Day 4 of our Overland Track winter crossing

Hiking, Overland Track, Tasmania, Trail Journal

From soggy forests to Pelion Gap, we crossed mossy trails, snow-dusted plains and misty mountains before finding refuge at Kia Ora Hut.

New Pelion Hut to Kia Ora Hut (4 hrs, 10km)

We set off just before 7.30am, the soggy trail leading us through a damp forest.

Snow melt overnight had turned the track into a series of streams and shallow lakes, requiring us to balance on root systems, logs and rocks to avoid sinking into the sludge.

Trees covered in a patchwork of green and orange moss sorrounded the track, while a series of bridges and planked walkways cut across fast flowing creeks.

The morning sun filtered through the damp forest, while water rushed down the trail like mini waterfalls.

We pushed past damp overgrown bushes, which wet our clothes.

An arduous 400m climb over several kilometres saw us emerge from the forest onto Pelion Gap, where Mount Osa and Pelion East rose like giants on either side of the track.

A moment of clear skies revealed the full grandeur of these towering peaks.

This would be our closest encounter with Mt Ossa, which we had hoped to summit had the weather been gentler.

The mountains were soon swallowed by grey clouds.

A wooden track lined with chicken wire made for a kind walk through the exposed gap, aided by still and clear conditions.

Yellow button-grass bushes covered in snow surrounded the track and looked like giant fluffy marshmallows.

We walked in the footsteps of wombats as we hiked south towards snow capped mountains under a misty rain.

The decent began as we re-entered a shrub like landscape, following a stream of water, then a modern boardwalk, to Kia Ora – another modern hikers hut.

Arriving close to midday, we got to work drying our damp socks, thermals and rain jackets.

As the rain set in, we looked on from the heated kitchen area, grateful we’d dodged the worst of the weather.

Another 10 hikers we’d been hut hopping with since Day 1 arrived over the next couple of hours, adding to the assemblage of wet clothes surrounding the little heater.

Kia Ora offered a picturesque location to watch Mother Nature at work, with the spectacular Cathedral Mountain dominating our view.

Heavy rain turned into hail, then snow, as we chatted, ate and whiled the afternoon away, enjoying our luxurious surrounds. A few wombat sightings added to the magic.