Advice on hike options Walls > Overland or alternatives

[tonliveshere]

Hi hikers,

We're hoping to have a hill of a time hiking late September but we're already encountering some hills a bit difficult to surmount!

The perfect hike for us would be to start at Walls of Jerusalem > Dixon Hut > Lake Meston Hut (or Lake Ball Hut) > Kia Ora Hut (or Bert Nichols) via Never Never > Narcissus Hut > Lake St. Clair > best steak money can buy

Transportation is the main issue. I have access to a car, so we're thinking we'd drive to Lake St. Clair, but we don't know how to go from Lake St. Clair to the start of Jerusalem walk -- does anyone have any ideas?

Unfortunately, we may have to forgo this hike itinerary and look for a circuit that's 6-8 days, in which case, does anyone know of such a circuit? Some research found Western Arthurs Traverse, but looks much too arduous, and we need at least three nights in a hut to dry off in if it rains. Another option is to hike the Overland and use bus companies to transport us but I've hiked it before and would love to explore more of what Tasmania can offer. Penguin Cradle trail looks nice but transport is an issue again.

Can't wait to hike in Tas! Any help is much appreciated.

[Hermione]

Why not just stick to the Walls of Jerusalem ? It's a beautiful place with plenty to see and relatively easy walking. Though I think if you're expecting much from those huts in terms of drying options you'll be disappointed. Lake Meston and Junction lake huts are quite nice but not like the huts on the overland if that's what you're expecting. Dixon's will keep you dry at a pinch but you shouldn't really be staying in it because of it's historic value. Lake Ball hut is quite dilapidated and I doubt you'd want to use it once you see inside.
Since any circuit you choose is likely to involve at least some off track walking people aren't likely to post detailed answers here. Read John Chapman I'm pretty sure you should find something suitable. Also might be helpful if you gave a bit more detail about your bushwalking experience and navigation abilities. The Overland track is pretty easy compared to a lot of other Tasmanian walking.
Good luck hope you work out something and have a great time.

[philm]

The Walls to Lake St Claire is a great walk. Most go via the never never - which is low lands following the Mersey - read leaches, water and in summer plenty of tigers! The other option less travelled is from Juntion Hut to Lake Metrope via Lake Artemis and over the Traveller. You will need to be able to navigate off track and have reasonable experience.

We used a charter bus to drop us at Lake St Claire and then pick us up 6 days later at the Walls car park - great trip.

Not sure of your experience levels so please consider this.

[Scottyk]

Hi hikers,

We're hoping to have a hill of a time hiking late September but we're already encountering some hills a bit difficult to surmount!

The perfect hike for us would be to start at Walls of Jerusalem > Dixon Hut > Lake Meston Hut (or Lake Ball Hut) > Kia Ora Hut (or Bert Nichols) via Never Never > Narcissus Hut > Lake St. Clair > best steak money can buy

Transportation is the main issue. I have access to a car, so we're thinking we'd drive to Lake St. Clair, but we don't know how to go from Lake St. Clair to the start of Jerusalem walk -- does anyone have any ideas?

Unfortunately, we may have to forgo this hike itinerary and look for a circuit that's 6-8 days, in which case, does anyone know of such a circuit? Some research found Western Arthurs Traverse, but looks much too arduous, and we need at least three nights in a hut to dry off in if it rains. Another option is to hike the Overland and use bus companies to transport us but I've hiked it before and would love to explore more of what Tasmania can offer. Penguin Cradle trail looks nice but transport is an issue again.

Can't wait to hike in Tas! Any help is much appreciated.

you can try these guys http://www.tasmanianhikes.com.au/bushwa ... sport.html
They will do transport more or less anywhere. Not cheap I bet but if you have a group it will be the best option to get your preferred walk done.
Make sure your group is up the hike before you start as the turning back is very hard to do when your car is already at the end!

[weetbix456]

We did a loop in late May this year of Lee's Paddock - Pelion - Kia Ora - Never Never - Junction - Walls & out over a fairly cruisy 6 days. If you decide not to finish at Walls itself (divert from Meston Hut) you'll pop out a mere 500m from your car to complete the circuit. Otherwise it's a 7k plod back along the road. Take a push bike Very nice times.

[north-north-west]

If you add the Moses Creek and Junction tracks, plus a sidetrip up to the Cathedral Plateau, it's easy to do a tracked loop walk over that time in the Walls. Even more option if you go off track.
If you don't mind the off-track options, and your navigation is good enough, you could start at either end and loop over the Traveller & Mountains of Jupiter, with the other leg being via the Lakeside or Cuvier Valley track. That gives you a very wide range of terrain, some relatively infrequently visited areas, along with some easier tracked sections and plenty of optional sidetrips. Also one or two huts along the way just in case, although it sounds odd to say you need three days to dry your gear if it gets wet . . .

[tonliveshere]

Thanks for all the responses guys!

To add to the information I've already given, I'll be the most experienced hiker out of a group of three. I've done little off the track navigation, but with sufficient planning with a GPS and printed maps, I think I'll be able to pull it off. The other two hikers don't really have a lot of experience and when I hiked Tassie last time I was drenched for days, so I think having a hut at least every other day would be nice for them (and me!).

After considering the shuttle bus that Scottyk linked to, we looked up car hire and it works out to be a lot cheaper. We can all drive so leaving one car at the end of the hike and driving back up to the start shouldn't be a problem. It also allows us to turn back if we absolutely have to (thanks again Scottyk).

For those of you that have hiked from the Walls of Jerusalem to Lake St. Clair, did you manage to make the trek from Meston hut to Kia Ora hut in one day? We're thinking of giving it a go, but considering our experience; maybe should we break it up into two days?

Any help would be appreciated Thanks again in advance.

[DanShell]

For those of you that have hiked from the Walls of Jerusalem to Lake St. Clair, did you manage to make the trek from Meston hut to Kia Ora hut in one day? We're thinking of giving it a go, but considering our experience; maybe should we break it up into two days?

Any help would be appreciated Thanks again in advance.

It can be done but its still a long day even without navigation issues. Can you start your day from Junction Lake hut, that will take a little bit off your time. Then at least if you have any issues through the never never you can at least just aim to get the OLT and make plans based on the time you get there.

[weetbix456]

Yeaaa..we walked from Kia Ora to Junction. Much more realistic for this time of year given the groups experience levels.

[bumpingbill]

For those of you that have hiked from the Walls of Jerusalem to Lake St. Clair, did you manage to make the trek from Meston hut to Kia Ora hut in one day? We're thinking of giving it a go, but considering our experience; maybe should we break it up into two days?

It's about 17km. It's through the Never Never, which isn't exactly a speedy route and requires crossing the Mersy, and also the button-grass plains near Junction Lake.

It's do-able, but would be a long day. Here's a blog post of someone who has done it: http://frankinoz.blogspot.com.au/2007/0 ... a-hut.html

Or this, to Du Cane Hut: http://hikingfiasco.com/walls-of-jerusa ... july-2010/

It's likely you'd have to camp the night in the Never Never, which isn't bad if you find a nice spot.

EDIT: I have the GPS location of a few potential Mersy River/Never Never crossing points from a few months ago. PM me if you're interested. Trees logs can move a fair bit, so they might have gone now but it might make it easier for you.

[Hermione]

It's doable but would be a long day and maybe not very enjoyable for less experienced group members. We walked from the overland into the Walls via the Never Never in about March thus year. It was really quite dry and we were able to walk across the Mersey hardly getting our boots wet. We had planned to walk on to Meston the same day but ended up stopping at Juction Lake due to foot/ankle issue. I think you'll find things a bit wetter underfoot if you're heading off soon and you may be happy to have a shorter walk. Plus I think junction Lake hut is nicer than Meston somehow. They are practically identical but Junction has a nicer feel (to me anyway).

[philm]

Agree with everyone's advice above. Meston to the OLT will be a big day and the never never can be problematic especially in the wet.
I'd suggest puching forward to Junction Hut (nicer hut and better outlook than Meston) then starting early the next day through the never never.
Weather, water and experience can play a bug role in the time taken to get through.
It is difficult to get lost in the never never as you have the Mersey as a navigation point all the way to Harnett falls however there are lots of false trails and back tracking that you may experience.
One easier way through is to keep to the north of the river and head up into the forest then cut back to near Harnett - the other main alternative is to stay close to the river most of the way (I prefer the former)
If it has been wet there will be lots of water near the river and the crossing can be difficult if the water levels are high.
There are plenty of write ups of trips through and you will see that even experienced walkers have taken some time.

If yo plan ahead and are reasonable with GPS, map and compass you are unlikely to get lost but may spend a few hours longer than planned making it through!

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

For those of you that have hiked from the Walls of Jerusalem to Lake St. Clair, did you manage to make the trek from Meston hut to Kia Ora hut in one day? We're thinking of giving it a go, but considering our experience; maybe should we break it up into two days?

It's about 17km. It's through the Never Never, which isn't exactly a speedy route and requires crossing the Mersy, and also the button-grass plains near Junction Lake.

It's do-able, but would be a long day. Here's a blog post of someone who has done it: http://frankinoz.blogspot.com.au/2007/0 ... a-hut.html

Or this, to Du Cane Hut: http://hikingfiasco.com/walls-of-jerusa ... july-2010/

It's likely you'd have to camp the night in the Never Never, which isn't bad if you find a nice spot.

EDIT: I have the GPS location of a few potential Mersy River/Never Never crossing points from a few months ago. PM me if you're interested. Trees logs can move a fair bit, so they might have gone now but it might make it easier for you.

I've done Meston to Bert Nichols (before it was Bert Nichols) in a day and also Junction to Narcissus in a day, which is similar. Wondering why you'd go to Kia Ora if your goal is Lk St Clair.... wouldn't you go to BN (would save you half a day or so)? In any case it's a longish day but doable. You'll be carrying tents so you could shoot for the hut but if you need to pull up short there are sites in the NN (from memory near grassy banks on the north side of the river somewhere between Clarke and McCoy falls), near Hartnett and at Campfire Creek.

[north-north-west]

Shorter route from Junction/Meston would be to follow the Artemis track and go up on the Mountains of Jupiter or the Orion Lakes area and then drop down to the OT near DuCane Gap. Cross country once you leave the Artemis track but it's mostly pretty easy nav, and plenty of camping options along the way if weather or time get away from you. Plus the river crossing at Junction Hut is a lot easier than further downstream.

[Nuts]

Yes. Personally the earlier suggestion taking in Cathedral as a loop walk or NNW'sts above. The never never is a pretty poor choice views wize, suspect they had called it 'always always' nobody would bother.

[Orion]

That's pretty funny, Nuts.

I liked the mystique of the Never Never. I'm glad I didn't talk to you before we walked through it. :-)

[philm]

The trip over the Traveller Range is nice and open - you just need to avoid the scrubby sections along the way. From Junction Hut to Lake Artemis is a nice track and the camp at Artemis is one of the best - so it is a nice place to plan to stay overnight. (From Junction to Artemis is only about 1.5 hours - easy track)

We did the reverse trip from BN Hut to Lake Artemis via the North side of Lake Metrope - we hit some very thick scrub around the North side of the lake and this meant the trip to Artemis took about 10 hours!

The best plan would be to get to Lake Artemis and stay the night then spend a day to the top of DuCane Gap - camping at the top is magic if the weather is good. Then the next day go from Du Cane Gap to Lake St Clair.

Others may do it quicker but its a nice walk and the views are great compared to the more travelled Never Never.

[north-north-west]

The best plan would be to get to Lake Artemis and stay the night then spend a day to the top of DuCane Gap - camping at the top is magic if the weather is good. Then the next day go from Du Cane Gap to Lake St Clair.

Yeah, camping up on the Mountains of Jupiter or the northern Traveller is superb. The sunrise views of the DuCane Range are especially good.