57 signs you might be obsessed with hiking, backpacking or bushwalking.

Get teased by friends and family that you are obsessed with hiking?

Can't resist an outdoor goods sale just in case you find a new bit of gear?

Spend time at your day job dreaming of your next trip?

Don't understand why anyone would stay in a five star hotel when they could be sleeping in a tent or tarp?

Frank recently joined the forums at Trailspace.com and he stumbled across a thread titled:

You know when you are a backpacker when:

and it got him thinking that maybe HE is obsessed with the idea of the next hike or bushwalk. On continued examination he decided that being obsessed with such thoughts is a healthy pursuit and he was particularly reassured there are many others (particularly in this U.S. forum) who think the same way!

So in this post we summarise some of the great comments on the Trailspace.com forum and invite you to add your own answer to this question in the comments section below:

You know when you are a backpacker, multi-day hiker, bushwalker, tramper or treker (phew, one word to mean the same thing would be great) when:

1. During the winter, most of your internet browsing history contains new places to backpack, new gear, etc.

2. Your wife tells you to buy the bigger tent because if you don't stop ordering new gear we are going to have to live in it.

3. You pack your stuff in boxes to move, and there are more boxes labelled "gear" than there are labelled "kitchen"

4. You insist on taking the stairs at work and when you get to the top, you stop for a snack break

5. Your truck payment is late because there was a sale at REI/ Mountain Designs/ Paddy Pallin.

6. You close your eyes at night and still see a white blaze/ yellow triangle/ track sign.

7. You're always saying..."I just wanted to see if that way was quicker".

8. You have calluses on your shoulders.

Picture by mbiskoping / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

9. You tell the clerk at Goodwill / the Op Shop they should have a synthetic and wool section.

10. You cook spaghetti noodles and then dehydrate them. Same with beans.

11. When not out backpacking you waste time on internet forums talking about it.

12. You realize that you think the people who don't backpack are just a little....weird....

13. You randomly organise a carpool for the 6 hour drive to MEC / a track and back just because

14. There's an MSR pot gripper on top of your stove at home

15. There's a car under 5 feet of snow in the driveway because you unscrewed the licence plate to make a brake on your winter sled

16. All your socks are expedition weight merino wool

17. You use your 90L pack to carry the groceries

18. You sleep on a thermarest

19. Your keychain is a Swiss army knife/fox40/flint combo on a biner/ climbing loop

20. Your homepage is Trailspace.com/ Bushwalk Tasmania

21. You name your sleeping bags (yes you can come with me this time, Hayden McWeatherfordshiredam IV)

22. You wonder if the meal you are eating can be dehydrated effectively...

23. You are given the weird look when you try to explain to your co-workers how you ended up burning your hand when your homemade Pepsi stove exploded..

Photo by thedayhascome/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

24. You see a hailstorm as a unique opportunity to test your tent.

25. You know you are a climber or backcountry skier, when it's -40, your friends say let's camp out, and you don't hesitate to grab your gear and head for the door.

26. When you visit relatives for the holidays, you camp in the backyard

27. You sleep in your sleeping bag because you just can't get comfy under bed covers

28. You never stay in motels when travelling, but stay in the woods/bush nearby

29. You cook on your camp stove at home, because that’s the only cook set you have

30. When you go hiking for the weekend, you don't want to go back to work on Monday

31. You learn edible plants to save weight in your pack.

32. You test your new sleeping bag in your room with the windows open, during winter...And maybe the fan blowing on you...

33. You never stow your gear, it always stays mostly packed, accessible & ready to go at a moments notice.

34. When you partake in a spirited debate about boots. ....and tents in hurricanes.

35. You ask questions no one can answer like: How do you get snail slime off a tent.

36. You hike all day just to cook over a beer can cause that is the real test of your stove making skills.

37. You check on your two packs at least once a week. You don't want them gaining weight when your not around...

38. You enjoy eating whatever the hell you want guilt free with a beautiful view and nobody to disturb you.

39. When your friends call or e-mail for recommendations for equipment (and you give them 5 equipment options for every question).

40. When you can outfit at least two of your friends completely so they can go on a trip with you.
Photo by canadianveggie - he loves his backpack / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

41. When you have to sneak new equipment past your spouse into the house.

42. When you've memorized, to the 1/10th of an ounce, the weight of all your equipment.

43. When you can recite the URLs of your favourite cottage gear manufacturers when you are asked for recommendations on the trail, as well as prices and a general summary of the user reviews from backpackgeartest.

44. When you can bring two extra stoves, two shelters, two extra pads and random rain ponchos to the trailhead/ start of the trip , because you know someone will forget something.

45. When your bear canister has more miles on it than your car.

46. You evaluate prospective spouses based on their gear holdings. Mine had an original North Face Oval Intention, dubbed "the Bim-Bam Room" (yes, we name our tents). Love at first sight...

47. You keep energy bars and bottled water in your car...just in case

48. You wear a rain jacket on a sunny day JUST IN CASE

49. You pass my the cooking section in Wal/K-Mart and double take cuz you could have SWORN you saw an MSR pot

50. You get excited when you have no dinner plans so you can use your cook set

51. You're the only one in 10 miles that's happy when the power goes out in winter

52. You ignore your boss's emails to click on *30% off sale at REI.com/ Mountain Designs*

53. You think about your next hike during you current one

54. Your dream job is testing gear.

55. Most of your recipes will work on or off the trail/track, and the approval process of new recipes includes trying it out on trail

56. When your back at home and you say to yourself....."I think there's half a snickers bar in my pack."

57. You can accurately guess the weight of "trimmable" stuff from a pack

Have we missed anything? Drop us a comment and add your ideas to the list, we would love to read them!

Trailspace.com is a great community for backpackers, hikers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Drop by, look around and join like Frank did. There are many like minded people there!

Related Posts
Larry, our resident gear junkie's list from The South Coast Track
5 features we don't want in a new backpack
Best one person tent? You decide
The Spirituality of Bushwalking - great post by Grant
Our Hiking Blog goes car camping - definitely NOT lightweight!

Continue Reading ....

The Overland Track - Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair - a nice slow trip

Spring hiking in Tasmania? Will there be snow or just rain?

Hiking the Overland Track from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair?

A leisurely bushwalk on a World Heritage "Top 10 Hikes in the World"

We have just returned from a seven day, six night trip on the Overland Track in Tasmania. There were four of us in the party with the plan to take our time and enjoy any good spring weather we might get along the way. With typical Tasmanian weather variability we were blessed with some great sunny days and also snow, sleet and rain in various forms. All this was expected and we were well prepared for any conditions.

Why hike the Overland Track again you may ask? Because we LOVE it!

In this post we will just make a few comments and observations about the trip, as there are many other posts on Our Hiking Blog about hiking the Overland Track. Check out the links to them at the bottom of the page.

Heading up the Horse Track as an alternative to the big grunt up Marions. Perfect for someone with barthmophobia. It is still a bit of a "climb" but over a longer distance. Every time we do it it seems to get harder....

We were hoping for snow, in fact a lot of snow! It had snowed heavily a couple of weeks before and while there was some on the Cradle Plateau it was very slushy and soft. Above is Sue heading across the Horse "Track" towards the intersection with the Overland Track proper (where it intersects just before Kitchen Hut)


We had planned to take snow shoes (Yowies) but Frank ended up the only person carrying them as the snow was patchy and not forecast for the duration of the trip. They were OK in this section but because the snow was so soft and slushy they broke through to ground several times and it was quite difficult to get them out of the snow.

Heading across to Kitchen Hut (with Cradle Mountain in the background). The snow was particularly soft here as there was a lot of water running across the ground (under the snow)


The Overland Track was easy to find in the snow. We had fantastic weather on day one.

We left the Ronney Creek car park (the official start of the Overland Track) at 1pm. Slow as ever, and hindered by the snow, we reached Waterfall valley Hut at 7pm. Sunset (above from just before the Barn Bluff turnoff) was at 6:07 so we had quite a bit of walking with headlights in the dark.

Cooking dinner at Windemere Hut we were surprised to be the only party in the hut that night. We were lucky enough to get ABC radio reception here and were able to listen to the AFL football and hear our team win the game and make the Grand Final. We also had Pelion and Kia Ora huts to ourselves which was surprising (but nice for a change, we have been at Pelion Hut when it was at it's capacity of 60 people)

Of seven days hiking, we had two totally fine days. The rest was a variety of "weather". Pictured above is John heading down the track. Tasmania has had a significant amount of winter and spring rain and the track was quite wet in places.

At Pelion Gap and the Mt Ossa turnoff. That evening we discovered we had red faces from sunburn! Colin had left Pelion Hut early hoping to climb Mt Ossa. When he arrived it was covered in cloud and after waiting an hour decided to head on to Kia Ora. As he says, no use climbing a mountain if you can't see the view. We arrive in sunshine and a cloud free Ossa!

Sue heading down Pelion Gap towards Kia Ora Hut. Nice bit of snow here but not enough for snow shoes.

It was a "bit chilly" on a couple of days. Pictured above is Frank feeling the cold.

We had never been into Ferguson Falls (which are between Kia Ora and Bert Nichols Hut) and were lucky to have chosen a great time of the year as it was PUMPING! We could not believe the roar of the water nor the sheer volume coming over the waterfall. It was a great side trip.

Above is a great view of the Acropolis from Bert Nichols Hut. The new hut is an interesting addition to the Overland Track. There is a very long, funny and interesting post on Bushwalk Tasmania about the Hut development. (some people love it, others hate it- we can see both sides)

We completed the walk at Echo Point Hut as the jetty at Narcissus was under a metre of water due to the high level of Lake St Clair.

In conclusion, a few reflections on this walk may be useful for anyone planning a spring bushwalk on the Overland Track.
- the snow was wet and really soft. Travel time was slow and snow shoes unhelpful
- temperatures were never below freezing so the tracks were slushy and wet rather than icy as we had in our Winter Overland Track
- We took it easy and just went from hut to hut. It made for a very relaxing trip, leaving late (between 9 and 10 am) each day and arriving into the Hut most days between 2 and 4 pm. It was a great way to "do" the track.
- We saw 22 people in total for the whole seven days (and saw no one for 3 of the days). If you are experienced, well prepared and not too ambitious it may be a good time of the year to hike the Overland Track without the seasonal "crowds"
- we allowed 7 nights and 8 days in case the weather held us up (or if we wanted a side trip). Snow is very common in September and there had been a large dump two weeks before our trip.
- we ended coming out "early" and had a night at the Derwent Bridge Hotel. It was great and we really enjoyed the food and hospitality.

Related Posts
How to hike the Overland Track - our eBook on getting the trip done - 2009/10 update
Backpacking the Overland Track - a view from the States
Planning food for a multiday hike
Various Overland Track posts

Continue Reading ....

Hiking the South Coast Track in Tasmania - Surprise Bay to Cockle Creek

In this post, Larry Hamilton continues his extensive trip report on the South Coast Track in Southern Tasmania.

This post commences on Day Eight where Larry had overnighted at Surprise Bay, (one of our favourite places on the SCT) and continues to the end of the Track at Cockle Creek.

Day Eight 26 June

The rain continued heavily overnight and was steadily falling in the morning so I took an enforced rest day. Because of the previous rest days I got a little stir crazy and would have liked to keep moving but it wouldn't have been pleasant walking. I had a brief respite from the rain in the afternoon and ventured out with my camera. The creek I crossed yesterday which was over waist deep was impressively high and I got a photo of it which unfortunately didn't do it justice. Had I been crossing it today it would have been an exciting swim.

Surprise Bay from the campsite

Day Nine 27 June

It stopped raining about 1am and apart from the occasional sprinkle was pretty dry. The wind had also dropped off so the condensation issues in the tent were pretty severe. It is a short hop to Granite Beach with the South Cape Range thereafter so in clearing weather and showers I walked over the range and down to Granite Beach. Granite Beach turned out to be the highlight of my trip probably because I arrived with rainbows and three quite big waterfalls pouring into a very pretty bay. I also liked the climb up beside the waterfall and the interesting location of the campsite. The rain showers gradually decreased and stopped late in the afternoon enabling me to dry some of my gear out and really appreciate just what a pretty spot it is. I'd go back there in a flash.

Tent and tarp setup at Granite Beach campsite


Granite Beach from the western campsite

Day Ten 28 June

I started early and was walking in pretty dim light at 7.30am as I anticipated a long day over South Cape Range. The weather had cleared and I had a bright, sunny and cool day. As predicted it was a muddy day and I sloshed over the range getting dirtier and dirtier. Initially the descent is tough with long drops and lots of exposed and slippery tree roots. Because of the rain, the track was in many places the river course and I got pretty wet. The later descent from the range when I broke out of the forest is a really nice walk and because I had made good time over the range I ended up whistling happily along a nice track through light coastal forest down towards South Cape Rivulet. I'd had a good day which I didn't really expect, given the tales I'd heard about South Cape Range.

Looking back at the ocean from the South Cape Range

I ended the day by swimming South Cape Rivulet which was still big from the rain on the previous days. The camp on the west side of the rivulet is a nice spot in a unique environment. I set up camp and got into dry gear. Towards the evening clouds gathered in the west and it looked as if rain was on the way again as I prepared my evening meal.

South Cape Rivulet

Day Eleven 29 June

I had some rain showers overnight but the day dawned clear with light and fluffy clouds which cleared during the day. It wasn't too pleasant putting on completely saturated clothes when it was only six degrees in the morning but it didn't take long to warm up. The walk to Cockle Creek is a pleasant one and has some great views, some beautiful beaches and some interesting landforms at Coal Bluff.
The author - Larry Knight

It is a really enjoyable way to end the walk and I felt a bit ambivalent at the finish. I still had food and fuel in my pack but had to stop. I was pleased to be at the end but also disappointed that there was not more to go.

The beach - Cockle Creek

I arrived at Cockle Creek at midday and after phoning Dover for the pickup taxi had plenty of time to change into clean clothes, phone my wife and poke around Cockle Creek taking photos.
Bridge over Cockle Creek

I was lucky with the weather and had taken it easy. The walk was everything I'd expected and certainly as good as it is reported to be. I'd happily do the walk again but am setting my sights on seeing some of South West Cape and of the side bays, now that I've seen the main track. I enjoyed having the South West Track to myself and didn't see a soul for the eleven days. That for me adds to the sense of wilderness. I'd certainly recommend the walk as one to do. The track is well marked and navigation isn't an issue. The muddiest plains have boardwalks and there is sufficient challenge in the walk to make it exciting and interesting. But it is the environment and the scenery that really make it worth doing.


Related Posts

The South Coast Track - Solo Winter Trip report by Larry Hamilton - Part One
South Coast Track - Part Two by Larry Hamilton - Ironbound Ranges and Leeches
Larry's Port Davey Trip Report- great reading
Gear List for Wilderness Bushwalking Trip - Larry Hamilton's excellent gear list
Stuck between Louisa and Faraway Creeks - Our adventure on the South Coast Track
Hiking the South Coast Track - our first (and last time)

Continue Reading ....

South Coast Track - Ironbound Ranges and Leeches

In this post we continue with Larry Hamilton's guest post on hiking the South Coast Track in Southern Tasmania.

The South Coast Track runs between Melaluka and Cockle Creek in the South West Heritage area in Tasmania. It combines spectacular coastal hiking with some (a lot) of slog through inland sections with mud and more mud....

Part Two commences from the Louisa Creek campsite before he heads up the Ironbound Range, a climb notorious for difficult weather conditions and a very steep exposed climb.

Day Four 22 June

I was up by 5.30 am packing up in the dark and on the track before dawn at 7.45am. It was a beautiful, clear, still morning and the weather report for the area was for heavy fog. That wasn't evident in the Louisa River valley but as I ascended the Ironbounds the fog rolled in over the ranges and through the valleys from the west. I was above the fog by the time it arrived and so got a very pretty view of the mountains poking out of the fog for most of the day. And I walked in clear weather for the whole of the day. I got to the top of the Ironbounds at 11.30am and was pleased to have had a cool day for the climb. Tackling the climb on a hot summer's day wouldn't be my idea of fun.

Views from the Ironbound Range- great weather


I hit the Ironbounds high camp at midday, had lunch and a look around the campsite. The descent was trickier than the ascent as everyone finds and I reached the low camp at 2.30pm and thought carefully about continuing as dusk was not that far away. I decided to push on and almost immediately came across a number of big trees down across the track and my pet hate (yellow, slimy mud! I much prefer the peaty black mud) this combination slowed me down considerably, probably contributed to by some weariness from the climb and descent.

I got into camp as dusk was descending at 4.15pm in pretty dim light and was pleased to have done so. Little Deadmans Bay is a pretty spot and I thought I'd take another rest day to have a good look at it and its surroundings on the morrow.

(Ed: Check out this post Hiking the South Coast Track Solo by a very fit woman)

Day Five 23 June

Having resolved to take a rest day I woke up feeling fresh and eager to continue and as a result thought again about continuing. The forecast was for deteriorating weather and drizzle in the evening so I fought the tendency to keep moving and instead I took advantage of the sunshine and pretty location to dry things out, relax and take some photos.

Deadmans Bay

Day Six 24 June

The drizzle didn't eventuate yesterday or last night and while the weather was evidently coming, it was not a frontal gale coming from the west but more heavy overcast and increasing drizzle. It is an easy walk from Little Deadmans Bay to the New River Lagoon and the rain started while walking on the beach approaching the lagoon. I had an interesting half hour trying to put on a tarp/poncho I had brought with me and would have been good entertainment for an observer as I struggled to get it draped as it is intended to be. When I eventually got it on I had a good laugh at my tracks on the beach. It looked as if I'd had a moment of madness dancing and pirouetting around in the midst of a sober and solitary trail up to and on from that mad dance. I enjoyed the walk along the beach.

Somehow the wind and the drizzle matched the wildness of the waves, the windswept beach with its jetsam of bull kelp and the pacific gulls and oyster catchers along the shore. As the wind wasn't all that strong and was mostly from a northerly direction the crossing was uneventful and uncomplicated. I was impressed by how many wombat and wallaby tracks there were along the banks of the lagoon.

The boat at New River Lagoon - it is heavier than it looks!

Day Seven 25 June

The morning forecast was for increasing showers and rain for the next four days but while there were some heavy showers, most of the early rain was drizzle really so I packed up and headed for Surprise Bay. I got pretty wet on the walk to Surprise Bay as the showers certainly got heavier so I decided to camp there after a short day to wait out the worst of the rain. It was a nice walk though. The crossing of Milford Creek was a thigh-deep wade and it looked like it was rising.

By the time I got to Surprise Bay the creek at the west end of the beach was running pretty strongly and was turbulent with froth and dark with tannin so that I had no idea how deep it was. It turned out to be above waist deep with a strong current but I managed to keep my feet. The campsite above the beach was quite large with a good selection of sites to pitch a tent so I set up my tent and tarp and added my poncho/tarp to the set-up which allowed me quite a bit of dry space to sit under outside of my tent.

New River Lagoon from the air

Leeches!

I came across my first leech here. I can't say I'd missed them earlier in the walk as I'm not too fond of the little suckers but I'd been surprised by their relative absence and had puzzled over why this might have been the case. I can only think that the salty air and seaside environment was something that they weren't fond of. I always carry salt to deal with them and know how much they dislike it.

For this trip I was keen to try some pyrethrin spray that my research indicated should be effective with leeches. So the first leech was experiment number one and it was one leech down. Even here there were not many leeches and because of that I suppose I got careless. After retiring to my sleeping bag after dark something bothered me while I was lying there reflecting on the day. On turning on my led lantern I discovered a leech stretching from the inside of the inner tent towards my cheek, only a few centimetres away. A flurry of activity and some more spray and scratch leech number two. That had me checking the inside of my tent pretty carefully to make sure that there were no more to surprise me inside the tent and that the inner was zipped up fully.

When it gets dark at 5pm and doesn't get light again until 7.30am I tend to spend a lot of time in my sleeping bag and really too much time trying to get some sleep. Winter walking is a way of catching up on sleep and I wouldn't recommend it for insomniacs. At night I value the mp3 player and little radio, even when the reception is pretty crappy.

Related Posts

The South Coast Track - Solo Winter Trip report by Larry Hamilton - Part One
Larry's Port Davey Trip Report- great reading
Gear List for Wilderness Bushwalking Trip - Larry Hamilton's excellent gear list
Stuck between Louisa and Faraway Creeks - Our adventure on the South Coast Track
Hiking the South Coast Track - our first (and last time)

Continue Reading ....

South Coast Track - Tasmania - Solo winter trip report

Solo hiking in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area?
A fantastic mix of coastal and inland hiking over 85km (53 miles)
Wild oceans with the next land mass south the Antarctica?
Challenging bushwalking with harsh weather conditions, no huts, minimal infrastructure that requires experience and thorough planning?

If all (or some) of the above get you itching for a great adventure then read on.....

In this guest post, Larry Hamilton returns with a wonderful trip report following his recent completion of the South Coast Track in Tasmania's far south west.

View South Coast Track in a larger map

The following is Part One of Larry's South Coast Track trip report from Melaleuca to Louisa River.

Intentions
This walk was originally intended to be combined with the Port Davey Track and completed in 2008. Unfortunately last year I struck some unusually bad weather and took longer to do the Port Davey track than planned because I had to wait out bad weather and high stream levels. When I got to Melaleuca my resupply food wasn't waiting for me and took another three days to arrive. Prudence led me to cut my losses and fly out from Melaleuca rather than continue with no buffer of spare days for bad weather or high rivers. So the South Coast Track and the completion of my planned walk waited until this year when I managed to find another period of leave to do it.

My goal for this year was to do the South Coast Track in winter, allowing for sufficient food, fuel and time to accommodate the vagaries of the weather and flood levels. Accordingly I kept a period of three weeks available to undertake the walk had had my fingers crossed that the weather would not delay a Par Avion flight into Melaleuca longer than a week. I therefore planned to have available sufficient time, fuel and food for 14 days on the track, hoping of course to be able to complete it in shorter time.

In winter you don’t get long daylight hours and you have to be prepared to wait. I started the South Coast Track on 19 June when it doesn’t really get light enough to walk until 8 am and it is almost dark again at 5pm. I ended up going over the Ironbounds on the day after the winter solstice and took 8.5 hours but I started before dawn and walked into Little Deadman Bay in the dusk. Short daylight hours are I think the biggest limitation in winter walking, much more so than is the weather.

I'd planned to be very flexible with my itinerary and looked forward to taking some side trips. I particularly wanted to get into Louisa Bay as I'd read that this is a pretty spot. As it happened though, the good weather enticed me to get past the problem rivers while the water was low so in the end I didn't take any side trips and instead took rest days and poked around the main campsites along the track.

Trip Report
The weather was kind to me approaching the date of my leave and my booking with Par Avion for an 18 June fly out wasn't delayed. I flew into Melaleuca with five tourists doing a visit to Melaleuca combined with a trip out on Bathurst Harbour with the Par Avion pilot. I decided to go out onto Bathurst Harbour with them, stay at Melaleuca for the night and begin the South Coast Track the following day.

Day One 19 June
Towards Point Eric

Despite having some overnight rain the day dawned clear and cold and I had a beautiful day walking in to Freney Lagoon. I was at the beach early and had lunch at Point Eric. Because of the time I decided to push on to Buoy Creek, arrived there early in the afternoon and whiled away the afternoon sitting in the sun, eating scroggin and drinking cups of tea. I had knee deep water in rounding Black Cliff even though it was just past low tide but that was the only tricky spot for the day. An easy and enjoyable day!

Looking back towards Point Eric

Day Two 20 June
Another clear and cold day with lots of dew. It was quite muddy going up alongside Buoy Creek across the buttongrass plain and I slipped and fell a couple of times. In one fall the branches of a bush flicked my glasses off and despite some earnest efforts and about half an hour looking I couldn't find them. It didn't help that the frames were a similar colour to the buttongrass stems and that I my acuity wasn't flash without my glasses so I ended up giving up without finding them. I always carry a spare pair of reading glasses but would have to manage without glasses for distance work for the rest of the trip. I've got quite severe astigmatism and while I can cope without glasses, my capacity to deal with detail is significantly reduced. I found it interesting that I coped well without glasses when the light was good but in dim light I found myself peering myopically at the track. So at each end of the day and under heavy tree cover particularly when it was cloudy, I suffered a bit.

Buoy Creek campsite

The Red Point Hills were the first ascent of the trip. Foolishly I tried to take these quickly and ended up suffering as a result. My preparation for the trip was interfered with by a busy work schedule and too much work travel which cut into my training. When I started panting on the way up Red Point Hills I worried a bit as the 200 metre ascent was tiny compared to what was ahead. My concern was unnecessary as it turned out as I quickly got my second wind and got into a groove with climbing at a more sensible pace. The view from the top and the desire to linger and enjoy it helped as well.

Looking back towards Buoy Creek from Red Point Hills

The day was a significant one as three potential delay points (Faraway Creek, Louisa Creek and Louisa River) were passed without incident as the water was low and the crossings trouble-free. I was both surprised and impressed by the extensive boardwalk that had been installed over the wet buttongrass plain approaching Louisa River. Along the way there were many packs of boards that had been airlifted in and were awaiting a construction effort. It would have been a very muddy and damp section without the work already done and the upgrading of the track is going to be pretty extensive.

I found this a fairly tiring day, probably because it was the second day of the walk which I always find the toughest and the first day with vertical ascents and mud. Because of this I was pleased to get into the campsite at Louisa River. During the day the wind had picked up and some gusts were quite strong. I kept eying off the dead branches of the forest trees I was camping under and was careful to pick a site that was not just level and dry but without branches likely to come off in a high wind.

Louisa River Crossing

Just on dusk I surprised a young Eastern Quoll determined to investigate my tent. I had to work hard to discourage his interest. Because of his determination to check out my food supplies, I was a bit anxious about him returning and damaging my gear in his enthusiasm to get at my scroggin supplies. Despite my worries and some careful listening in the dark I don't think he returned. Maybe my snoring scared him off.

Day Three 21 June
I decided to have a relaxing day poking around Louisa River, partly because the forecast was for strong winds and some rain but also so that I would be rested for the anticipated long day over the Ironbounds. John Chapman had provided me with the locations of the interim campsites on the Ironbounds so I was prepared to make the trip over the Ironbounds a two-day trip but for obvious reasons I wanted to do it in one day. As a result I had a rest day on the winter solstice and used my little radio to listen in to the broadcast football matches.

Related Posts
Larry's Port Davey Trip Report- great reading
Gear List for Wilderness Bushwalking Trip - Larry Hamilton's excellent gear list
Stuck between Louisa and Faraway Creeks - Our adventure on the South Coast Track
Hiking the South Coast Track - our first (and last time)

Continue Reading ....

Bibbulmun Track - Planning

The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching nearly 1000kms from Kalamunda, a suburb in the hills on the outskirts of Perth, to the historic town of Albany on the south coast of Australia.

In this post, our "End to Ender" Dave Tomlinson, shares his experience on planning, equipment, food, shelter, clothing, cooking and navigation.

There is some great information in this post to assist anyone planning all or part of the Bibbulman Track - something we would love to undertake in the future.

Shelter
The Bibbulmun Track has wooden shelters generally spaced between 13km and 24km apart. The average distance would be about 18km, although in the Kalamunda National Park they are only about 10km apart. I recommend passing through every second one in that section.

Inside the Waalegh shelter - great facilities

At the time of year I completed the track I had 80% of the campsites totally to myself. So there was no need to carry a tent and I appreciated not having the extra weight. I could assure anyone walking in summer that you'd always find accommodation in the shelters. However, the most popular period for hiking is in spring time when the wildflowers are out. Based on what I read in some of the logbooks, I couldn't give the same assurance during this season.
The Waalegh shelter - water tank and fireplace

The facilities of the track are world class and very well maintained. I often thought of the wooden shelters as large 'bus stops', with three sides that always offered protection from the prevailing winds. There was a difference between the shelters in the northern half and those in the south. Those in the north had a picnic table in the middle and hardboard bunks on either side. In the south the sleeping platform extended around two walls in a large L shape with the picnic table in the remaining space. Both would be able to sleep a maximum of 16 people.

The campsites were generally in a very pleasant location and well landscaped. Apart from the shelter and picnic table, there was a pit toilet that often had toilet paper. There was a large rainwater tank beside the shelter and this is checked by park staff through the dry season to ensure there is always an adequate supply. There was always a fireplace that can usually be used for cooking but I respected the summer fire ban and used my camp stove instead. Most sites also had a second picnic table outside the shelter.

The one campsite which was different from the others was Mount Wells. This was fully enclosed hut because it's in an exposed and often windy location. You feel a bit like Scott in the Antarctic staying there but as the wind whistles around outside you appreciate having the four walls and it's a nice view when you awake in the morning.

Stove
My camp stove is a simple arrangement that folds up into a small pouch. It uses the butane gas canisters that have a threaded attachment to the stove. I found, on average, that one standard size canister would last about a week and they were easily found at every town along the track. There was one occasion when I ran out of gas and had to (very carefully) break the fire ban to cook.
The offending fireplace...
Clothing
Again, this depends largely on the time of year. I walked during February and March which is the warmest time of the year in Western Australia. So, I usually only needed t-shirt and shorts when I was hiking during the day. Sometimes I'd use a light windbreaker along the southern coast but it was never cold. It was sometimes cool in the evenings so I put on a sweater and long pants. Altogether, I only had about four days of rain in seven weeks but appreciated having my Goretex jacket when it did.

One of the most important recommendations I could make about clothing relates to your feet. They are what will carry you each day and you must look after them. Firstly, ensure your boots are well broken in and comfortable. Secondly, wear two pairs of socks and always carry at least one other pair. Wearing a thin pair of socks under your hiking socks will help prevent blisters. Also, ensure that your toenails are always cut short, especially in sections that involve hills.

Sleeping Bag
My sleeping bag is rated 5ºC and this was adequate…just! There were some nights, especially in the southern section, where I needed my warm clothing inside my bag at night. Obviously, the rating of your sleeping bag will depend on the season you are walking but I'd make a simple recommendation: go 5ºC below what you think you'll require. A bag with a hood is best, especially in the colder conditions.

Other equipment
Apart from my clothing, sleeping bag and cooking equipment, there were a number of other important items that should be taken. If you are hiking in summer then ensure you have good supplies of sun cream and insect repellent. A basic kit and first aid knowledge are essential, especially if you are hiking alone. Know what to do if you get a snake bite.

I had a headlight and very small torch as a back up. If you enjoy the camp logbooks as I did, there is usually plenty of reading at each site but I recommend taking a book and also a journal. In such tranquility, I enjoyed writing about my thoughts and experiences each day. I also recommend taking an MP3 player. Listening to some music for half an hour is always a pleasant way to end the day. The one thing that I wish I hadn't taken is my deodorant. I meant well but really…who needs it out there?

A couple of things I did find very useful were an inflatable pillow and a net you can wear on your head to keep flies and mosquitoes away. I didn't need the latter too often but really I valued it sometimes. I found my pair of gaiters to be useful in the southern sections that involved walking though sand dunes. Never forget your sunhat, especially in summer and I recommend carrying a beanie at any time of the year.

Food
Food, glorious food. In planning any hiking trip, this is undoubtedly one of the first considerations. Between Kalamunda and Albany, the Bibbulmun Track goes through a total of seven towns, past a roadhouse and a camping ground. So, you always need to be supplied for between three and ten days along the way.
Mushrooms along the Track - don't think this one is edible

The longest leg is the first from Kalamunda to Dwellingup. This is ten days, although you do reach the roadhouse at North Bannister after a week. Apart from a good takeaway meal, an ice cream and some snack food, don't count on being able to re-supply here. The other option is to hide a food drop here for the three days through to Dwellingup.

Each of the other towns has either a general store or even small supermarket where you can get the food you require and also a new canister of cooking gas. If you need to buy any new clothing items (I wore out a pair of socks), Collie, Pemberton, Walpole and Denmark all have a reasonable range. I also recommend the bakeries in these towns, although the one in Collie does close early on some days.

There is also a small store in the settlement of Donnelly River that stocks some hiking food. There isn't a great variety but you'll certainly find enough to get you through to Pemberton. Peaceful Bay has a general store at the caravan park which was well stocked when I was there. However, this is a seasonal place and wouldn't have the same choice at other times of the year. I suggest checking in Walpole if you're unsure.
Youth Hostel at Walpole - Dave was very impressed with all the "locals" he met along the Track

Personally, I like to carry at least a small quantity of fresh food. This was usually in the form of a cucumber and a few apples, tomatoes and carrots. I recommend carrying fresh food, cheese and salami in a small cooler bag, especially in warmer weather. This will help it stay fresh and protect it from getting squashed in your pack.

Ensure that you have a large plastic bottle (at least 1.5 litre) with you. This will carry your water while you're hiking but I also used it to have a bath at each campsite. Remember that water is heavy so don't carry more than you need to each day. Consider the weather conditions, distance and whether you will be passing a campsite along the way. I usually arrived at my destination camp each day with about 100ml of water. This small amount was kept in case anything unforeseen happened.

Camera
As with all of my trips, I had my digital camera with me. Although it's a little more bulky than most, it does have 6x optical zoom. Compared to the 3x zoom of many cameras, this is often very handy. To conserve batteries, I removed them from the camera each night and replaced them again in the morning. I was able to recharge them at each place I stayed at along the way. Always carry a spare set though because there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to capture that beautiful scene because of dead camera batteries!

I always carry my camera on the front supporting strap of my pack. That way it's always easily accessible without having to stop. I always ensure it's kept dry and away from sand and dust as much as possible. It's a good idea to have a second data card and always ensure you have enough space on it for the photos that you're likely to take.

Navigation
There is no need for a detailed topographical map or GPS unit. The track is very well marked along its entire length and any navigational errors were simply due to my own inattention at vital moments. Keep watching for those yellow triangle track markers! It's not essential, but I recommend a small guide book or at least some notes from the internet as a reference for the terrain and any particular things of interest along the way.


Related Posts:
Bibbulmun Track - Part One - A very long hike

Bibbulmun Track - Part Two - The Southern Section

The Official Site:
Bibbulmun Track - Trip Planning

Many thanks to Dave Tomlinson for his fantastic words and pictures for this post.

Don't forget to check out his other posts on the Great South West Walk, another long distance hike on the other side of Australia.

GSWW - Section 1 - The Cobboboonee Forest

GSWW - Section 2 - Glenelg River - Nelson

GSWW - Section 3 - Discovery Bay to Trewalla Camp
GSWW - Section 4 - The Capes and Bays

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Cradle Mountain adventure - a short story

Adventure around Cradle Mountain?
Fact or fiction?
A day hike around Cradle Mountain with a twist (or two)?

Then this story is for you!

Frank stumbled across a very enjoyable blog today titled American in Oz. He reads a lot of blog posts about Tasmania and especially the Cradle Mountain area in Australia's most southern state, Tasmania. These post are a great source of inspiration and fun when he is stuck in his "real life".

This post , Tracks Less Travelled, a Tasmanian short story , really got his attention and the beautiful word craft and surprises in the story had him captivated.

Another fantastic image by Tasadam, Definitive Cradle Mountain - This picture is from a set titled The Overland Track - Tasmania - well worth a look at all his great photographs.

The following are some exerts from the story by annielaural:

" At the same time that she was fearful of stepping off the planked trail, she wished she had the courage to head off cross-country, to snake up the face of Marian’s Lookout, to beat Chris to the top. The competition between them never failed to engage her "

" Nueva’s was far more moderate in grade, longer with twelve hundred year old King Billy and Pencil Pines growing close to the water. Pandani towered over her head in the protection of the Ballroom Forest and Cutting Grass and Sassafras, growing far too close to the track, waited to wound. Daydreaming here was out of the question."

" It was still early afternoon. She had three more hours of daylight. A night in the dark on the trail was not appealing. She had plenty of clothes if she kept moving, but she didn’t have enough cold weather gear to spend the night out here, especially if it rained, and it was bound to rain as the temperatures cooled down "


To read the whole story (and it is a lot different to what you would normally read here), go to the full post on "American in Oz" , Tracks Less Travelled - a Tasmanian short story

We hope you enjoy it.

Related Posts:
The Overland Track - Planning the walk from Overseas
Hiking the Overland Track - a view from the States
Cradle Mountain local walk and Cradle Mountain Lodge

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Tasmanian Winter Images - Introducing Tasadam

Tasmania, Australia, is a photographers dream.

Wilderness, huge vistas, interesting elements and unspoilt scenery.

Taking a good picture is not hard but getting a fantastic photograph takes talent, time, effort and perseverance.

In this post, we invited Tasadam to share some of his spectacular wilderness photographs that focus on winter in Tasmania. Winter has just arrived in Australia and these shots are part of Tasadam's beautiful portfolio . In the future, as the seasons change, more of Tasadam's work will be featured here.

Water in Three Forms

About the Artist

My name is Adam and I live in Tasmania, Australia, so I call myself Tasadam.

I have been taking photographs for many years. I started when I was young – I don’t really remember when. I do remember when I was 11 years old, I went on a school camp for 6 days and had a 110 Instamatic film camera. My spending money went on film, and I remember my parents weren’t too impressed when I returned home with all those photographs that needed developing…

I studied Photography as an extra subject at Technical College in 1981 where I first picked up an SLR camera. By this time I had developed an eye for subject and composition detail. The honing of my current skills along with the training in technique I received was excellent and opened me towards a new level.

Winter Cradle Plateau

Not long after, I had a few SLR cameras and various lenses of my own and my style and skills flourished.

Beyond film, I introduced myself into the digital photography era and have subsequently upgraded my equipment several times.

I have taken modelling and portraiture photography in the past along with weddings, and though I find them enjoyable (although stressful), I prefer to do my photography in conjunction with another passion – bushwalking.

When my wife and I go bushwalking in Tasmania, we typically carry around 10 kilograms of camera gear – two bodies, two tripods, five lenses, and various accessories – batteries, memory cards, cleaning apparatus and the like.


Winter Summit Mt Ossa

I prefer to portray images as I saw them, rather than overdo the post processing with HDR and over-saturation etc. It takes time to process, adjust levels and sharpness to create the best image possible.

I trust you enjoy the results of my efforts.

Check out Tasadam's art here and enjoy more of his wonderful Tasmanian photographs. You can access his full winter gallery "Cold Tasmania" here.

Related Posts
Outdoor Photography - Six great links to help make your pictures brilliant
The Overland Track - Track Images

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Win a free trip to Tasmania and hike the Overland Track

Hike the Overland Track free?
Win a trip to Australia and a free trip on the Overland Track with Cradle Mountain Huts?

We stumbled across this opportunity today for anyone who owns a pair of Blundstone Boots (an Aussie icon in work footwear)

Towards Barn Bluff - Overland Track- Tasmania

Head off to the Blundstone Canada  web site and check out the competition they are running to win a FREE trip from Canada to Tasmania. Included is a guided walk across the Overland Track with Cradle Huts. (worth around $A2500)

This is the blurb off the website:

The Cradle Mountain Huts Walk an all inclusive experience for two people 5 nights - 6 days

The Cradle Mountain Huts six-day walk follows the iconic Overland Track through Tasmania's World Heritage Area. This 40 mile journey offers a rare privilege - one of the world's great walks through an ancient and richly varied landscape is normally accessible only to the hardy - for at the end of each day hikers sleep in private, environmentally-sensitive cabins. 
There are hot showers. 
Food and wine can feature almost as much as the mountains, rainforests and indigenous wildlife. The huts have been designed to complement their sensitive surroundings. Each hut contains twin share accommodation, toilets, heating, full kitchen facilities and a living/dining area. The guides on this unhurried journey share their knowledge of the landscape, the flora and the fauna, to ensure a rich and informative journey.

The competition runs until the 30th June, so get in quick.

We love our Blundstone boots and had a pair each for years. They are are great Aussie icon...

Related Posts:

Hiking the Overland Track e-Book

Release of the Overland Track book

Various Overland Track posts

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Bibbulman Track - Southern Section - Trip Report - Part Two

The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching nearly 1000kms (620 miles) from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. It goes through the heart of the scenic South West and traverses some of the most beautiful bush, forests and beaches that Australia can offer.


In this second guest post, Dave Tomlinson shares with us Part Two of his experience of walking the Bibbulmun Track, end to end, in 2007. In doing this he became one of around 500 people who have achieved this feat.

This track is one of the epic bushwalks in Australia (and most likely) the world.

Karri Tree - beautiful and straight

As I progressed south the scenery began to change more dramatically, especially as I got into the karri forests. The karri are the very tall trees and one of the icons of southwest Australia. They actually shed their lower limbs as they grow so a mature tree will have a huge single trunk supporting branches high above the forest floor. Walking beneath these majestic trees was a great experience. I also loved the tingle trees which were also very tall but seemed to have more character with knobs on their trunks and twisted branches. Many of them had the bases of their trunks hollowed by fire but continue to grow.

Before reaching the coast, the track comes south through an area called the Pingerup Plains. It was a section that I particularly enjoyed and not just because the terrain was as flat as a chessboard. The plains are characterised by large flat areas of low bush and pockets of forest. Red bottle-brush flowers added a nice touch of colour along the way.
Red Bottle Brush on Pingerup Plains

Old Tingle Tree - burnt out many years ago

This is the area that can be very wet and swampy in the spring. While I was walking though the reeds and scrub I could see the dry cracked mud where water had once been. Two shelters in this section are located beside granite domes that offered panoramic views in all directions including my first glimpse of the Southern Ocean.

Mandalay Beach - first view of the Ocean

Finally, after 730km of hiking through forests, bush, mountains and valleys I arrived at the coast. It was an amazing feeling to see the ocean and it certainly added another dimension to my hiking experience.

Mandalay Beach is the first beach I arrived at and was named after a shipwreck early last century. Tides and shifting sands mean the wreck is sometimes uncovered but I didn't see anything. The coastal views were great but I really had to earn them, especially in the softer sand dunes.
Salmon netting - an interesting diversion on Mazeotti Beach - great fish!

Sand dunes can be hard work and sometimes it feels like taking two steps forward and one back. In my first day along the coast, I also had a stiff head wind, the track was overgrown in sections and I was doing 29km which ended in a steady climb up a mountain. So, although I was very tired when I arrived I could reflect on one of my best days. The scenery went from the rugged plains to coastal heathland, to the beach, sand dunes, lovely forest and finally the mountain...all in a day!

During my journey east towards Albany I had to walk a number of beaches and cross a number of inlets. Fortunately at this time of year there are seasonal sandbars at the mouth of the inlets so I had no problems. At other times of the year hikers have to wade across or in one case follow the track around to a canoe shed and paddle across to the other side. That would have been fun but on a day where the distance was 23km over sand I was quite happy to save walking a couple of kilometres!

I think the longest 20km I've walked in my life was one day between Walpole and Denmark. It was a hot and started with 11km over some big sand dunes. Nice views but hard work. My reward for all that was a walk along Mazolleti Beach that went for 7km. A long drag but fortunately most of the sand was reasonably firm around the high water line. My final reward for all that was a 2km slog straight uphill to the campsite! I saved that till after I'd enjoyed a swim in the translucent waters of the Southern Ocean.
William Bay campsite - great facilites

The entire track is marked by yellow triangles with a black mythical waugal snake printed on it. (According to the original south-west Aboriginal people, the waugal or rainbow serpent is an all-powerful creator who created and maintained the natural and cultural law. It is believed to inhabit special areas and remains sacred to them.) On average, there are about four of these markers per kilometre generally nailed to trees but also on posts, logs, signs and rocks. Altogether there would be about 5000 of them.

So I didn't think navigation would be a problem but it's actually very easy to lose the track. I think virtually everyone does it at some point. The reason is that the Bibbulmun Track merges and intersects with various other tracks, paths and roads. So, if you have a moment of inattention at a vital time you'll walk past a marker indicating a left or right turn and continue on what you think is the correct route. Suddenly it'll occur to you that you haven't seen a marker for a while and it becomes a choice between continuing in the hope you'll find one or return to where you saw the last one. After having to backtrack a couple of times I quickly became a lot more alert for markers!
Picture of the last Waugal Snake marker at the end of the Bibbulman Track - Albany

Fortunately I didn't have the same problems as some people. I read about a few who got lost for up to three hours coming down one of the mountains. They claimed the cairns were poorly aligned but I didn't have any problems. Then there was this quote in one of the hut log books: "Got lost in the swamp but didn't realise it. Saw waugal and headed back down the real track. Realised I was going the wrong way, turned around and got lost again!" Amusing…but only in hindsight!

Although I only met a handful of people along the route I never felt lonely out in the bush. Through the northern half of the track I had every shelter (21 consecutive nights) to myself. It was an odd feeling when another hiker arrived and I had to share one. The main reason I never felt lonely was because of the log books at every shelter. There were always two - one to record basic details and another to write your thoughts, comments, philosophy, complaints and memories. As I progressed along the track, I started to recognise various names and got to know them through their comments in these books.
Even though you may be walking alone, there is alwats nature to keep you company - Black Cockatoos ready to fly.

So, I would hike alone through the first part of the day and then 'catch up' with people later in the afternoon. The date of their entries didn't seem to matter because apart from small diversions and realignments, we all basically followed the same route. So I enjoyed reading what they thought about the day and often found their comments very amusing, especially if there were hills, sand dunes, swamp mud or adverse weather involved. I was also interested in reading comments from hikers going in the opposite direction because they offered valuable information on track conditions, accommodation and where to buy supplies.

One of the hikers who did the track in summer wasn't quite so content with her own company. One of her entries read: "After three and a half weeks, one finds oneself to be quite the bore." There were some genuinely funny things written and I copied them into the back of my journal. This is an entry from one of the first shelters: "First night on the track and a wet day made my backpack 20kg heavier. Sleeping on a bed of nails would be luxury compared to the hard wood floor. Oh, the peace and tranquility! Only 16 in the shelter tonight, including 6 ten year old boys. I'll be back - this is addictive stuff!"

Aside from all the amusing quotes, thoughts and poems there were also some inspirational comments. The one that really stood out to me was this: "If there were no difficulties in the track it would let in a poorer class of walker and reduce the status of the end-to-enders." That really inspired me if the track was overgrown, the weather was bad, my pack felt unusually heavy, I was tired or if the terrain was challenging. I simply repeated that quote to myself, reminded myself what I was doing and that it wasn't meant to be easy.

Overall though, I did it much easier than many others. Amazingly, I completed the whole distance without even a blister. Apart from some general soreness when I first started, I didn't have any problems at all. There wasn't a single day when I didn't wake up and feel excited by what I was doing. Even on the most physically demanding days I embraced the challenge and never felt any doubt about reaching Albany in good health. The weather was generally very good and my Goretex jacket was often nothing more than my pillow at night. I only had rain on four days in the entire seven weeks.
The Windfarm at Albany - spectacular coastal views

The huge distance of the track was sometimes more of a challenge mentally, especially through the first week or two. After slogging through the heat and hills of the first couple of days I remember thinking that I'd only completed about 4% of the journey! So I tried to focus only on what I'd completed, not what I still had to do. When I passed the halfway mark I was happy to think about both. In my mind I treated leaving a town the beginning of a new hike and it often felt that way. I had fresh supplies, clean clothing and in one place I even washed my backpack and I started again feeling great.

A great aspect of this hike was that it offered seven weeks in a beautifully peaceful environment to contemplate, reflect and dream. Life becomes wonderfully simple because the path is laid out for you and all you need to do is follow it. The Bibbulmun Track is like a well cut jewel that shines whichever way it is approached. A special thanks to all the park rangers and especially track volunteers who keep it this way. It's been a privilege to walk its entire length and I'd recommend the experience to anyone.
Dave Tomlinson reaches the end (and planning his next trip no doubt!)


Dave

The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
And I must follow it if I can

'Hobbitt' - J R Tolkein


Information:
The Bibbulmun Track Foundation has the best website we have ever come across that supports a multi day hiking adventure.

There is a massive amount of information regarding:

• Planning
• Gear and equipment
• Friends of the Bibbulmun Track
• Track Information, conditions and closures
• News
• Maps and resources
• And so much more we don't have room.

Please check out their site - The Bibbulman Track

Related Posts:
The Bibbulman Track - a very long hike - Part one
Great South West Walk - Dave at it again with a 200km (125 miles) walk over 2 weeks
Hiking Food for a multi-day walk
Hiking Gear - What are the basics to get started?
Best clothing for a multi day hike

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