Backpacking in Tasmania

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

In 1986, 3 mates and I attempted the Arthurs traverse in early autumn. We carried 28kg packs each. As we came up on to the western end of the ridge we were hit by strong icy winds. Visibility dropped to 5 metres and the horizontal hail and rain continued on for the next 12 hours. We searched a trail of ghost like cairns, indistinct in the white out, eventually finding Lake Cygnet. We threw our tents up on the only flat ground we could find, a small beach at the head of the tarn, and took refuge. All night the wind and rain buffeted our thin membrane of nylon. By morning it had calmed. Things were looking up for a moment. My tent was dry but not so the other tent with a creek running through it (could have been me equally). Their down bags were history...

Tim Eisemann hikes the Western Arthurs – Past and Present. Read the full article below in Issue 8:

The Western Arthurs Traverse - Now and Then

Issue 8 Page 1