Day 2 of our Overland Track winter crossing

Hiking, Overland Track, Tasmania, Trail Journal

Waterfalls roared, snow melted underfoot, and a short, sweet hike delivered us to Windemere Hut after a spectacular day on the Overland Track.

Waterfall Valley Hut to Windemere Hut (2.25 hrs, 7.8km)

We left the bustling Waterfall Valley Hut just before 9.30am.

Our muscles ached from the previous day — the biggest climb of the trail. Thankfully, today was short and sweet.

A two-hour hike would lead us to our next port of call — Windemere Hut.

We remained around 1,100m elevation, with gentle changes along the way.

The scenery was spectacular, with several raging waterfalls plunging down distant mountains.

On the trail, we navigated our own mini waterfalls, as melting snow flooded the track to gushing points in parts.

While we benefited from a track mostly comprised of wooden planks with chicken wire, we also rock-hopped and skipped through mud in other sections.

There was just a gentle breeze today, with no snow or rain. Much of the snow had melted overnight, leaving only clumps of ice dotting the low-lying vegetation.

Barn Bluff dominated our horizon, and dozens of lakes with black water glistened under grey clouds.

Wombat droppings dotted the track, but we still had no sightings.

The track took us along the edge of Lake Windemere, winding through big speckled boulders and past a lovely sitting area.

The infrastructure out here is incredible! Yet it still feels wild, perhaps due to the volatile weather.

We arrived at the stunning Windemere Hut at 11:45 am and settled in for the afternoon.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening swapping tales with merry hikers traveling in both directions. It was a night full of lovely company and laughter.

With around 20 hikers, the vibe was high.

With a big day ahead tomorrow — 16 km and a potential snow dump — we hit the sack at 7:30 pm as rain tumbled down.