Cradle Mountain - TAS

Cradle Mountain is the most notable feature of the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park. At 1,545 metres (5,069 ft) above sea level, it is the sixth-highest mountain in Tasmania. Cradle Mountain is formed by an igneous dolerite sill that intruded the Permian-Jurassic sedimentary layers, cooling to form a broad hard layer. Subsequent erosion from Pleistocene glaciation left caps of dolerite at Cradle Mountain, and surrounding peaks.The mountain is climbed by walkers virtually year round. It is a strenuous return hike from the Dove Lake car park with a recommended allotted time of six-and-a-half hours. The climb up the rocky part of the mountain involves scrambling over large boulders for several hundred metres. The entire climb is exposed to any bad weather that may arrive quickly, while climbing the upper slopes in winter can be dangerous due to slick ice on the rocks and heavy snow covering holes and other hazards. From the summit, there are views of Dove Lake, Barn Bluff and Mount Ossa.The park features rugged peaks and alpine moorlands and is a part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area attracting bush walkers from all over the world. The popular Overland Track links Cradle Valley to Lake St Clair throughout a 6-7 day's walk from north to south although there are many short walks from Cradle Valley in the Dove Lake area. Visitors should note the extreme climate, even during the peak summer tourist season. On average it is cloudy here on 294 days per year. Snow falls here on average 54 days a year. In 1967, it snowed on 105 days. Rain falls an average 275 days per year. And if you are lucky and it's sunny when you visit, you have arrived on one of the 32 sunny days per year. Rain, sleet, snow and driving winds can occur at any time and weather conditions can alter dramatically and quickly. Even in summer a single day can bring both burning sun and freezing cold. All walkers should be skilled and clothed to meet difficult weather conditions. The best times for visiting the park are in Summer and Autumn when the weather is more reliable, although blizzards can still occur. Summer is ideal for viewing flowering of native plants, whilst Autumn sees berries, colourful late flowering plants, and the golden colours of the deciduous beech (fagus) leaves prior to dropping before the winter snow.