Hi all,
Heading to Tassie for the first time, and will be staying at Cradle for a couple of nights mid-August. Got a few questions for those who know the area well.
1. Summitting Cradle at that time of the year - feasible? Microspikes or crampons necessary? Verglas on rocks? Stupid idea for a solo day trip? I see the summit track runs up the west side, so I'm guess it only thaws out mid-late morning if at all?
2. Other walks around there with wife and little one in tow e.g. lake circuit, Hanson's peak - slippery enough (or sections that are steep enough) to make microspikes a necessity? Does the lake boardwalk ice up deeper than any chicken wire?
We've previously spent a couple of years hiking and scrambling in the Canadian Rockies (year round) but that was a few years ago so we're probably a little rusty in winter conditions now. We always went in groups as well, so we had support if conditions suddenly went to *&%$#!.
I stupidly sold off my microspikes and ice axe before returning to Oz, thinking I'd never need them again...