Mt Somers tracks impassable.Ditto all bush tracks along the foothills.
After the snow dump on June 18/19th,I would suggest trampers contact DOC Geraldine re track conditions.A lot of snow as you get higher & massive amounts of tree-fall.It`ll take quite a huge effort to clean these tracks up.Reports of over a metre at Pinnacles Hut.The road to Sharplin Falls carpark has been cleared but from there,it`s very hard going.My advice-go to the beach instead!If you want a second opinion,talk to the 5 trampers who were extracted on friday.
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ShazDavis both tracks on the Woolshed Creek side is 100% at the end of July; as well as Woolshed to Pinnacles
8 August 2015 -
Honora We met a Mt Somers W/w chappie (Black double cab ute) who had gone in with his loppers to do a bit of track clearing. There's a 5 inch diameter log just after the stream that comes down from the Blackburn mine but the rest of the stuff is pretty small and won't require chain-sawing at all. There's plenty of wood still in the woodshed. Very cosy stay especially as there was one guy already there who had the fire going and considerately got up early and stoked it up for us in the morning. He walked out via Rhyolite Ridge and was wearing crampons. Wish we'd gone out that way too but the snow would have softened up by the time we got on to it and the wind came up a bit. Seize the day!
28 June 2015 -
Honora Instead we went to the Mt Somers end and walked into Mt Somers Hut. It took twice as long as it normally takes so took us 2 and a half hours going in. We wore our plastic boots and carried crampons which we didn't need as the snow (as you predicted) was soft enough and there were nice post-holes all the way in. We took to the Burma Rd at the stile near the rain gauge.
28 June 2015
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Honora Hi Lew. Frank and I did some ground-truthing on Sat/Sun. We went to the Staveley end with the view to walk into Pinnacles Hut as it would be uncrowded. However a few metres into the track we changed our minds as we had not a clue where the track was.
28 June 2015
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lewshaw Also,severe frosts have put a crust on the snow & warmish NW on a couple of days have enabled a speedy,partial thaw.Back in 2006s` heavy snow,it took up to 2 months before it thawed.In-step crampons quite a useful addition to our daypacks at present.But it is winter!
28 June 2015
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lewshaw A lot of tree-fall & branches over some of the tracks which DOC or their contractors will clear.On the Mt Somers Walkway Society,we do the smaller fluffy stuff,which we can handle using handtools.We aren`t allowed to use chainsaws but it`s ok for us to sever a leg with an axe!
28 June 2015
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Honora Some local tramping club needs to go in 10 strong and stomp out a track. The one in front does 20 steps then steps aside and goes to the back etc. I was on a trip once where the guy in front did successive face plants to consolidate the snow for us - nice guy, that Steve Bruerton.
21 June 2015
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