Frenchmans Cap - What is the mud like?

[Fizzygood]

Hi All,

Frenchmans Cap is on the list for a few weeks time

Has anyone been out there recently? What's the mud like?

Cheers, Erin

[Son of a Beach]

I did Frenchmans late last year. The mud was certainly not as bad as the waist deep mud I encountered the first time I went through (~15 years ago?), with the abosolute worst bits duckboarded now. But the unboarded parts are still some of the worst mud you'll see on Tasmanian tracks.

Having said that, the really muddy section (the Lodden plains) is not all that long (compared to the Arthur plains, for example).

I would imagine it would be extra muddy at this time of year, though, unless it is nicely frozen over hard.

[Fizzygood]

We are expecting some horrid mud

The plan is to camp in the car park on the Thursday night and head straight for Lake Tahune Hut on the Friday, leaving about an hour before daylight. Summit on Saturday and head back to Vera Hut (weather permitting in this cantankerous part of Tasmania) Walk out on Sunday... big walk but very rewarding!

Getting some views is a roll of the dice!

[tas-man]

<SNIP> Getting some views is a roll of the dice!

Don't be put off by the clag that can hang around at the Lake Tahune level. When last there in 1996 we shared the hut with a group that had already waited a day for good conditions to go to the summit. We didn't have time to wait so headed off in the thick cloud and were rewarded with a spectacular view of the SW peaks above the cloud layer, just as we got to the top. I had previously seen the views to the west coast and valleys so was more than happy with this view . When we got back to the Tahune hut and told those still waiting what we had experienced, they were very ****** off. So I suppose I am encouraging you to not wait in the hut if things do not look promising - you might experience the same as we did.

View from just below top of Frenchmans Cap looking north to the peaks of the Cradle Mt NP

[norts]

I would advise anyone going to Frenchmans to stay a night at Tahune . The early morning sun hitting Frenchmans and turning it golden was one of the best things about the whole walk.

Roger

[Penguin]

Been up twice - great view on the inside of a cloud both times. Even stayed for an extra day and the weather did not change. Enjoyed the walk - I love artichoke valley.

How is the mud? Deep! I went in February both times.

[Fizzygood]

After the weather we have had (are having!) we expect the mud to be pretty deep but that's all part of it... for this walk anyhow!

It will be a big walk in to Tahune on day one but with only 2 nights available its our best option for a Frenchmans Cap sunrise unless we plan for day three to be the big one which is not a preferred option with a drive back to Hobart at the end of the walk...

I'm always banging on about the driving to my friends but aren't we lucky to live in Tasmania!... the bushwalking mecca of the world!

[whiskeylover]

A photo of the mud a few years ago .in this patch the water was up to groin level or a bit higher approx 80cm.I have been into frenchmans twice and found that it was muddy both times,but the mud was different the first time it had been quite dry ,even though the middle of winter .The mud was sticky and thick and made it hard to lift feet and it was good to be fit . The 2nd time it was extremely wet ,even though similar time of year , the mud was not so sticky but the water was deeper up to groin area in deep parts but generally only knew deep .I must admit on the first trip I tried to skirt the water a bit but after a while gave up and since then I have decided that skirting is not worth the effort .I tend to drive straight thru the middle of the water and mud it is hard work but it seems lees hassle and lees damaging and faster. So if it has been raining a lot be prepared for watery mud that maybe deep in parts but if it has been dry the mud maybe sticky . The view from the top is worth it .( well it was worth it on one occasion the 2nd time too foggy ) .be prepared for sudden drops in the track ,hard to see underwater/mud. Also I generally don't use poles but find that one is handy for depth checking of the mud and for helping push up on to get out of holes

[tas-man]

<SNIP>The mud was sticky and thick and made it hard to lift feet and it was good to be fit . <SNIP>

My first trip to Frenchmans in 1970 was memorable for the STICKY mud in places across the Loddon plains. A photo of me extricating myself from a bog was posted in this thread - download/file.php?id=173&mode=view. It took so much effort to pull your feet/boot from the mud that I had to drop my pack off! Another mate lost his boot in the mud with the suction (foot came out of boot) and had to dig his boot out of the mud before we could get going again. The last time in 1996 was during a heat wave, and the top of the mud had firmed into a crust that MOSTLY would support you weight, but sometimes didn't Perhaps yowies might be the go when the mud is thicker

[Speculator]

I've never done frenchmans, but have heard the stories about the mud from lots of different walkers. Funny then, that one guy I work with, who's a very experienced walker has done Frenchmans twice, and said he never encountered serious mud. He reckons that on one trip it was muddy, but he'd seen worse on plenty of other walks, and on his other trip apparently it was dry and dusty. Now, I believe this person, as I said he's very expereinced. It doesn't really apply to a trip at this time of the year either, but I thought I'd just state it here, for the record, as it goes against everything I've heard about the Frenchmans Cap walk.

L8r.

[PeterJ]

After the weather we have had (are having!) we expect the mud to be pretty deep but that's all part of it... for this walk anyhow!

Gee that's a commendable attitude; I have to confess that as the years pass the sight of mud is ... well ...

Although I have had fairly good conditions underfoot, in March and April (several years ago now, but can be the driest months underfoot ) I suspect that with the rain of late the water and mud will be quite significant at the moment.

[Fizzygood]

Well, it took us 7.5 hours from car park to Vera Hut... lots of mud!

The topic of this thread is, 'What is the mud like?' I have quickly thrown together a video to show you... enjoy, we did!

YouTube link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL0z0nZrZHU

Cheers, Erin

[Speculator]

Well, it took us 7.5 hours from car park to Vera Hut... lots of mud!

The topic of this thread is, 'What is the mud like?' I thrown together a quick video to show you... enjoy, we did!

YouTube link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL0z0nZrZHU

Cheers, Erin

Haha, fantastic!

Thanks for that, it really does put into context exactly how wet the loddens can be. I hope you enjoyed the (rest of) the trip though?

L8r.

P.S. Nice choice of music. Dave rules!

[Fizzygood]

We had an awesome time...

Only got as far as Barron Pass. The Cap was looking pretty snarly...

Spent two nights at Vera Hut (one of them sleeping under the stars on the heli-pad until about 5:00am when some rain caused a rapid move to the hut!

It is a magnificent walk and place with some very untouched places... I quite like the fact that it's not too easy to get in there!

Scotch around the coal fire in Vera Hut with thunder and lightning crashing around the peaks and rain battering the hut was brilliant on the Friday night!

We'll be back... for longer next time!

Erin

P.S... only took us 5h 45m to get back out!... the plains were worse but we were better!

[NickD]

Went in only a couple of days before Fizzygood.
Yes the mud was pretty ghetto, couple of board walk spots which was handy, but it probably ranks as being the worst I've trekked through.
We too were denied the summit, although we climbed to the Irenabyss turn off - found Frenchmans Cap summit track VERY hard to follow in deep deep snow.
It seemed well marked, but nothing above the snow line (eg. snow pegs, cairns) and therefore we had trouble finding the track only 50 metres away from the hut.
Good near vertical snow walls for climbing but

[tasadam]

MMmmmm Wet mud - great video...
At least it looked like you could generally cut through it without getting STUCK...

For those that miss the view from the summit, check this thread from the gallery.

[Azza]

I've been into Frenchman's 4 times over the years, and its been consistently muddy.
Except for one late March weekend, we left Hobart a bit late and didn't arrive at the car park until mid afternoon.
It had been a fairly hot, dry summer and the Loddon has dried out. The mud was still there but the surface had formed
a crust. I don't think i stepped in anything deeper than my ankle. There were some huge dried out mud puddles that
flexed as you walked across then, you got the feeling that you might break through at any moment.
We raced across the plains and made Lake Vera is record time. Something rediculous like 4hrs.

Judging by the recent rain and amount of snow this year, its definately going to be muddy...
Only time its going to be dryish if your lucky is late summer, early autumn.