The Arthurs – Hiking in Tasmania

Get keen, this is going to be an incredible trip. The Southwest corner of Tassie has some of the most dramatic alpine landscapes in Australia with sheer slopes, alpine lakes and some pants-wetting exposure. If you’re keen on hiking and love mountains, this is the trip for you.

We intend to do the full traverse of Western and Eastern Arthurs. In order to take more people, the plan is to split into 2 groups of 5 and hike from opposite ends of the ranges. This will take 10 days of walking, and we will need to bring extra food for bad weather and rest days. There is no opportunity for a food drop, so we will be carrying very heavy packs. In addition to this, the track is rugged and very exposed in parts. There will be knee deep mud, pack hauling, waiting out bad weather and all the best bits of Tassie hiking.

This trip will take a high level of fitness, a head for heights and enthusiasm for a challenge. We are looking to take people with experience on overnight hikes, but who haven’t necessarily attempted something of this size before.

The cost to people coming on this trip will be approximately $500 (to cover transport, food, parks passes and the like). For people who don’t own all of the necessary gear, some of it can be borrowed from the club. However, personal sleeping bags and mats will be required as the club ones are too bulky, and not suited to a trip of this length.

We will be running some shorter training hikes in the lead up to this trip to make sure that everyone is prepared and that we are comfortable with everyone’s ability and fitness.

If you want to come, message myself (Ash Brennan), Ben Wilkinson or Ping Li with experience level, how excited you are and favourite mountain snack. Spaces on this trip are quite limited, so message us sooner rather than later. This will also give us an idea of interest.

We are also considering the option of driving down there (depending on the amount of interest we get and the availability of a car), so let us know if you have access to a car that you are able to drive down to Tassie.

This is a big undertaking, and we’ll consider carefully the group we take. We will be taking people based on experience, keenness and involvement in the club. We won’t be taking people we haven’t met, so if you want to come make sure you let one of us know at the weekly Ledge night, or one of the upcoming events (Manky Cam and Climbing Anchors movie night).

We will be running this trip between January 22 and February 10. Get keen.