Final Farwell to Friends

We finished up our last day with some champagne and long goodbyes.  Even though we had only spent a week together, it was hard to say goodbye to such a great group of friends.  We sloshed through the mud together, fell into knee-deep bog holes together, stretched together, shared stories of home and family, checked for leeches on each other, wrapped blistered toes together, and made it through the Overland Track together.  Thanks to everyone for making this a trip of a lifetime.  And thanks to our guides, Polly and Grady, for getting us through it all!

Day 6: Windy Ridge to Lake St Clair

Our last day on the trail we walked through giant eucalyptus forests as we made our way to Lake St Clair.  It was another sunny day without a raincloud in sight.  We all dollied as we soaked up the last of the beautiful forests, wildflowers and song birds.  It has been an amazing journey through a magical land where, "where there is no time and nothing matters."

Total Time:  3.5 hours
Total Distance:  5.6 miles

Day 5: Kia Ora to Windy Ridge

 

Today was our longest day on the trail at 9 hours.  It was an epic day with lots of side trips to amazing waterfalls and swimming in the Mersey River.  As the guides described the day, it was "a bit of up, down, up, more up, and a bit down."  We rested at the historic hut built by an early fur trapper named Paddy Hartnet and then wandered through some of the oldest rainforest in the park with King Billy Pines as old as 2,000 years.  It was another sunny and beautiful day.  Tomorrow is the last day in this beautiful place and I am wishing I could stay another week.  My body is tired, but my mind feels rejuvenated.

Total Time:  9 hours
Total Distance:  10 miles

Day 4: Pelion Plains to Kia Ora

 

Today we climbed from the valley to Pelion Gap.  We left our packs at Pelion Gap and climbed up and around Mt. Doris and through the "Japanese Gardens" at the base of Mt. Ossa.  The pin cushions were just gorgeous.  We huddled around the rocks for lunch as the sleet and snow swirled about us.  It was too cold for the water to boil so we went without our afternoon tea.  Some hearty souls of the group decided to try to summit Mt. Ossa in the mist.  Since I was already cold with my five layers, I opted to return back to Pelion Gap and onto Kia Ora Hut with the rest of the group.

Total Time:  6.5 hours
Total Distance:  8 miles

Day 3: Pine Forest Moor to Pelion Plains

You learn something everyday.  Today I learned I don't like leeches.  I didn't read anything about Tasmania or the Overland Track having leeches.  Grady found one on his pack during our lunch break at Frog Flats.  It was awful, creeping and wiggling.  After that I thought I felt them all over me.  At one point I thought I had one on my face and I turned around to ask Grady if there was a leech on my face.  To my surprise, he said yes!  And then proceeded to pull the bugger off of my eyelid!  I ended up finding three others on me at various times during the day.  Other than the leeches, it was another fantastic day.

 

Total Time:  8 hours

Total Distance:  9 miles

Day 2: Barn Bluff to Pine Forest Moor

Our second day on the trail was rainy and cold.  I had read that it rains a lot on the Overland Track, so I was mentally prepared for the day in the rain.  It wasn't that bad and everything in my pack stayed dry.  I am really glad I opted to use one of TMC's gortex rain jackets.  It was a good weight and kept me dry even after an entire day in the rain.  It was also nice to have the pit-zips on the jacket as we warmed up pretty quickly when walking.  Today's walk took us through undulating moorlands and across rocky plains.  We did the side trip Lake Will and the Forth Valley Overlook which was shrouded in mist.

Total Time:  7.5 hours

Total Distance: 9.5 miles

Day 1: Waldheim to Barn Bluff

  

The first day of the hike was a gorgeous sunny day.  We donned our packs and set out like a group of exuberant kids.  The terrain was beautiful and varied.  We started near Waldheim Chalet, crossed button grass fields and creek fed valleys, stopped for a swim at Crater Lake, and then climbed up to Marion's Lookout.  After Marion's Lookout most of the group decided to take advantage of the sunny day and climb to the summit of Cradle Mountain.  You can see cradle mountain off in the distance in the photo.  It is a rocky and steep climb.  I opted out of this side trip since it was the first day of the trip and I didn't want to over do it.  Those opting for the climb up Cradle Mountain arrived at the hut about 3-4 hours after we did and barely before dark.  It was a fantastic first day on the trail for everyone.  My pack wasn't too heavy and the scenery was spectacular.

 

Total Time:       7.5 hours

Total Distance:  7 miles

Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 45L

I was able to get all of my clothing, meds, hiking poles, camp shoes, and other essentials into the 45L Patagonia Black Hole Duffel.  I am feeling pretty good about the weight and with the smaller size duffel, I will be able to use it as a carry-on for the flight to Tasmania.  Since my trek starts the day after I arrive, I don't want to risk checking my luggage and having it not arrive.  I'll probably check it for the flight home, but for now, I'm keeping all of my stuff with me.

It's Getting Cold

It is getting rather chilly in Utah.  I think the high today was 34 degrees.  It was a great training hike for damp, cold and windy weather.  We made it through the Up and Over although the north ridge was pretty slick on the way down.  I continued to add a couple 5 pound weights to my pack to simulate all my gear.  The big trip is less than a week away!

Weighing Everything

In an effort to keep my pack light, I purchased a small shipping scale so I can weigh everything and really know where the weight is in my pack. I bought the UltraShip 35 for about $30.  The UltraShip has been a great help for the decision-making process to decide what I should take and what should stay home.  If you are worried about pack weight, I would definitely recommend getting a good scale.  I think I will use this for all my trips.

Up and Down

 

We had the day off for the Veteran's Day holiday, so we were able to do a nice hike midweek.  We did the Up and Down at Red Butte.  The Up and Down is similar to the Up and Over, where we hike to the ridge but then we come back down the same side.  Still some good elevation gain up to the ridge and a faster down back to the car.  The down was steeper than we recalled, but still a straight shot.  We only saw a couple people out on the trail.  It was a cold and windy day, so a great training day for the Tasmanian winds.  I stuck two 5 pound weights in my pack to make it heavier.  It certainly changes the way the pack feels.

Trailhead Elevation:  4,990 ft

Ridge Elevation: 6,348 ft

Total Elevation: 1,358 ft

Total Distance:  3.5 miles

Total Time:  2:15 hours

Onion Creek Bench Trail

 

Back in Moab again to spend the weekend with Becky and Chad.  We got up early on Saturday morning to do a quick hike to wear out the dogs. We were going to do Fisher Towers, but the parking lot was already crowded, so we regrouped and did the Onion Creek Bench Trail instead.  It was a good choice as we had the trail mostly to ourselves, other than one group of horseback riders.  It was another beautiful morning. The trail is a loop trail that follows a stream bed up to a ridge, across a double track heading south with a great view of Fisher Towers in the distance, and then back down another wash to the beginning.  

Trailhead Elevation:

Ridge Elevation:

Total Elevation Gain:

Total Distance:  3 miles

Total Time:  1.5 hours

Keeping it Light

I have been reading a number of hiking blogs dedicated to keeping your pack light.  There is a lot of interest in the new "ultralight" hiking and backpacking.  I find the minimalist approach to gear appealing.  My favorite website is Hike Light.  They have a great 3-day gear list with actual weights and item details. I also bought some super light waterproof mitts (1.2 oz) and gaiters (2.30 oz) from Mountain Laurel Designs.  Another good resource is Hyperlite Mountain Gear.  I bought a couple of the HMG cuben fiber stuff sacks.  Here are the links to these websites:

 

hikelight.com

mountainlaureldesigns.com

hyperlitemountaingear.com

Negro Bill Canyon

 

For our last hike with Hilborns, we hiked Negro Bill Canyon.  It was a great third day on the trails.  I hadn't hiked Negro Bill in a long time. Probably at least 20 years. The trailhead is always so crowded we usually go elsewhere. But it is a gorgeous hike along a creek and ends at Morning Glory Arch.  It was a beautiful hike and we managed to avoid the crowds since it was so late in the season. The canyon was named after William Granstaff, a black prospector and rancher who grazed his cattle in the canyon during the 1800's.

Trailhead Elevation:  3,980 ft
Morning Glory Elevation:  4,380 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  400 ft
Total Distance:  4.5 miles
Total Time:  2.5 hours

Jeep Arch

We skirted the rain all day, but had a great time on the Jeep Arch loop trail.  This is a great trail off of Potash Road outside of Moab.  It was significantly colder than yesterday which provided me plenty of practice layering clothes and taking my jacket on and off.  We explored a couple of spurs and tried to find our way down the wash without success.  Still another great day on the trail.  I love this photo of Mary, Diane and Doug in the arch.




Trailhead Elevation:  3,960 ft
Jeep Arch Elevation:  4,975 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  1,015 ft
Total Distance:  5 miles
Total Time:  3:40 hours

Fisher Towers - Partial

     

 We drove to Moab for the weekend to spend some time at the cabin. The Hilborns joined us for the adventure.  For our afternoon hike today we did Fisher Towers. We got a late start so we weren't able to make it all the way to the trail's end, but we made it pretty far.   It was a windy warm evening and hardly seemed like November.  I love hiking in the red rocks.

Trailhead Elevation:  4,630 ft
Overlook Elevation:  5,300 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  670 ft
Total Distance:  4 miles
Total Miles:  2 hours

Up and Over

   

With the time change, it is hard to get any good mileage in during the week.  It is dark by 5:30 p.m. which doesn't leave much time for anything after work. I was able to get out a little early and sneak in a quick hike up Red Butte.  It was just me and the dogs. Chasing the daylight.

Red Butte Loop

 

Another go to hike for us is the Red Butte Loop. It is a quick 2 mile loop on the lower trail and return on the upper trail.  This is a nice hike for after work since it is close and quick.  We can usually do it in less than an hour.  This is probably the last after work hike for us this year. Daylight savings starts next week and it will be dark by 5:30 p.m.  We are enjoying a particularly warm fall this year and tonight was a beautiful evening for a hike.

Trailhead Elevation: 4,990 ft
Upper Loop Elevation:  5,490 ft
Total Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Total Distance:  2 miles
Total Time: 1 hour

Desolation Trail

 

Fall has arrived.  It was a crisp and cool afternoon. Great weather for a hike.  Seems that a lot of other people were thinking the same thing.  For our second hike of the weekend we did the Desolation Trail  in Millcreek Canyon. We made it to the overlook just as the sun decided to make its appearance.  A great reward for our efforts.  It took us about an hour and a half to get to the overlook with a lot of stopping and starting with the dogs and plenty of people out on the trail.  Total time on the trail was about 3 hours. Another great day.  Home in time to watch the Green Bay Packers play the night game.

Trailhead Elevation:  5,785 ft
Overlook Elevation:  7,024 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  1,239 ft
Total Distance:  5 miles
Total Time:  3 hours

Up and Over

Today we hiked our favorite go-to hike in the foothills.  We call it the "up and over" because we go up one canyon, over the ridge, and down the otherside.  Mary says it is a "short but meaningful hike." This describes it perfectly as it starts out flat, has some good hill climbing, some steep downhill, and ends with more flat. Today we did it in about two and a half hours.






Trailhead Elevation:  4,990 ft
Peak Elevation:  6,348 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  1,358 ft
Total Distance:  4 miles
Total Time:  2.20 hours

Rattlesnake Gulch to Church Fork

For another training hike with some elevation gain, we hiked up Rattlesnake Gulch to the Church Fork trail crossing in Millcreek Canyon.  It was another great fall day and the trail was well used.  I didn't carry my pack on this one so it was a pretty easy day.

Trailhead Elevation:  5,322 ft
High Point Elevation:  5,960 ft
Total Elevation:  638 ft
Total Miles:  5.5 miles
Total Time:  2.5 hours

North Fork Trail

Fall is a beautiful time in Utah.  For a training hike we did the North Fork Trail in the Uintas.  It is a nice hike because it is fairly flat and might mirror some of the early days of the Overland Track.  While the North Fork Trail from Mirror Lake Highway to the river crossing is only 2 miles, we added on another mile up the trail to Marjorie Lake.  It was hunting season, so we had to turn around before we got too far into the back country.




Trailhead Elevation:  7,560 ft
High Point Elevation:  7,710 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  150 ft
Total Miles:  6 miles
Total Time:  2.5 hours

Boots

 

I decided to stick with the full leather boots I bought a few years ago to climb Kilimanjaro. They worked well for that trek with no blisters or complaints.  I tried on a few boots at REI to see if I could find a lighter boot, but nothing really compared to the Zamberlans.  So, I'm taking my Zamberlan 310 Skill GT boots.  They weigh about 3 lbs for the pair which is pretty light for leather boots.  I bought new laces, new memory foam insoles, and had a local shoe shop repair a tear in the tongue.  Since the weather in Tasmania can be pretty wet, I re-water proofed the boots with Zamberlan Hydrobloc Cream, and sealed the seams with Shoe Goo.  They look almost as good as new.  Almost.  Anyway, the repairs and maintenance were a lot cheaper than new boots.  I bought most of the supplies directly from Zamberlan on their US website at:

www.zamberlanusa.com

Tasmanian Walking Company

Choosing a tour operator for the Overland Track is a lot easier than other adventures.  When planning for Kilimanjaro or Annapurna, you have to choose from hundreds of tour operators at vastly differing price ranges.  For the Overland Track, if you want a guided trek with the ideal arrangement of sleeping in warm lodges along the way, there is really only one choice - Cradle Mountain Huts / Tasmanian Walking Co.  The TMC is the only tour operator with private lodges to sleep in each night and fresh cooked meals for breakfast and dinner.  Unable to carry the necessary weight for self-sustained backpacking treks myself, TMC makes the trip an attainable reality for me.  Here is their website: 

http://www.cradlehuts.com.au/

Aboriginal Tasmanians

Tasmania was first inhabited by Tasmanian Aborigines who inhabited the area prior to the creation of the island. The indiginous population dwindled through colonization of the island and the introduction of infectious diseases, war, intermarriage and relocation. This is a photo of the last 4 full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigines taken around 1860. The last to survive is seated on the far right.  Her name was Truganini (1812-1876).

Tasmania

Tasmania is an island state of the Commonwealth of Australia located 150 miles south of the Australian continent and separated from the larger land mass by the Bass Strait.  Tasmania was cut off from the mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago by rising sea levels.  The island has almost half a million residents many of whom live in the State capital of Hobart.  Nearly half of the island is preserved in nature preserves, national parks or World Heritage Sites.  Tasmania is the 26th largest island containing nearly 25,000 square miles.  The island is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who made the first reported european siting of the island in 1642.