Walking the South Coast Track alone

[Guido]

Hi all,

I am a 39 year old m from The Netherlands, planning a trip to Tasmania in Jan-Feb 2018. I am very interested in walking the SCT. One problem: I will be alone. I have buswalking experience, in Europe but also in Tasmania and other parts of Australia. However, my initial enthousiasm is now somewhat tempered after reading about it raining leeches, deep extensive patches of mud and more typical South Coast hardships. Not that I mind a bit of suffering, but as I said, it might not be safe to walk alone. Therefore I am very interested in the opinions of the visitors of this forum. My questions are these:

1. How unadvisable is it to walk the SCT alone in February?
2. How many people will there be starting the track each day in February? I mean, will I really be alone out there or will there defenitely be more people around?
3. Should I try to find a walking buddy?

I suspect I will have some more questions but let's start with these. Needless to say, I will be carrying an EPIRB (and satellite phone).

Thanks, Guido

[north-north-west]

Numbers starting the walk from either end will vary day to day, but there are always people on the track in summer. You won't have any difficulty finding people to tag along with if you want.

There's been a lot of work done on the track lately, and more to come. Many of the worst boggy bits have been hardened or bypassed. The vaguer bits over the South Cape Range have been re-cut and re-marked. There's new duckboarding and gravel south of Melaleuca. It's nowhere near as bad as it used to be, although there's still plenty of mud in some sections. Leeches are standard but they aren't dangerous unless you're one of the few who have extreme reactions to them. I've never picked up a leech down there despite numerous visits - but I'm almost always alone and careful not to stop anywhere that looks potentially leechy.

As long as you're properly prepared to cope with the weather you should be OK.

[wander]

1. Solo walking the SCT should not be an issue in February, subject to some Tassie walking prior.

2. February will see a group or so most days starting the SCT. You will be very very lucky to have a camp site to yourself.

3. Look for a wandering buddy if you want, particularly if you have not done much solo walking. It helps to split the tent and stove weight as much as anything.

Be prepared mentally for some long days. Days can be longer if you only have yourself to talk to.

Also be mentally prepared to set up camp, cook, clean up and visa versa all yourself. It can be a surprise how much sharing these tasks reduces the workload over a trip.

[Mark F]

While I agree with wander about walking companions I feel this only applies to people you know well and have walked with before. For casual meetups it is vital you are fully self contained just in case a problem develops. You don't want to be left without a tent, stove or food because your companion decided to turn back/race on ahead/threw a wobbly - be self reliant.

[Guido]

You won't have any difficulty finding people to tag along with if you want.

Thank you so much for your answers.

So is it common to tag along with other groups? I've always walked alone, and am not really familiar with the etiquette.

Guido

[north-north-west]

Solo walkers who aren't comfortable being solo tend to do it. Some groups/people will welcome you, some might not. But if you're comfortable walking alone you should be OK on the SCT provided you're properly prepared and sensible. Biggest dangers down there are the sudden weather changes and water crossings - never try to cross a creek/rivulet/river in flood or (in the case of some beach crossings) at high tide.

[Suz]

I'm planning on doing the same trip at the same time of year Guido. I am slightly concerned about the river crossings and how tiring it might be in the boat (crossing 3x by myself) and leeches gross me out, but getting quite used to mud now with experience in tassie!

Anyhow...I can understand your concern and I always listen closely when I meet people who've walked this track because I want to walk it myself. My survey of 10 or so people tells me that if it rains a lot, one can look forward to encountering such joys as walking in waist deep water and pooing in pouring rain on an almost overflowing outdoor drop toilet - but in decent weather, it may well be the best trip ever.

I met some Tasmanian ex-guides while down there recently and they told me the weather more stable and usually drier in Feb and march than in January (although this particular Feb 2017 was crappy) ...anyhow you may want to choose Feb over Jan is all I'm saying.

[north-north-west]

Suz:
The Prion crossing isn't that bad unless there's a lot of wind. Bathurst Narrows on the Port Davey Track is the really difficult one if you're alone.

[Mark F]

The Prion crossing day is the key day to team up to another couple of walkers. You can always just hang around the boat pretending to have lunch

[Suz]

Mark that's genius! I shall And if I have to, I guess it can even become a 'rest day'.

Thanks NNW.

I shall leave the Port Davey track well alone after MechanicAl's description.

[wander]

Prion crossing is really a doddle compared to the Narrows, especially when you leave the spare paddles behind and have to do the trip 5 times solo, and just after you have done the final trip a solo walker appears at your arrival side. Grrr.

[Guido]

Prion crossing is really a doddle compared to the Narrows, especially when you leave the spare paddles behind and have to do the trip 5 times solo, and just after you have done the final trip a solo walker appears at your arrival side. Grrr.

I can imagine that must have been really frustrating! The have-lunch--near-the-boats-plan sounds more and more appealing.
Thanks everyone for all the tips. I'll be back if I have any more questions.

Guido

[Roger]

I've done the SCT solo on a number of occasions. Last time I did it I got an audio book 'King of the Wilderness - the Life of Deny King by Christobel Mattingley.

I put the headphones on, walked and listened about the life of a remarkable man who lived and worked in the area around Melaleuca.

Walking 'his' track and being in 'his' environment gave me a whole new perspective and experience on the SCT and the South West wilderness area.