It doesn't matter how "tough" you are, kunanyi / Mt Wellington will always win against the unprepared.
A City of Hobart crew of four were called into action during blizzard like conditions early this month after a group of walkers were left stranded at the summit observation deck, unable to leave due to the treacherous conditions.
Jeram Cowley, a 10-year-veteran at the City and even longer on the mountain, had never been involved in a rescue mission like this before.
With Tasmania Police and SES both stretched while assisting flooding in the Derwent Valley, it was left to Cowley and colleagues Greg Milne, Stuart Pengelly and Andrew Evans to head to the summit to rescue the group of 13.
Snow chains are placed onto the tyres of a 4WD ute.
"The wind can be a challenge, but for this incident, the biggest issue was visibility and the heavy snow fall," Cowley said.
"On a few occasions, we had to stop and wait it out, which is what we recommend to anyone in that situation – don't try to plough through it.
"And if you are exposed to the elements, it doesn't matter how tough you are, it is not about that.
"Unless you are prepared with the right equipment and experience, it can be treacherous."
But they were surprised to find another group of five walkers out in the open near Big Bend, making a five-hour ordeal up and down the mountain using a tractor to forge a safe path through the wind, sleet, and snow to transport the 18 people back to safety and warmth in three 4WD utes.
Making one bad decision to head to the mountain on foot was bad enough, but the group of five made a second – leaving the relative safety of the observation deck to head back down.
"I was not shocked to be honest, we see it often," Cowley said.
"People go up there unprepared and don't really know what they're doing or they're just walking their way down and they've made their choice and then they've got the consequences of their decisions, that tends to be what happens.
"They were definitely keen for help."
The group, a mixture of tourists and locals made up of 15 adults and three children aged between 11 and 16, were certainly relieved to see the crew arrive through the dark, Antarctic like conditions with a wind-chill factor of minus 22 degrees Celsius.
His message is a simple one for those locals or visitors looking to reach the summit.
Prepare not just with equipment, clothing and communication devices, but also for severe, fast changes in weather – just because it is relatively nice and calm at the Springs, is no indication of how it will be on top of kunanyi / Mt Wellington.
But at least this story had a successful outcome and Cowley said the walkers were extremely grateful to the crew and apologetic for the rescue mission they had caused.
However, for Cowley, after the adrenaline of the well-carried out rescue, there was only one thing on his mind.
"I wasn't expecting the shift and I was just gearing up to go home when the call came through so by the end of it, about 10 pm, I was very hungry for dinner!"
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