Day four on Mount Ossa

By Alan Kimber on 13/11/2010

At 1617 metres Mt Ossa is the highest peak in Tasmania and some old winter snow remained on various aspects. The peak forms a side trip of three hours return enroute to Kia Ora Hut. In total the whole excursion is around six or seven hours, with some simple scrambling thrown in for good measure.

Unfortunately we met some distinctly ‘Scottish’, poor, wet weather on this day and saw very little of the mountain. Our night with twelve other dripping refuges in the Kia Ora Hut only slightly dried our gear for the next day, even though we had a good coal fire blazing.

On the ascent we had joined forces with Dave, a GP from Oswestry. Unfortunately his rucsac was broken into be a marauding Black Currawong. These birds are well known for their dexterity in opening rucsac zips to steal food. On many of the side trips it is possible to leave heavy rucsacs behind to save effort. However, care is required not to expose rucsac zips. A good remedy is to carry a simple light-weight, waterproof rucsac cover to hide zip entrances.