT for newbies

Postby Ant71 » Wed 09 Mar, 2016 8:41 pm

Thanks for the help everyone
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