Need a tent on the Rees-Dart?

It might be a good idea to have a tent simply because at that time of year you may find the huts to be full. If you do wish to go light there is no restriction on sleeping on the floor. Dart hut in particular has a large verandah area and I personally dragged a mattress out there to sleep there out of choice. You Aussies are most welcome and Tasmanians in particular as you will be familiar with the possibilties with the weather. A couple of years back we had just come down the Dart in moderately heavy rain, crossing rapidly rising streams as we went. When we got to Daley's Flat Hut we found a Sydney resident wandering around in a daze. Everything in his pack including sleeping bag was wet. He was heard to utter that he had never seen so much water in all his life. No problems with transport. Glenorchy is very well geared up to service the needs of trampers.

Thanks "pmcke". Are huts still that busy in mid-March? Flying with Jetstar we've got a savage baggage weight limit, and my Macpac Olympus (note you have one too!) is a tad heavy. I brought it last time (October to December 2006) and didn't use it once! And they took it apart and inspected it at Christchurch airport for over half and hour - at midnight. We planned to bring one emergency tent between six - the "broken-leg-or-other-emergency-type-shelter" for two while the other get help. (At least it wouldn't be snake bite!) Re. accommodation & transport, I've heard good things about Kinloch Lodge. Any opinions? cheers Peter

We stayed at the Glenorchy Holiday Park http://www.glenorchy-nz.co.nz/gyholidaypark.html It had the advantage that that was where all the busses leave from. Kinloch is on the other side of the lake so while handy for the Greenstone you might have to get to Glenorchy before you can get to the Rees. However I am sure you will be well looked after wherever you go. I have seen Glenorchy go from a farming and mining town back in the 1970s to a full on tourist town in the 21st century. A mate of mine was astonished that you could buy a cappuccino in Glenorchy. However some things don't change. You still can't get a newspaper before midday. In the old days the pub had a reputation for being open 24/7, there are several there now and I think they would be open all hours too.

Check out the link below. Walked there in year 2000. Of course, there will be some changes. Dzung Nguyen Melbourne, Victoria, Australia http://www.jeack.com.au/%7Ebushwng/nz-reesdart.html

I should have put my Rees-Dart photos up too. They are a bit out of order. See http://tinyurl.com/6phy5c

Due to lowkey, my pages have not been updated for ages. Will do so when motivated.

While always prudent if practicable, I don't think a tent would be required. Track info here.. http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36509 If you don't mind sleeping on the floor or under the table ;) you should be able to sleep under cover every night, and as mentioned above the tracks will be busy, so if you plan to stick to the track and hit a snag other trampers would come along reasonably regularly

We tramped the Rees Dart in March 2005 never carried a tent had no worries. Dart hut seems to have more trampers in of a night as they come down from Cascade saddle or spend the extra night there to just hike up to the saddle and back.Enjoy it,s a great tramp .PS I guess it depends on the size of the group there were just the two of us .PPS we will be inGlenorchy around 3rd March .We always try to cross the ditch at that time of year have always found the weather reasonably stable

Everyone who tramps needs some form of emergency shelter which I am pleased to see you have all ready organised. I guess no one's forgotten about the Asian woman from Auckland who ended up presumably drowned from an unsuccessful crossing of the stream approx. 1km upstream of Dart Hut after going over Cascade Saddle in heavy rain just after xmas this year. Olympus flies without the inner tent make great shelter and can accommodate 3 people. I always take sufficient gear to enable me to survive a night out in case someone in the party breaks a leg. My partner broke his leg last June dropping off a ridge when we were on our way to a hut and we were able to camp comfortably.