After a steep, sweaty climb to the top of Mt Oakley there was a bit of a wait before sunset. An endorphin-stripping breeze was pushing the clouds away, but the usual Australian eucalypt haze created some interesting shafts of light. Most of the sunset action happened at the horizon – a bit of a disappointment after the hard slog to the top – but there was plenty else to see. - D•RIFTWOOD

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Tom (driftwood) > Just back from Tasmania’s Overland Track, a 65km (minimum) hike through some of the World’s most spectacular scenery. After a couple of wet days, day 3 began clear and cold. These are the first rays of sunrise on Barn Bluff over Lake Windermere. Although the wet weather kept us from climbing the bluff on the first two days, it was a great photo subject throughout the rest of the trip.

Tom (driftwood) > Willoughby the wallaby and friends were a constant feature around the Waterfall Hut. They're pretty tame, but not aggressive in looking for food. I guess most walkers, worried about starving themselves, are well-behaved when it comes to feeding local wildlife. Not sure how Willoughby would like a freeze-dried Ramen Bolognese anyway...

Tom (driftwood) > I've made two trips to Tasmania now, with a total of 4 days on which to get to the summit of Cradle Mountain. I've spent two afternoons drying out in Kitchen Hut waiting for the weather to clear and still have nothing to show for it. This view could very well be toward Cradle - I wouldn't know! At least weather sealing let me have some fun with the camera in the heavy fog and drizzle.

Tom (driftwood) > After a steep, sweaty climb to the top of Mt Oakley there was a bit of a wait before sunset. An endorphin-stripping breeze was pushing the clouds away, but the usual Australian eucalypt haze created some interesting shafts of light. Most of the sunset action happened at the horizon – a bit of a disappointment after the hard slog to the top – but there was plenty else to see.

Tom (driftwood) > Climbing up toward Pelion Gap we met another group at the turn-off to these small falls. They advised "It's not very far and ok if you really like waterfalls". We decided to have a look despite the warning. The main viewing point was only interesting in that the stream split to form a bit of an island, but the "falls" on either side were just a thin sheet rolling over the rocks. Felling a bit energetic, I followed the lefthand branch around a bit and found this pool.

Tom (driftwood) > Mt Oakleigh is the peak in the centre with the jagged pinnacles. It's quite the distinctive feature from the time it appears in the distance near Lake Willis until it disappears after crossing Pelion Gap. The climb to the top has a bit of everything: suspension bridge, mossy rainforest, steep athletic climb, rocky traverse, and bog crossing. The bog, in daylight, was a joy to cross; spongy underfoot with a clear dry trail through the middle. We would learn later that, in the dark, it becomes a featureless plain to the eyes and a feature-filld maze of sinkholes and streams for the feet.

Tom (driftwood) > Furguson Falls were the second of three that can be easily accessed from the track toward Windy Ridge. They're a bit rougher than the other two, so not as picturesque, but are easily the most accessible. A little scrambling gets you to rock platforms with great views. A little more over dry rocks and you could easily get to the falls themselves. We were all a bit worse for wear after the falls and slips at D'Alton Falls, so were happy for a few snapshots from the prescribed viewing area.

Tom (driftwood) > I didn't do a lot of swimming on the Overland Track, but I'm told the pool at the base of D'Alton Falls is one of the best places for it. It was a bit slippery getting down, but all the injuries among the group were relatively minor. The shockingly cold water was good for sore joints and pulled muscles anyway. This view is not of the falls (obviously), but looking the other way down the gorge. Dark, damp and mossy, it was very different from the other two visited on the day.

Tom (driftwood) > The fist night in the tent was at Lake Windermere, and it was a cold one. At a couple of degrees below zero, there was frost on the tents and on the chicken-wire tread of the boardwalks. In some ways I regretted leaving my boots and socks to dry in the hut overnight – the 200m walk to retrieve them was... refreshing.

Tom (driftwood) > After a rough scramble, a few injuries and a swim at D'Angelo Falls, there was debate over whether the trip to Hartnett Falls would be worth it. The guidebook had listed the walk as "easy (to top of falls)" and those menacing brackets gave us second thoughts. What's the point of seeing a waterfall from the top? Fortunately, we ran into the group on the champagne tour coming back up; if their guides took them to the bottom it must be pretty easy. It was.

Tom (driftwood) > After shivering in the wind for an hour at the top of Mt Oakleigh some sunset action finally started to happen. Unfortunately all the cool clouds had long since blown out to the horizon, but fortunately I brought a long lens. West of Mt Oakleigh is about 70km of nearly uninterrupted wilderness. As the temperature dropped, little clouds started to appear over the top of Mt Pelion West and, for a split second, a shaft of light came through the clouds. Soon after the sun was set and it was time for a 10km hike and 400m descent in the dark.

After a steep, sweaty climb to the top of Mt Oakley there was a bit of a wait before sunset. An endorphin-stripping breeze was pushing the clouds away, but the usual Australian eucalypt haze created some interesting shafts of light. Most of the sunset action happened at the horizon – a bit of a disappointment after the hard slog to the top – but there was plenty else to see.