Tent Needed?

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Tent Needed?

Postby DaveCBOA » Fri 06 Feb, 2009 5:41 am

I'm planning on walking the Overland Track in late October. I've received conflicting advice as to whether I'll need a tent or if I should have no problem getting into huts at that time of year. Has anyone had experience of this please?
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Re: Tent Needed?

Postby frank_in_oz » Fri 06 Feb, 2009 5:58 am

You should not have any trouble getting into the huts in October.

You MIGHT have trouble with ice, snow and rain, Even the potential for hypothermia or slipping and breaking your leg walking between 2 huts.

A tent may be the best way to save your life in these circumstances. I always take one.

have a great trip

edit:
Just stumbled across this article you may like to read. (gotta love Google Alerts)


This is the background:
On 8th August 2007 it began raining in Tasmania. Not any ordinary rain but a one in twenty year deluge of 200mm within
a 24 hour period. For the YHA Bushwalking party nearing the end of the Overland Track at Pine Valley hut, this
sustained downpour caused major problems, not least for Tom Lun in this extract from his diary entry of 9th August


This is the link to the article in the YHA Bushwalking magazine : http://www.yhabush.org.au/Yeti%20backis ... -08%29.pdf It is about half way through the document.

A couple of relevant snippets:

- I felt maybe I was in a little bit of trouble. I was shivering badly again and Cliff suggested that I could be suffering from mild hypothermia

- Rain was continuing to pour down and it was finally decided to set up a tent whereby I could get shelter and warmth as we waited.

- As soon as I got into the tent, I removed my saturated clothing, put on some dry ones from the pack and slipped quickly into my sleeping bag.

Enjoy the read.
Frank
Check out "Our Hiking Blog" Overland Track guide, Food to Go-recipe ideas and Trekking to Everest Base Camp.
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Re: Tent Needed?

Postby Son of a Beach » Fri 06 Feb, 2009 8:02 am

I would advise people to always take a tent on the Overland Track, especially if you are not familiar with the area. If you plan to sleep in huts all the way, the chances are you will have no problem finding spots in the huts to sleep each night, and will not need your tent. However, it is a remote area, and having a tent is like life insurance for many of the problems that can (and do!) occur in this area where there is no other help available.

The other reason I would advise taking a tent is that it's a lot more pleasant to sleep in than most of the huts most of the time. The huts are noisy, they are too warm early in the night, and too cold late in the night. They stink of sweaty socks hanging around the heaters, there is a wide variety of snoring and farting noises (and smells) all night. There is always at least one group who likes to stay up late talking or playing cards late into the night, and there is always at least one other group who gets up very early to cook their breakfast while clomping around in heavy boots (yes, I sometimes fit into one or the other, or even both, of these groups). Tents are much more pleasant most of the time.
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Re: Tent Needed?

Postby Nuts » Fri 06 Feb, 2009 4:22 pm

YES, A tent IS needed...
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Re: Tent Needed?

Postby DaveCBOA » Sat 07 Feb, 2009 1:23 am

Thanks for the info. Sounds like crampons and ice axe are a possibility! 200mm rain in 24 hours sounds a bit damp - and I thought Scotland was wet.
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Re: Tent Needed?

Postby MJD » Sat 07 Feb, 2009 8:29 am

Take a tent - it gives you more options for where you stop overnight. There was still a bit of snow around last October but September is better if you want to cart an ice axe and crampons around. Here's a shot looking back at the last part of the climb up to Cradle Mtn's summit after crossing the ridge. The footprints actually stopped just below where the photo was taken and it took me almost 30 minutes to get up the other side and I wouldn't have got up there without an ice axe.
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Near the summit of Cradle
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