Choose a diary entry31/03/2004 - Retrenched! 02/04/2004 - Farewell Lunch 03/04/2004 - Preparation 1 04/04/2004 - Preparation 2 05/04/2004 - Packing 06/04/2004 - Sydney to Hobart to Mt. Field NP 07/04/2004 - Tarn Shelf, then into the Southwest 08/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 1 - Up Alpha Moraine 09/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 2 - Lake Cygnus 10/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 3 - Lake Oberon & Square Lake 11/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 4 - Lake Oberon to Lake Cygnus 12/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 5 - Lake Cygnus to Junction Creek 13/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 6 - out to Mt Field NP 14/04/2004 - Back to Hobart for resupply and on to Southport 15/04/2004 - Southport, Hastings springs, Cockle Creek 16/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 1 - Cockle Creek to South Cape Rivulet 17/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 2 - South Cape Rivulet 18/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 3 - back to Cockle Creek, then Hobart 19/04/2004 - Hobart to Lake St. Clair 20/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 1 - to Vera Hut 21/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 2 - Tahune Hut and the Summit 22/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 3 - Tahune Hut to Vera Hut 23/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 4 - out to Derwent Bridge 24/04/2004 - Derwent Bridge / Lake St. Clair to Hobart 25/04/2004 - R&R in Hobart 26/04/2004 - Hobart, buying a new Camera 27/04/2004 - Hobart to Port Arthur 28/04/2004 - Port Arthur Historic site, then to Fortescue Bay 29/04/2004 - Tasman Trail Hike - Fortescue Bay to Eaglehawk Neck 30/04/2004 - Eaglehawk Neck to Hobart, Targa 01/05/2004 - Hobart R&R, Salamanca Markets 02/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 1 - to Wombat Flat 03/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 2 - to Mt. Ramsay 04/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 3 - Mt. Ramsay to Huskisson River 05/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 4 - Camped at Huskisson River 06/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 5 - Across the Huskisson 07/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 6 - Out, then to Strahan 08/05/2004 - R&R in Strahan 09/05/2004 - Dissapointing Gordon River Cruise 10/05/2004 - Strahan, R&R, Preparation for Overland Track 11/05/2004 - Strahan to Lake St. Clair 12/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 1 - Lake St. Clair to Pine Valley Hut 13/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 2 - the Labyrinth and Acropolis 14/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 3 - Pine Valley Hut to Kia-Ora Hut 15/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 4 - Kia-Ora Hut to Mt. Ossa to Pelion Hut 16/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 5 - Pelion Hut to Windermere Hut 17/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 6 - Windamere Hut to Cradle Mountain Village 18/05/2004 - Sick!, Cradle Mountain to Launceston 19/05/2004 - Recovery 1 20/05/2004 - Recovery 2 - Doctor, and Cataract Gorge 21/05/2004 - Recovery 3 22/05/2004 - Recovery 4 23/05/2004 - Recovery 5 24/05/2004 - Launceston to Bicheno 25/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 1 - the Hazards to Cooks Beach 26/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 2 - back to Bicheno 27/05/2004 - Exploring Bicheno 28/05/2004 - Bicheno to Launceston 29/05/2004 - Exploring Further in Launcestion 30/05/2004 - Cataract Gorge 2 31/05/2004 - Launceston to Liffey Falls to Deloraine 01/06/2004 - Trowunna, Devils Gullet, Walls of Jerusalem National Park 02/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem Hike - Day 1 03/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem - Day 2 - Out, then to Hobart 04/06/2004 - Mt. Field NP, Styx Valley & on to Triabunna 05/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 1 06/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 2 07/06/2004 - R&R in Launceston 08/06/2004 - Flying Back Home

Tasmania Diary

[ Up ]

[ Prev ][ Next ]

Monday, May 03, 2004

Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 2 - to Mt. Ramsay

Getting up early seemed a bit of a waste, as unlike my solo hiking, we spent a few hours leisurely having tea, then some hot porridge, then packing.
The floor of the tent was not at all even water resistant, and although there was a thick black plastic groundsheet underneath, the bottom of the tent, and hence my mat and sleeping bag were a bit damp.

The rain started early, and continued on and off all day. We recrossed the creek to the 4WD track, then followed it south for the rest of the day.
Apparently the track used to be very overgrown, and barely recognisable as a vehicle track, as no vehicles had used it in decades. That was up until last year, when the Launceston 4WD Club came in and drove through. They cut away scores of fallen trees (some very big), cout down saplings on the path and completely trashed the track, so that now the track is often eroded badly, and there are numerous big muddy holes.

The track travels up and down some small hills, alternating between old-growth forest (Myrtle), and regrowth where mining had taken place. Tiger Trails had cut some rough foot pads around some of the deepest and longest mud holes caused by the 4WD's. We would walk a short way into the old growth Myrtle forest to get around the mud. On one of these detours, we had lunch, consisting of Mountain Bread wraps, with a variety of fillings – cheese, carrot, cucumber, sun-dried tomato, salami, mayonnaise, chutney, and more – They were good eating.
The lunch spot was very pretty, a small flat spot on the forest floor, with big Myrtles, Leatherwoods and lots of moss and fungus all around.

The track continued through similar forest after lunch, and was in a similar condition, with similar weather.
After some time, we came to an ascent, up the flank of Mount Ramsay. The track only went partway up the mountain, before contouring around it and descending. The descent was very beautiful, with very big Myrtles in old growth rainforest, and a mist caused by the rain. Just before camp, there was a fallen tree over the track, above head hight.

The campsite was very pretty, a clear area of forest floor with big Myrtles all around and above us. Ben and I ended up with a very damp tent site on the main track, with water pooling right beside the tent.
I discovered that my sleeping bag had gotten wet – Fortunately it was only the foot area which was wet. Due to the continual rain, my pack was pretty wet, despite the pack cover.
We had a hot drink I hadn't tried before – Chi – it was very nice.
During the night, there was very strong winds whooshing through the forest, and steady rain as well. I was hoping that a tree wouldn't come down on us.

Admin login | Original script by Alex