boggy belcher with pics

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boggy belcher with pics

Postby Tastrippa » Sat 27 Jan, 2018 12:03 pm

thought id put up my experience at a first attempt at overnighting at lake belcher.......well it didnt pan out the way i intended but that was solely because i spat the *&^%$#@!! the walk in was pleasent i left at 7am and it took a bit over 2hrs to arrive at lake the view of the surrounding peaks from near the summit of mt mawson was as expected AWESOME! the 400metre drop into the humbolt valley was a good walk and it wasnt until hitting the valley floor the reality of what was coming set in. As soon as i crossed the humbolt river i was greeted to the boggy belcher and this only worsened the further i pushed, finally the emergency hut came into view and i knew it was only another 500 metres to the lake...unfortunately even though we are in the middle of summer this area doesn't adhere to the idea of drying out AT ALL! the bog just got boggier and the track isnt the easiest to follow... all i needed was the lake shore and i was sure id be in a happier mood, the lake had no solid bottom and only a foot deep so a swim to refresh and reset was squished....i crossed the river again near the start of the lake and from that point it was nothing but swampy marshs and peat moss i endured half way round the right side of the lake before making the decision the opposite shore may well provide dry ground so i backtracked and didn't get far that way as the tea tree was almost impenatrable, the decision was made i either had to sit in the hut all day or get the hell out before it got too hot....it didnt take too long to make the call as the march flies and mozzies were only going worsen....they were already bad! i only seen one tiger snake and a couple of disappearing tails which was good but im sure in the conditions there wouldve been quite a few i didnt see.....off i went with tail between legs....and 16kg on the back still lol

anyway id thought id share something for you all....and the couple of german tourists walking in were warned that it isnt just a 5hr return walk as the track conditions arent that well defined on the signage and considering i was knee deep in sections and was continually looking for the actual track i thought id better let them know what they were in for....epecially with no gaitors...
there isnt much info on belcher that i could find and i couldnt even see where the lake belton section started. maybe parks and wildlife should shed a little more light on the actual conditions of the track so people know what to expect
will post some pics as soon as i figure out how :P.....figured the pic problem 8)......more pics to follow....unless my amateur pics aren't desired? but im keen to share my journey as a beginner to hiking
Attachments
P1020273.JPG
mt mawson summit
P1020274.JPG
on the way down
P1020278.JPG
twisted trunk
Last edited by Tastrippa on Sat 27 Jan, 2018 7:17 pm, edited 10 times in total.
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Re: boggy belcher

Postby stepbystep » Sat 27 Jan, 2018 12:17 pm

Belton is much nicer for swimming than Belcher, far more pleasant all round ... live and learn eh ...
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Re: boggy belcher

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Sat 27 Jan, 2018 2:33 pm

I was in there a few weeks ago. Didn't think it was too bad. Just the usual unmaintained buttongrass track bog... nothing over knee deep even in the worst spots.

The track from Belton to Belcher is now very, very hard to follow almost completely overgrown in places. I dont think many are going up there nowadays. Have to agree it is a much nicer lake for swimming though.
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Re: boggy belcher

Postby Tastrippa » Sat 27 Jan, 2018 3:45 pm

Lol, fair call SW...I did find knee deep not that I was looking though, my version of bad is going to differ from another's I suppose (very much still a novice in comparison to a seasoned hiker) I just couldn't believe how wet/boggy it is this time of year...was a good initiation to the unpredictability of tassie tracks....beautiful area but very unforgiving, was hoping for a more pleasurable first overnighter but oh well.....next time gadget

Spoke to shop owner at westerway on way out, he did mention of a good amunt of rain there over last couple weeks...still blew my mind how wet it was
:)
Attachments
P1020279.JPG
humbolt valley
P1020280.JPG
hut visible in background
P1020287.JPG
lake belcher
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Re: boggy belcher with pics

Postby Tastrippa » Sat 27 Jan, 2018 9:36 pm

Oops, just realised I should've posted this in the tas trip reports....another lesson learnt

** Topic moved by mods. **
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